Page 102 of I'll Keep Her Safe

Violet turns to Poppy, the cogs spinning visibly in her head. “Is he sleazy? Like, the kind of guy who thinks he can have whoever he wants?”

“Definitely.”

I scowl. “If you ask me, he thinks he’s fucking invincible. Lying to my face about being her boyfriend, lying to her boss…”

“That works in our favor,” Violet says, as Kyle quietly fills her plate without her noticing. “We could catch him in a compromising position, then use that to get him fired.”

“He’s good, though,” Poppy admits, her shoulders slumping. “He might be a nightmare, but he’s not stupid. You wouldn’t believe the things he’s gotten away with.”

Violet smirks. “All men are stupid when they’re thinking with their dicks.” She touches a hand to Kyle’s arm as he regards her with amusement, adding, “Sorry, honey, but it’s true.”

Kyle chuffs a wry laugh. “Hey, I’m not arguing.”

“What do you mean?” Daisy asks Violet, scrunching her nose in confusion. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking one of us lures him into a compromising position, one where he blatantly goes against one of his company policies or does something so shocking they’d have no choice but to fire him. We’d record it somehow, then show it to his boss.”

Poppy blinks. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” Violet echoes, her face severe.

“Well, it can’t be me.” Daisy shrugs. “I don’t think I could pull that off, for one, and there’s a chance he’s seen me at Joe’s, since he’s been hanging around there.”

“Hmm.” Violet rubs her chin, glancing at Poppy. “Does he like blonds?” she asks, motioning to her own mid-length wavy blond hair.

Poppy grimaces. “Yes. But I couldn’t ask you to—”

“Girl.” Violet reaches across the table, taking both of Poppy’s hands in hers. “It would be my pleasure. I’ve worked around enough douchey execs who need to be put in their place. Let me do the honors.”

Poppy huffs a laugh, looking down at her food as Violet releases her hands. “That’s so nice. But… I don’t think it’s a good idea. If I do something like that, he’ll make my life hell.”

“Not if I have anything to do with it,” I mutter, but she shakes her head.

“You guys are the best, really, but… let’s just forget it.”

There it is again. The thing she told me after he cost her the job at Joe’s.Let’s just forget it. Why? How many times do we have to forget it? How many times do we let him get away with the stunts he pulls?

I want to press her on this, but she starts eating, her shoulders tight, and it’s a sign for me to let it go. This isn’t my fight, it’s hers. I have to respect her wishes.

Violet sends me a questioning glance silently across the table, but I shake my head. With a deep frown, she picks up her fork, clearly as irritated by this as I am. I have to admit, it’s nice not to be alone in that feeling.

But we have bigger things to worry about, I remind myself as I tuck into my food. Like how I’m going to tell my daughter I’m in love with her best friend.

35

Poppy

We wait up until midnight for Bailey to come home after dinner at Daisy’s house, but there’s no sign of her. It’s not until I go to our room to change that I notice her stuff is gone, and nerves swoop through me as I sink onto the edge of her bed, wondering why, if she somehow figured it out. It’s very out of character for her to leave without saying goodbye.

Taking a fortifying breath, I pull my phone from my pocket and message her.

Poppy: Where are you?

Her status changes toOnline, then the little dots appear to show she’s replying, and I suck in an anxious breath. The dots vanish. I exhale slowly, wondering if I should call her, when her reply comes in.

Bailey: At the airport.

Shit. That’s not good.

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