Matthew Hallard Poppy Playtime Novels & Stories

Dante stood beside me, hands in his pockets, looking almost sheepish. "Is this okay?" "It's perfect." "Marco suggested it. Said we should turn the place where everything went wrong into something good." I leaned into his side. "Marco is smarter than both of us." "Don't tell him that. His ego is already unbearable." I looked around at the bright walls, the new windows, the teenagers playing basketball in the back lot. This was the future. Not blood and secrets and whispered threats, but something open. Something honest. "You've changed," I said.

“So we can do anything to her?” “Anything,” Reynold replied smoothly. “Use her any way you want.” Dave asked cautiously, “No interference from you?” “Give me some credit,” Reynold chuckled. “I want to see if my slut can perform for me, so I won’t be interfering at all.” The guys asked for a moment to talk it over. Reynold nodded. “Okay, Poppy, why don’t you go to the restroom and freshen up? I feel you’re going to be very busy for the next two hours.”

I checked the time in my car and saw that it was twenty minutes to 3 , and the drive from my house to the community playground was roughly forty five minutes so I was definitely going to make it although there was no point in rushing because I knew that Alpha Jax can decide to keep me waiting just to prove a point. I drive very fast and when I finally get to the playground, I see a lot of families having fun but I didn't see a glimpse of the person I was here to see. I checked the time and it was some minutes after 3 o'clock and I roll my eyes at his lateness before finding a free chair to sit down and wait for him.

I tease. “I don’t sniff,” he protests. “You do,” Ryder, Remy, and Callen reply in perfect unison. Before Parker can argue, the front door opens, and my heart leaps into my throat as Poppy’s cheerful voice shouts, “Hello.” She walks in wearing a bright sundress and cute sandals. She is so pretty, just like our mum. She looks at me as if she hasn’t seen me in years. Then her eyes flick to the four men flanking me, and she raises her brows.

He grimaces, rubbing the nape of his neck, slightly embarrassed. “I just said you loved me,” he explains defensively. “They just like to team up against me.” “Right, that’s what it was,” Mom muses in a low voice, turning her attention back to the TV. “Sorry, Chad. Maybe in another lifetime, but now, my focus is on getting myself a hot singer from a band called Glitch,” Poppy says excitedly as she walks over and sits on the armchair beside Lauren. It doesn’t go unnoticed by me the way Chad frowns at her, but it is so quick, I wonder if I imagined it.

"Tell me, pretty face—was it better than what my dear other half gave you?" Ms Campbell's body jerked like I had struck her. Her hand flew toward my face. I caught it. Effortless. I lifted her wrist, brushing my lips against her knuckles. "Careful, darling," I murmured. "You could hurt someone with that." She yanked her hand away, her breath uneven. Then— "You're not Dante, are you?" Tsk. So slow. I rolled my wrist, cracking the joint again. Pop. Pop. Pop.

Right, I forgot to buy slippers. "Good morning," I greeted her with a smile. I first took Mom's slippers for her to use in the meanwhile. She has the same size as Mom. I approached her and l put it near her feet. Then I stood up and looked at her. "It's my Mom's slippers. Wear it." Ella Victoria Everette's Point of View

She said as she hid her face behind her hands. “That’s what I said before I dated him.” Hannah or Harley or whatever her name was said as she rolled her eyes. Everyone ignored her like she didn’t say anything and she huffed as she went to a separate corner of the room to sit down alone and sulk. “A playboy like that needs a girl like my cousin.” Cassie spoke up. “I mean, just look at Sarah! She’s gorgeous! If she can’t make that guy change his playboy ways, then no one can!” She added in a dramatic voice.

“I want you to pair it with the dress and look, make them go crazy.” “Why are you even doing all of this for me?” I was biting back a smile. Just like that, I was fully clothed in expensive things. I couldn't believe it. In what world would it have ever happened if I didn't meet Ryan again? It's so crazy that up till now, Amanda had still not recognized him and realized that he was my high school bully. Well, better. She'll say I'm stupid. I am, whatever. “No one gets to mess with my plaything except me, remember?”

Not long left and I leave this room, more than likely not to smell anything divine and realise that there is no-one out there waiting for me. My eyes started to fill just as Poppy opened the door and waltzed into the room. Using the back of my hand I quickly wiped at my eyes. “I'm baaaaack motherfucker!” She bellowed out in a sing song voice, throwing her arms out as if she was on stage waiting for a round of applause. “Come on, let's move it. If we head down now, then we'll have time for a coffee and whatever first.” She carried on speaking, oblivious to my moment of inner torture and being so close to shedding tears when she had walked in.