Page 50 of Room One Hundred and Eleven

“Yeah. So if you have something to say to her, you’re going to have to do it yourselves. In person. And be damn sure you mean it. Don’t come out here with some stupid contract—or anything equally contrived—either. She’s on edge. If you press her wrong, she’ll run again. This time way farther than back to my club and her friends. We don’t want to lose her either.”

“Does that mean you think we have a chance?” Aiden is practically pleading. He has the same sweet desperation in his eyes as he does when he kneels for me.

“If there is one, it’s fragile. That’s all I’m going to say about that. I’ve already said more than I should. Except…” Gunner clears his throat.

“What?” I prod him to continue.

“Poppy’s like a little sister to me. And you’re good friends. It’s possible that what’s best for all of you is each other. That’s worth taking a risk for. Don’t prove me wrong.”

“Is that what you did with Riley?” I ask him.

“Yes. And we almost fucked it up. Don’t do that.”

I look first to Aiden, then to Knox, both of whom are frozen as if afraid to breathe. “I’m not about to. We’re coming.”

Knox grins and Aiden slumps in relief.

It feels right.

I trust my instincts in our business. I should do the same in our personal life.

“Next time you make her cry, I’ll let Kane loose on you three,” Gunner growls. “He’s nowhere near as forgiving as I am.”

“Understood.”

“Let’s go.” Aiden is already striding for the door.

So I hang up.

And we chase.

No matter where our beauty runs, we will find her. And make her ours.

CHAPTER 18

Aiden

Iimagined our reunion with Poppy a million different ways during every hour of the past six weeks and on the short flight on our jet out to Vegas. Somehow though, I didn’t picture this.

Carter knocks on her door with three short, loud punctuations of his fist.

“Coming!” Even a single word from her—especially that one—is a siren song after our time apart, making me adjust myself in my suit pants as she fiddles with the lock before opening her door.

She takes one look at us across her threshold and slams the door in our faces. “Crap!”

Something clunks as if her skull bonks into the wood separating us when she splays out on the other side like a starfish. It will take more than that to keep us out.

“Let us in so I don’t piss off your landlord when I kick this thing down.” Carter’s off to a great start.

“Less beast, more prince charming, remember?” Knox nudges him away from the door, patting his chest as if that will tame him.

“Go away!” Poppy shouts, though we can hear her ragged breathing clear enough through the cheap hollow core.

Knox holds Carter back, and I step in, placing my hand gently on the door. “Beauty, please. Can we talk to you face-to-face? Hear us out. If you don’t like what we have to say, we’ll go. Leave you alone for good.”

Please, please don’t let her take me up on that.

It’s probably a lie anyway. At least for Carter.

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