Page 24 of Hard as Stone
He shifts uncomfortably. “Everyone knows?—”
“Everyone knows what people tell them to know.” I think of Axel’s gentleness, the way he’d insisted on taking me home instead of taking advantage. “Maybe try thinking for yourself for once.”
“Pops.” Hugo steps between us, always the peacekeeper. “We’re just looking out for you. The way you look at that guy... it’s like you’re asking for trouble.”
“Maybe I am.” I slip past them into my room—if you can call the converted sunroom at the back of the trailer a room. The walls are thin enough that I can hear everything that goes on in and outside this house, but at least it’s mine. “Maybe trouble is exactly what I need to feel like life is worth something for once.”
“What you need is to be careful,” Felix says. “If Dad finds out you’re actually dating one of them?—”
“I’m not dating anyone.”Yet. The memory of Axel’s jacket and his heated kisses flashes through my mind, but I push it away. “And last I checked, neither of you is my keeper.”
“No, but?—”
“Good night, boys.” I shut the door in their faces, leaning against it until I hear their footsteps retreat.
With a heavy sigh, I collapse onto my bed, kicking off my shoes. The dress—which had felt sexy and daring at the bar—now feels confining. I change into an oversized t-shirt, scrub off my makeup, and try to make sense of this night.
Dad’s words echo in my head as I try to get comfortable against my pillow.You’re naïve, Poppy. Always have been. Just like your mother.
The comparison to a woman who abandoned us all to chase empty dreams stings, but what hurts more is the difference in how the men in my life see me. Dad treats me like a child who needs constant direction, who can’t be trusted to make her own choices. But Axel... he challenges me, respects my decisions even when he disagrees. When I told him I couldn’t keep his jacket, he didn’t argue or try to force the issue. He accepted my choice while making it clear the offer still stood.
Maybe that’s what scares Dad so much—not that Axel’s dangerous, but that he’s worried Axel could see me as an equal. Someone capable of making her own decisions, even if those decisions don’t align with what my family wants.
My phone buzzes, and my heart jumps, thinking it’s Axel. But it’s just a message from Dad in the family group chat.
Dad
Team meeting tomorrow. 6AM sharp. No excuses.
Great. Another chance for him to remind us who’s boss.
A second message follows.
Dad
And Poppy—skip the sparkly boots. We have investors visiting the site. Wear something appropriate.
I type back a thumbs up emoji, resisting the urge to tell him exactly where he can shove his dress code. The last thing I need is another lecture about professionalism and family loyalty.
Rolling onto my back, I stare at the water stains on my ceiling. From somewhere in the trailer park, the rumble of a motorcycle echoes—not Axel’s. I’ve already memorized the sound of his bike. Still, it makes me smile, remembering the solid warmth of him, the way his hands had felt on my skin, the promise in his voice when he’d said he’d call.
Trouble, he’d called me.
Maybe he’s right. Maybe I’m the trouble. But lying here, replaying every heated look and stolen touch, I can’t bring myself to care. Let Dad worry about his precious contracts. Let my brothers fret about my virtue.
For the first time in my life, I want something that’s just for me. Something that has nothing to do with family obligation or duty.
I want Axel.
And judging by everything that happened between us tonight, he wants me too.
My phone buzzes.
Unknown number
Home safe, trouble?
My heart does a little flip as I type back.
