It Rose From the Ashes by Taylor Fenner

Author:Taylor Fenner [Fenner, Taylor]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Taylor C Fenner Publishing
Published: 2024-09-13T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

COLTON

"What are you talking about?" Colton asked as he watched Poppy’s face drop into her open palms. His concern carved a tight look onto his face, and all he wanted was to reach out and hold her, but he didn’t think she’d allow it. She was torturing herself enough already.

Colton had a shitty day all around. He already had to squabble with the insurance company about what they would pay out. Officer Michelson had also informed him that they hadn’t found any vehicles with front-end damage and would have to investigate further. The gathering had been the last thing he wanted tonight, but Michael insisted, and Della and Len had gone all out. Everyone was there, showing him support.

Colton had been trying to hide his frustration and desire to disappear when Poppy walked through the door. He’d immediately felt lighter, like some love-sick fool from a romance novel.

"I said my name isn’t really Poppy Isles," she repeated quietly, her tone shaky as if each word cost her.

"Okay, well, what is it?" Colton crossed his arms over his chest to keep from touching her. Then realized it made him look angry and defensive and let his arms drop to his sides.

"My real name is Fallon Boseman." Poppy sniffled as she wiped away the tears forming at the corner of her eyes.

"Okay, so you changed your name?" Colton knew he sounded ignorant. He thought it best to let her draw it out.

"I had to," Poppy murmured. "I had to leave Fallon behind. Let her die."

Suddenly, fear for her stole the breath from his lungs; a thousand possibilities racing through his mind. "Why?"

Poppy shook her head, looking toward the end of the street. She was quiet for a while, the crickets and the fainter sounds from the party behind them filling the silence.

Colton watched as Poppy seemed to fold in on herself; one minute, she was standing, and the next, she was crouched down in front of the driver’s door of her car. She covered her face again as her shoulders began to shake. Colton watched helplessly. Finally, she scrubbed her eyes and looked up at him. He crouched next to her.

"I was in an abusive relationship for six years." Her tone was bitter, resigned, and more than a little embarrassed. "I worked in historic home restoration back in Chicago. I loved bringing old, forgotten, and unloved spaces back to their former glory. I had just finished leading a project restoring a three-story Victorian home on Michigan Avenue, the biggest and most successful project of my career so far, when I met Jack. He was a friend of the homeowner, and he worked in stocks."

"He knew all the right things to say to get women to fall under his spell. Things progressed fast. A whirlwind relationship. Then we moved in together. It was like fate or something. Fancy parties and referrals to other wealthy, powerful friends of his at parties. He loved showing me off; his fiery girlfriend with a talent for making old things new.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.