Hold me // Two

VI.

3rd person POV

The next morning Bullet woke up to, Poppy was all curled up in bed next to him, snuggling at his side.
She looked peaceful and simply beautiful, while she was still in a deep slumber.
They talked the whole night and she got the point why it was safer for her go move out of the clubhouse. She told him a few things about her past, the time when she still was with her parents. The more he got to know about her, the more he was interested in her. He was 5 years older than her but she was still on a childlike level.
A soft knock on his door let him look up. Sarge opened the door and came in silently.
"How was the night?", he whispered curious. Bullet nodded. "It was okay. She told me about her past back in England." "You really like her, huh?" The man in the bed smiled. "That obvious?" This time Sarge nodded and Bullet smiled. "She will get along with all the stuff she isn't used to. She is a tough little lady. We help her through all this shit.", the older man stated quietly and looked at the sleeping woman. "Geez, she really reminds me of my daughter."
Everyone in the club knew how much Sarge missed his deceased daughter. She got killed in a car accident just two years ago. Poppy happens to be in the same age as Emily, Sarges daughter. Bullet looks up at the Sergeant of arms. "She likes you too, you know? She feels safe when you are around. She told me that last night.", Bullet told him honestly. "I couldn't help my kid, but I vow to help her. She deserves so much better."
The men nodded at each other. "The guys and I go over to the barn. We clean up the apartment for you two. Lilian already is shopping for some stuff, I hope you don't mind." "Nah it's fine. She knows how to do that kind of shit. I am not good with interior design or stuff. When you lot need help let me know. I already told her we are going over after she had breakfast." Sarge nodded. "Hopefully we have the mess removed by then... that guy was a slob..." Bullet chuckled at that. "Yeah he was..." Sarge grinned at him and waved a quick goodbye, attempting to leave the room. Quickly he glanced over to Poppy  assuring himself she was fine. With a slight smile, he closed the door behind him and left the two alone again.

The brothers of the Devil's Eyes motorcycle club were already at the barn, all windows of the apartment were opened and in front of the barn stood a big container, where they were able to dump in all the old furniture and the garbage of the former owner of this apartment.
King instructed everyone what to do and kept track with Lilian and Jeff who were out for furniture shopping.
Everyone helped to get the apartment in order for Bullet and Poppy, except one.

Irvin O'Brien, better known as Stone, worked on his bike in the automotive repair shop. He was on the edge. He didn't know what was wrong, but this girl appeared and suddenly his brothers followed her like lost puppies. Stone simply didn't like the actions King did. Fine they wanted to help a stray girl, why not. But it was not club business. With a frustrated huff he threw the screwdriver across the garage. Once again King and him got into each other's hair and Stone was sure it wasn't the last time. He took out his cigarettes and lit one. The fights between him and the president later for almost 3 years now, since King made Bullet his VP. Sure Bullet was young, but his age wasn't the matter. Stone and Bullet had a bitter past together and he simply didn't trust him in every way. Bullet was ambitious, but he was not hard enough for that job in Stone's eyes. Nobody listened to him in the first place because he was just the cashier. The selling of guns got more and more unimportant, while King and Bullet worked out a strategy to earn money on a legal way with opening up bars around Illinois in some kind of Coyote Ugly style. The bars were running good, that wasn't the problem. In Stone's eyes though they were more and more far away from the 1%er club they used to be. Other clubs laughed at them and made fun of them. This is what Stone couldn't handle. King and the others shrugged his concerns off like it was nothing.
Stone made up his mind. Perhaps it was the best if he goes Nomad for a while. He doesn't want to see the club going down on behalf of a leader who was more interested in letting his wife rule the world than anything else.

In the meantime Bullet got up and took a quick shower. Afterwards he went up front, to grab a tablet loaded with food for himself and for Poppy as a late breakfast.
Gently he woke her up. Confused Poppy glanced around and realized a moment later where she was and who Bullet was. With a sleep deprived look she smiled groggily at him and he handed her the tablet with the food. She looked up to him and thanked him. Bullet smiled back, sitting on the side of the bed, drinking his coffee. "May I try your coffee?", she asked shyly. Bullet, who drank his coffee with lots of sugar and cream, handed her the mug. Poppy took it from him and eyed the fluid before she took a nip. Her eyes opened up in surprise and she gulped more of the freshly brewed drink, a big smile spreading across her face. "This tastes awfully good. What did you put in it? I know coffee uses to be a dark brown color..."  Bullet grinned. "The magic ingredients are some cream and a big amount of sugar." Knowing already that she had a sweet tooth, he brought back cheesecake and pancakes with syrup. Both of them started eating and they shared the coffee.  Poppy just stuffed the last bite of her slice of cake in her mouth, when again there was a knock on the door.
Bullet went for it and opened it.  Lilian stood there, smiling, with her hands full of bags. "Hello guys. Can I come in?"
The man took a step aside and let her in. "Heya girl. I bought you some decent clothing. I hope they'll fit." Lilian placed the bags on the end of the bed. Poppy swallowed her food and smiled too. "Okay I let you girls be... I am making some more coffee, so feel free to come up front when you're ready." Both women thanked him, when he took the tablet and went out of the room.

Lilian sat herself next to Poppy. "I bought you some clothes, dear. I thought you don't want to run around in Bullets oversized clothes all the time." Poppy looked shocked. "But.... but I can't pay these..." "Hun, don't worry, see them as all your birthday and Christmas gifts you didn't have. It's okay. Now, would you like to try them on? Oh and I bought some slippers and some sneakers. Hope you like them." With a loud squeal, Poppy jumped forward and hugged Lilian tightly. "Thank you so much! Really, thank you!"

Bullet was in the kitchen rummaging with the coffee maker, when Stone walzed in, being on the phone. He didn't see Bullet, so he kept on talking,  thinking he was undisturbed.
"No, Bud, I tell ya... it's not like it used to be. He and I... yeah... yeah... it's like more than hatred at this point. We can't stand to be around each other or in the presence of each other..."
Bullet looked up when he heard Stone's voice. "Him and the VP... nah... since they brought in the girl... well everything is complicated... they don't listen to me at all anymore... uhuh... yes... I drives me crazy... nope... yes... I thought about going nomad..."
Bullet was eaves dropping, but he couldn't care less at this moment. What he just heard made him angry. He wanted to know who Stone was talking to. He tried to listen to the conversation more, when laughter came from the hallway in the back.

Lilian and Poppy walked up front. "Bullet? Where are you?", Lilian singsanged. Stone heard the girls too and ended the call. The minute they saw each other he frowned and went off. Poppy and Lilian shared a look, both shrugging. Bullet came back out of the kitchen, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, with the now freshly brewed coffee. "Coffee is just re-..." He stood still and stared at Poppy.
The girl smiled at him and turned around. "Do you like it?"
Poppy wore tight fake leather leggings, her sneakers, a black tank figure hugging tank top and a knitted west on top. Lilian even helped her to get her hair untangled and braided it into a long and soft braid, reaching over the shoulder almost to her hip.
Bullet's eyes almost fell out, he had seen the girl in his oversize shirts, bare legged, but this outfit made him realize how sexy she was.
Lilian eyed him, grinning devilishly. "Wow, uhm... you look, uhm, gorgeous..." Poppy smiled brightly at him. "Thank you! I never had something so comfy but yet so adult to wear. I kind of like it." Bullet placed the coffee mugs on the counter of the bar. "You look awesome, Poppy. And not just because the new clothes. Believe me.", he said quietly, ignoring Lilian all the way. "Ok guys, I head over to the barn. King wanted me to bring him something. You'll come by later yeah?" Both, Bullet and Poppy nodded at her.
As soon as Lilian waved at both of them and left the clubhouse, Bullet looked again at Poppy. "Did she do your hair?" "Yes she told me she makes a hair dresser appointment for me, I obviously need to cut them." Bullet came closer to her and gently played with her braid. "Please, don't do anything you don't want... and by the way, I like your long hair. Like a lot." Her cheeks flushed in crimson red she smiled shyly. "You do?" "Yes, I do. Your hair is beautiful, darlin." He let go of her hair and swallowed dryly. Knowing he had to control his feelings, he took a step away from her. "Let's drink that coffee and then we can head over to the apartment and see what the guys did today."