Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Harper

It's true. Grief changes you, and time has a way of either worsening or repairing those changes.

For years, I've observed my best friend's suffering, witnessing the slow erosion of her mind, her once wide grin never stretching as it once did. I've seen firsthand that life can be sickeningly short for some, like a beautiful sunset that only lasts for mere minutes. Or terribly long, akin to a massive old oak tree enduring the changing of seasons, the pain of having some branches cut away and others torn off.

After Peter died and Henry abandoned Poppy, I vowed to fill the gap they both left in her heart and mind. I would be the sister she never had, the mother she lost, the father who guides her, and the brothers who protect her.

That's why I woke up at five a.m., silently sneaking out while my little pumpkin Poppy kept sleeping. It's that nickname that made me rise and shine early.

I like Julian; the fact that he gave my bestie an adorable nickname had me grinning from ear to ear. At first glance, he's a perfect ten, for Poppy, not me. Poppy needs a ten; she can't survive living like I do. Her heart attaches, whereas I won't allow mine to.

Julian is gorgeous, tall, and strong; certainly, he must be well-endowed, too, if I go by the length of his shoes and the width of his hand.

Julian was Delta Force, so he could handle himself and protect Poppy; he's the complete opposite of that asshole she dated years ago, of all the jerks she usually dates. He's living in a nice place and has a good job. On paper, he checks all the boxes.

I tiptoe into the guest room which Poppy deemed my room. We haven't begun to unpack the stuff. My luggage is here, along with my laptop. You see, I'm more interested in what's not on paper. Who exactly is Julian, and what is he hiding?

I slowly open my laptop and turn it on. Hacking gives me a thrill; however, in this case, I'm doing it to protect my best friend. If I can save her from heartbreak, then I will.

Did I think what happened at the bar was strange? Hell yes. I know a government-type of guy when I see one, and I spotted them last night. I also noticed the tail following us as Kent drove us home. A tail Kent noticed as well.

Who exactly are Kent and Julian?

"Julian Sterling," I mumble as my fingers race over the keyboard. "Why does that name sound so…no…it can't be." A few more clicks confirmed my suspicions. "Holy fuck!" I gasp with a giggle. Poppy is going to shit a brick when she finds out.

I stand and take two steps. Naturally, I want to rush to her and start gossiping.Don't do that, Harper; think ahead.

If Julian continues to pass my scrutiny and meet my expectations, Poppy will panic if I reveal this information to her. When Poppy panics, she runs and hides; this whole move to Texas will be for nothing.

Nope, I can't allow that to happen. I won't allow Poppy to return to that house and be surrounded by ghosts.

I keep digging but hit roadblocks. Since Julian was Delta Force, major portions of his life are redacted.

Another click has Julian's family tree popping up on my screen. "That's your uncle!" Well, this keeps getting better. Daniel Sterling is the Director of the CIA.

My palms feel itchy; they always do when I do something a little more naughty. If I'm caught poking too close to Julian, his uncle could ruin me.

Good thing I won't get caught.

One hour later.

I'm still in the dark about what went down last night, but I do know the man who whisked Julian away from the bar was his Colonel.

Poor Mick; I feel bad for the guy. I got sidetracked and started digging into his profile. It happens. Sometimes, when I hack, I'm like a little ant scurrying around, gobbling up all the info I come across.

In my world, information is the most valuable currency.

What I have found about Julian isn't alarming or red-flag-worthy; therefore, I'll allow him to continue to call my bestie 'Pumpkin.' He's been medically discharged after an injury to his shoulder. The exact injury has all been scrubbed and well hidden. Maybe it was an op gone bad?

He's got three brothers who all work for his family's company. Sterling Defense is well-known and the top weapons development company the United States works with.

I discovered something that makes me wonder if there is a god. If a deity is upstairs, then maybe he placed Julian and Poppy across the hall for a reason. Julian's mother died. That fact makes me think Poppy and Julian will be able to relate and connect on a deeper level than most can until they are much older. They both experienced the death of a parent early on, and that changes people's mindsets.

Last night must have been Delta Force business. Nothing seems dangerous on my end. I'll just keep watch and poke around occasionally. Everything is documented somewhere, which means I'll eventually find out.

In the meantime, I give Julian my stamp of approval; his fine ass better hope he doesn't get on my shit list.