Chapter 7

Poppy

"Listen to me, Poppy," Julian demands, his voice taking on that authoritative edge he uses in the boardroom. "You are not to blame for what happened to Peter."

"But I was the one who called him," I protest weakly. My call to Peter put him in the car made him so worried he forgot to put his seatbelt on and ran a stop sign as he tried to rush to save me.

My actions killed my brother.

Julian grips my shoulders, trying to anchor me back to reality. "It was an accident," he insists. I can see him wrestling to find the correct words that will make me see the light.

There are no words, just darkness.

"He won't get away with this, Poppy." Julian seals his promise with a kiss on my forehead before adding, "I need to speak with my uncle."

Dread and guilt surge within me. "But then everyone will find out."

Gently, his hands cradle my face. "You've been drowning in this alone, but we're all here, ready to pull you back to the surface. Let us."

"I... I don't know how to tell Harper. She reacts like Henry. She won ' t think about her actions." My shoulders slump, " I don ' t know how to tell her, Julian. I don ' t think I can." It ' s shameful. Harper is so strong. She would have fought. She won ' t understand why I didn ' t.

"Do you want me to tell her for you?" he offers.

My lip trembles. I ' ve been bearing this burden for so long, and he ' s so willing to offer to take some of it. I hug him, nodding a reply as I continue to cry into his chest.

***

I'm roused by the rhythm of Julian ' s calm breathing as he gently stands. "Shh, just sleep, Pumpkin." His arms cradle me as he carries me down the hall to his bedroom.

"Did I fall asleep?" I mumble, disoriented.

"Yes," he whispers, lifting me slightly higher to plant a soft kiss on my head. "Go back to sleep and know when you wake up that you will never have to fight your battles alone again."