Tainted

36

~Poppy~

"Okay. I've got a surprise for you when we get home." Bash had bundled me and mum into his car the first possible second he could. He was excited about whatever Dorian had said to him. His eyes went huge before asking if he was sure and he looked back at me, kissed my head hard and shouted my mum, making us leave dad's body there.

He hadn't said much on the drive. It was silent. As much as it was necessary, I just killed my father. 21 years I had him towering over me. All the shit he gave me and I just swiped his existence from the world. The first man I've ever killed was my dad. I took the gun and I pulled the trigger and he wasn't even expecting it. He thought I'd bow to him. I didn't. Just pulled the trigger as if he was one of the paper dolls in the shooting range that Bash takes me to.

I didn't feel guilty though. I was relieving the moment on repeat in my head. He fell the same way Rowan fell. Though it was Rowan's shoulder that shifted backwards and hit the floor. Dad was heavier. He hit the floor quicker and louder and there was a hell of a lot more blood.

"Pip?"

"Sorry. What?" Bash reached over, setting his hand on my thigh, and squeezing gently.

"I've got a surprise. For you both."

"Both?" Mum squeaked.

"Yep." He pulled into the drive. "Gotta get out the car." I looked up at him and he smiled, leaned over, and kissed me. "Go. I'm right behind you. You'll love it."

"Promise?"

"I swear Pip. This is going to be the best surprise ever. It's killing me. Get out." I smiled. It was a good surprise. Maybe Dorian found more of mum's photo albums. She couldn't get all of them last time and she's been going on and on about wanting the last ones for ages. The front door opens as I step across the bricks. I stop.

I freeze.

"Long time no see Sunshine." He smiles, steps down the stairs but I can't move. I'm seeing things. "Poppy."

"Rowan." He smiles, opens his arms and I feel myself running, jumping into my brother's arms. "You're dead. I watched him shoot you." He gripped me tight, burying his head into my neck and hugging me like he's never going to let me go which is funny because he didn't have a fucking choice in the matter. I was going to glue myself, right here. I'd stick myself to him forever and never ever allow him to go anywhere ever again.

"I know. He got my shoulder. Kept me in the basement. I'm here Pip. I'm okay." He sat me down slowly. "God you're so big." He looks up for a second and looks like he's on the verge of tears as he lets go of me and wraps his arms around mum.

I don't understand what's happening. Rowan hugs Bash and the two of them stand there for a few minutes before stepping back and Bash tells us all to come inside. We sit down in the living room and someone hands me something to drink but I'm just staring at my brother as he sits on the edge of a table like he's been on holiday and just gotten back. Not as if he's been dead for the past 6 years.

"Want to explain what happened?" Bash pulls me into his lap and I keep staring.

"There's not much to explain. The man doesn't have a backbone."

"Didn't have. Past tense." Rowan looks at me. "He's dead. I shot him." He laughs. Short and quick but oh god have I missed that laugh more than anything in the world.

"Of course, you shot him Pop. I would not have expected anyone else to. He shot me in the shoulder, dragged me out half conscious and I've been in the basement since. I don't think anyone knew. Just him and Cian. But then Cian stopped coming down with food and he started coming down a few months ago."

"Yeah. Cian's downstairs." Bash tells him. "Right Pip." I nod.

"You're quiet Pops."

"I can't believe you're here. I'm almost sure he's drugged me or I'm dead and this is a hallucination and I've gone mad. How- I don't- 6 years."

"He said he couldn't kill me. Couldn't risk me ruining his plan for you Poppy but he needed his only son to run what he had built using you. If he combined the top 5 families, married you to them, killed them off, over and over again until he had them all under his power, he'd bring up a miracle - oh look my son's alive, let's let him run it all. It wasn't terrible down there really. Could have been worse. He brought me books, I had gym equipment, full 3 meals a day. Like I said. No backbone. I had a whole plan for when he brought me out. There's not much to talk about. What I want to know-" He walked over and sat on the coffee table in front of me. "Is how my little sister is." I blink at him. "Talk to me Poppy."

"You knew Bash. Before." He chuckles. "Is this not weird?"

"I mean, a little. But I'd rather know you were with Seb than some waste of space. When dad mentioned you were seeing him, I knew you were safe. I knew Seb wouldn't let anyone touch you. When he came down a few weeks later, he was ranting that you guys had stolen what you paid to him and I knew you'd put more loopholes in that contract. I looked at it but didn't point it all out." He reached over, pushing some hair behind my ear. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there Pop. I tried. For a while until I realized it was a waste of time."

"Don't be stupid." I pushed on his arm, smiling at his giggle. "That's Bash's top."

"I know. I was a mess. Dorian gave me it."

"I've slept in that top."

"I do not want to know what you've don-"

"I'm sure we have."

"POPPY!" I laughed. "You might be married but I really don't need to know."

"Hmm. I've got 6 years of irritating to make up for." I shrugged.

"Oh god. Seb. Sebastian. Please. Have mercy." Bash chuckled, sitting up straight. "Send me back."

"No can-do man. She's your sister."

"Your wife."

"Yeah but she was your sister first."

"Boys, boys, calm down. There's plenty of irritating for me to spread around."