Alex Grayson

I love all the excitement of creeping around, watching her, obsessing over her, but the most important reason I haven’t openly pursued Poppy yet is because of the anger I know she’ll feel toward me once she finds out the lengths I have gone to to invade her privacy for my own selfish reasons. I’m not ready for her anger, her hate, or even worse, her fear. Fear is the very last thing Poppy should ever feel when it comes to me. I’d cut off my dick and shove it down my own throat before I ever hurt her. She is to be cherished and treated like gold.

Poppy, I would rather cut off all my limbs, then soak in a bath of acid than hurt you. You have no reason to trust me, but I swear on everything I am that I would never hurt you, because if I do, I would be hurting myself

Some people say that when you’re with the same person for a while, you look forward to the moments alone. That being in their company twenty-four seven drives them crazy. Or that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and you never know what you’ll miss until you’re not around them. That’s such a load of bullshit. There’s no fucking way I could ever want to be away from Poppy. She helps me breathe easier and makes my heart pump stronger. If it was up to me, I’d super glue her to my side so she could never get away from me. Hell, I see her all week at work, and then stalk her with the tracking device in her car and the cameras I have placed in each room of her house. I could watch her all day and it still wouldn’t be enough. After a year of this, I can’t even begin to imagine ever tiring of her, ever

It’s Sunday, so that means tomorrow is Monday, a work day, but I get the sense Poppy won’t be there. Regardless if she is or not, I’m not giving up. I refuse to believe this is over. There’s no way I’ll ever let it be. She’s clawed her way into my heart and there’s no way she’ll ever be able to get free of me. I won’t ever let that happen.

There’s no way to explain my feelings for you. They’re too strong to put into words and no matter how long I live, it wouldn’t be enough time to show you how I feel. You are everything to me. Every-fucking-thing!” I stress the word. “Every breath I take, I take for you. Every beat of my heart is for you. Every smile I see that graces your face, makes my life shine so bright it’s damn near blinding. Your laugh is the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard. Your beauty outshines even the most gorgeous possessions. My need for you outweighs anything I’ve ever wanted. You are the single most important thing I would give everything up for.”

There’s no way to explain my feelings for you. They’re too strong to put into words and no matter how long I live, it wouldn’t be enough time to show you how I feel. You are everything to me. Every-fucking-thing!” I stress the word. “Every breath I take, I take for you. Every beat of my heart is for you. Every smile I see that graces your face, makes my life shine so bright it’s damn near blinding. Your laugh is the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard. Your beauty outshines even the most gorgeous possessions. My need for you outweighs anything I’ve ever wanted. You are the single most important thing I would give everything up for.”

“I’m going to leave. I’ll give you what you need and give you time, but I’m not giving you up. You’re still mine, Poppy, just as Sterling told you over and over again.”

“Sterling isn’t real,” she says, a hard edge to her tone.

I remove my hands from the door and dig my fingers into her hair with my palms resting against her cheeks. She tries to pull away, but I don’t allow it. I hold her in place and lay my forehead against hers.

“Sterling is very real,” I breathe, my lips only centimeters from hers. “He’s more real than you realize.”

Her eyes fall closed when she says forcefully, “You’re wasting your time. I can’t be with someone that lies to me. You scare me. I have no idea what you’re capable of.”

I kiss her forehead and murmur, “I’m capable of a lot of things, Beautiful, but harming you will never be one of them.” It may be a mistake, but I tell her one more thing. Something I’ve felt from the moment I saw her and has grown every single day since then. “I love you.”

Do you love her?” she asks quietly, her eyes intently watching for even the minimalist of reactions from me.

My answer comes immediately, and without hesitation.

“With every beat of my heart and every breath I take,” I tell her with conviction.

All I want is to love Poppy the way she deserves. I want to hold her at night, protect her from any pain, comfort her when I can’t, laugh with her, watch our babies grow in her belly, shop for furniture, bicker back and forth about stupid things, make up after arguments, and most of all, shower her with so much love she feels smothered

I love you. Distrust my actions, hate me for what I’ve done, but don’t ever doubt my love for you. It’s strong, and will forever belong to you