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I scoot my chair closer eager for more information.

"Brandi." She rolls her eyes to the ceiling, twice. "We all told him she was bad news, but they were two high school kids in love, or so they thought. Let's just say she left him a little broken and a lot mad. I haven't seen him take real interest in another woman until you. The others were never introduced to us, and he for sure didn't give a shit about what kind of books they read."

"Was she—"

"Nothing like you, Poppy." Great, everyone's in on the ‘Poppy’ thing, which I admit has grown on me a bit. "Actually now, knowing you and your story, that’s probably what made him turn around."

Confused, I bunch my brows together and ask, "What?"

"Seeing a bit of himself in you."

I feel my face fall to a blank stare. What the hell is she even talking about? He and I are nothing alike.

"Listen." The chair scrapes across the ground as she scoots closer, putting her back to Raider, who's acting like he's not listening but is. "Nash gives a lot of himself to everyone, but especially us. His family. I don't think there’s been a day that he’s put himself before all of us. And with Mom, Dad, me, Mya, and the other three crazy sisters, we're a lot. But he's always there, willing to give more than we give him." Her face falls and her gaze lands on the table. "We’re living at his place right now. Did he tell you that?"

Wide-eyed, I shake my head.

“A couple years back, when I couldn’t make it work on my own and the child support payments stopped coming through, I didn’t even have to ask. He knew what we needed and stepped in. One day I was crying my eyes out at an eviction notice, and the next we’re living in his two-bedroom apartment. He’s never once asked me for rent, never asked when I’m gonna get my shit together and move out. That’s not him.”

The regret clearly lurking behind her gaze has me saying, "Would you really cut me? That sounds so... thug."

A small smile pulls at her lips. "If you aren't planning on hurting him, then I guess you'll never know." With a wink, she turns back to the other two, jumping into their conversation.