purse she had slung across her body. Her mind was full of a dozen different things as she made her way down the stairs.
That was probably why it took her a minute to pick up on the raised voices in the building foyer.
“No, you do it! If it’s so damn easy—”
“I never said that!”
“You did this!” Poppy stopped when she realized that voice belonged to Faye. “We are here, in this mess, because of you! Not because of me!”
“No, it’s never you, because you’re fucking perfect,” a male argued back.
It definitely wasn’t Turner. She listened closer, assuming it had to be Kev, Faye’s husband.
“In comparison to you, the devil is perfect!” Faye shouted. “You said you would do this.”
“I don’t think you need to do this. I think you should come home.”
Whatever the disagreement was about, she doubted they’d want the whole building to hear it. More important than that, Poppy had to wonder where the kids were. If she could hear the couple word for word from two floors above them, a closed door wouldn’t shield the children.
“You don’t have a damn clue who you married, do you?”
Continuing down the stairs, Poppy didn’t relish interrupting the couple.
“I married a woman who doesn’t bail.”
“I’m not the one bailing, Kev. You did that when you put your cock in your whore!”
Bounding down the last of the stairs, Poppy leaped into view. “Hello!” she exclaimed, startling them both. “How are you doing?”
“Who the fuck are you?”
Oh, well, that was a greeting. The guy hadn’t been in her good graces before they met and he seemed to enjoy being on that slippery slope.
Narrowing her eyes on him, Poppy didn’t feel the need to be polite. “With that attitude, I’m surprised you convinced any woman to marry you, let alone managed to get another into bed.”
“Who the fuck are—”
“Don’t talk to her like that,” Faye said, jumping to her defense.
“She’s got no right to talk about our marriage. Who the hell is she?”
“She’s Charley’s friend.”
“Charley’s friend? She’s got no damn idea about us and should keep her damn nose out.”
“You disrespect her, you disrespect me,” Faye said. “Check the attitude.”
“I came over here to see my wife and—”
“You came over here because I promised my brother wasn’t here,” Faye said, landing a smile on him. “You know he wants to put you through a wall?”
“Turner never liked me,” he sneered. “He’s been waiting for any chance to tell you to kick me to the curb.”
“You made your own bed, he didn’t put your whore in it. You did that all on your own.”
“We’ve gotta move past this,” Kev said, turning his back on her. “Faye, I love you. Our marriage is strong.”
“No, it’s not strong, it’s over,” Faye said. “I’m going to this interview and I’m going to support me and my babies without you.”
As Faye spun around to head for the door, Kev got in her way. “You’re my wife and I won’t let you walk out on me.”
Something about that statement made her feel sick. In spite of that reaction, Poppy didn’t hesitate to crowd up close to his side.
“She doesn’t need your permission to do anything,” Poppy said, without caring when he turned a glare on her. “You chose your path, you chose to have an affair. Now Faye gets to choose her path. You can pray that she lets you be a part of it. That’s as much influence as you have here.”
“Who the hell do you think you are?” he snarled at her.
Poppy didn’t even blink. No way would he get away with intimidating her. Faye looped an arm through hers and pulled them together to stand in united opposition.
Kev’s attention swung around to his wife. “You can’t do this without me.”
“I don’t need you. I never needed you. How many jobs did you lose while we were together? How many times did my brother bail us out? He’s been supporting me and the kids for years,” Faye said. “You needed me; you needed my family. Maybe you should’ve thought about that before dropping your pants for another woman. If you thought I’d let you screw around and just take it, you don’t know who the Maddoxes are.”
Poppy wasn’t a Maddox and never would be, but she’d die for the family who had taken her in and sheltered her in their ranks.
Kev looked from Faye to her, his scowl darkening as it lingered. He didn’t say another word, just exhaled and turned around to march out of the building.