Poppy's POV

I woke up with an unfamiliar guy hovering over me. My first reaction was to punch him and scream for my dear life. Worried and afraid I crawled on the bed I was laying on to the headboard - as far away as I could from the man in front of me. Blood pumping through my ears I barely could make out the situation when two women ran into the room, one helping the guy I punched, the other coming closer to me, holding her hands up, to reassure me that she meant no harm. "Darling, calm down... My name is Lilian, the other girl is Chiara. We don't want to hurt you. This guy over there is a doc, we called him, because you are injured... please..." Breathing heavily I looked at the three persons and I didn't know if I could believe her.

Suddenly more men marched into the room.

"What's going on here?", a brought shouldered, grey haired guy with a massive beard, probably in his fifties, stormed in and took in the scenery. The woman, Lilian, in front of me, sent him a look and looked back at me. "Don't worry... this is my husband, King, he is the president of the Devil's Eyes MC. Noone means to harm you here. You see the two guys over there?" She pointed at the two men behind her husband. The taller one of them was bald with a red beard and as far as I could see very muscular. He smiled a little at me, not in a creepy way, but more in a fatherly way. Guessing him to be somewhere between his forties and fifties. The other guy had brown shoulder length hair and was ridiculously handsome with his well cared of beard and his twinkling eyes.

I averted my gaze back to the woman in front of me. "Where am I?", I whispered quietly, not yet ready to trust anyone.

"You are just outside of Pekin. And you are currently in the residence of the Devil's Eyes Motorcycle Club. What's your name, hun?", the bald guy answered with a smile. "I-I am Poppy. Poppy Miller. And I am from... from... Leeds, Great Britain...", I whispered. The people around me shared a look. "Great Britain? How did you end up in the USA?" Lilian spoke up. I already knew something was so wrong, when I saw the sign earlier. "I - I don't know...", I stammered, tears already running down my face. Lilian immediately was at my side, pulling me into a hug and I let her do that. It was to long ago since the last time someone friendly touched or even was there for me. While I sobbed at Lilians side I heard the guys mumbling. "Get little Timmy here... let's see if we find something..."

Lilian held me close and tried to calm me down. "Shhh, Poppy.... you are safe with us... we do everything to help you... you're save..."

After a while I stopped sobbing and pulled a little away. "I-I am sorry..." I looked at the doc. "Sorry about that... I thought you were one of them...", I whispered ashamed. The handsome guy chimed in. "One of who?" His voice send shivers down my spine. In a positive way. "I don't know any names... only their nicknames or something... one of them was called Bulk. I don't know... can you tell me what year it is?"

Mr handsome looked at me funnily. "What year it is? It's still 2019, darlin. You weren't out for that long..."

My eyes opened in shock at his words. 2019? That means I was gone for 16 years! Panic rose inside of me and suddenly I couldn't breath properly anymore.

"Oh shit... calm down Poppy.... slowly... breath in and out... come on, you can do it.... slowly... in and out... there you go..." Lilian held my hand in hers until I breathed regularly again. The handsome guy looked at me worriedly. "Did I say something wrong?" I shook my head no. "No... it's not you... I.... they took me away after my eleventh birthday... that was in 2003...", I whispered still in pain of the panic attack.

The three guys and the doc exchanged looks and seemed more worried than before. Lilian layed her arm around my shoulders, giving me some kind of a half hug. "You poor girl... but now this is all over... we take care of you... My husband already send for little Timmy, our IT-guy. He can help... maybe he finds your family." Again I shook my head. "No...my parents... they are dead... killed in a car crash..."

"Fuck...", the bold guy hissed and came closer. He crouched down in front of me and took my hands in his. "You are the same age as my daughter would be by now... I can't imagine what you've been through, but I promise you to help wherever I can. And I can speak for everyone in this room, we consider ourselves as family. Families help each other out. And we are here if you need us, Poppy." He smiled at me and squeezed my hands. "But y-you don't know me... I- I could be a thread or harm you..." "Stop it... I saw you unconscious on the street, I saw your bruises, the cuts... I don't think you could mean a thread to anyone." King and the handsome guy nodded in agreement.

Lilian smiled at me. "See, we mean no harm. We want you to be safe. Now please, let the doc help you, you need some of your wounds treated properly. If you want I stay here by your side." I nodded at her. "I would like that thank you." The bald man got up and put a small kiss on my forehead. "Get some rest, girl. We see us in the morning." And with that he left my room. King and the handsome guy both looked at me again and with a sigh King followed the bald guy. "If you need anything, my room is on your left. Don't hesitate to come over if you need anything." I smiled a little at his words. "Thank you... what's your name again?" "I am Bullet. And don't worry. We sort everything out." He winked at me and left the room, too.

With closed eyes I let the doc examine my body and take care of my wounds and cuts. He handed some liquids and creams to Lilian. "She needs to apply them twice a day, that will help to heal the skin, so the scarring is held to a minimum on her newest additions. Call me if you need me again. Otherwise I'll stop by to check on her next week." "Thanks doc." "Poppy, I'll see you next week. If something comes up or hurt more than it should tell Lilian and she gives me a call okay?" I nodded at him. "Doc, sorry again for the..." "It doesn't matter. It is not the first punch I received in my career, but quite understandably why you did it in the first place. Don't worry. We are good." He gave me a smile and left the room.

Lilian tucked me into the bed. "Now get some sleep, will ya? You had a rough day and your body needs to rest, darling. I will be here first thing in the morning and help you to get a shower." She kissed my forehead. "If something happens or you need someone, you really should go to Bullet. He takes care of you or gives me a call and I come back as fast as I can." Almost fast asleep I whispered a silent thank you. I felt her leaving my room, closing the door quietly and I drifted off into a deep slumber.

Bullet's POV

It was around 2am when I made my way to my room. Hesitating on my doorstep I thought about checking in on Poppy, but I decided against it. I listened in, but I couldn't hear any noise coming out of her room, what means she probably is fast asleep. With a sigh I closed the door behind me and started to get undressed. When Poppy was awake and I heard her voice for the first time it was like magic. That battered and hurt woman touched something deep inside my black and cold heart of mine. When her emerald green eyes met mine it felt like she could see deep into my soul. Shaking my head, trying to get rid of my thoughts, I stripped naked and went into the attached bathroom and took a quick shower. Afterwards I pulled on some fresh boxer shorts and went straight to bed. I took the book on my nightstand and continued reading, where I last stopped.

Some time later I heard a soft knock on my door. Not sure if I heard the knock I ignored it, until a second knock could be heard. "Yeah?", I said and sat up in my bad, the book resting on my lap. The door opened softly and Poppy's head appeared. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you..." "Nah, it's good. Can I help you with something?" Poppy stood in my doorway, a oversize tshirt hiding her curves. "I just... this is silly... I should go back..." She turned around her head hanging low. Hurriedly I climbed out of my bed and reached for her wrist. "Don't... come in. I'll keep you company..." Poppy looked at me and I had to control myself from leaning in and claiming her full lips. Her long brown hair shimmering in the sparse lighting of my room. "I don't want to bother you...", she whispered. "Don't worry about me. Come in." Still holding her wrist in my hand I pulled her carefully into my room. "Don't mind my chaos..." "I don't care... I just don't want to be alone... I was alone for so long..." " Do you want to lay down? You still seem tired." Poppy nodded and I guided her to my bed. She hesitated, but I nudged her softly to get under the warm covers. "Uhm..." I glanced around and decided to take a pillow and a blanket and ay myself down on the floor. "What are you doing?", she mumbled tiredly. "I just make myself comfortable on the floor, so you get a good night's rest." "Don't. It's your bed, I shouldn't have come..." "Nonsense. Don't worry, it's not the first time I sleep on the floor." She looked at me, her eyes fixated on me. "Do you mind, sharing the bed then?", she whispered. "Sharing? You mean you and me...?" "I am cold... and I don't want you to get uncomfortable because of me. Please Bullet?" "It's Tommy. Please, call me Tommy." She smiled at me and nodded. Carefully I took her off and climbed into my bed ext to her. "Thank you.", she sighed and inched a little closer to me, her leg brushing against mine. "Jesus woman! You're still cold as ice!" I turned around to her. "I don't want to give you the wrong impression or something, but if you want to get warm, cuddle up on my side." She looked at me with her big green eyes. "Can you hold me?", she whispered. I smiled at her. "Come here, I'll keep you warm, sweetheart."

Poppy rested her head on my arm and laid her cold hands on my chest. I pulled her closer and it felt so right to hold her close to me. It wasn't for long and both of us drifted off into a dreamless sleep.