Lance was so shocked. He jolted back as he grasped the significance of what Poppy had just said. ‘You what? You can’t be serious? No way. I’ve just left your mother’s. She never said—’

Before he’d a chance to say another word, Liam piped up, ‘Well, she wouldn’t say, would she? The bitch ran her over and did the off.’

Lance looked at Liam and his brows knitted together. ‘Are you Willie Ritz’s boy?’

Liam nodded. ‘Yeah, that’s me. Why? D’ya know me dad?’

‘Oh yeah, I know him all right.’

Before the charged atmosphere in the room settled down, a buzzing sound came from the cabinet. Lance spun around and pulled open the drawer. It was his ‘other’ phone. He stared down at the flashing screen on his mobile and thought for a moment. Then the phone rang off. ‘Look, guys, do me a favour, will you? Stay here with the girls. I need to do something.’ His demeanour instantly changed, his shoulders dropped, and the tight, angry expression faded. No one said a word until he was out of the room.

‘He’s one scary fucker him, ain’t he?’ said Liam.

Brooke laughed at the expression on Liam’s worried face. ‘I think his bark’s worse than his bite, though.’

Arty screwed his face up and rubbed his shoulder. ‘Oh, I dunno about that. He’s got a tasty grip on him.’

Brooke fluttered her eyelashes. ‘Did he hurt you?’

Arty was a little bruised from the encounter, but he wasn’t going to admit that. ‘Nah, not at all. I’d have bashed him, but I didn’t want to clout the wrong fella, if ya know what I mean.’

Liam could see Arty was showing off in front of Brooke, so, as a loyal mate, he helped boost Arty’s ego. ‘Cor, yeah, not ’alf. Arty would’ve had that bloke on his arse in one blow, if it went too far.’

With her peachy cheeks and shiny eyes, Brooke laughed. ‘So you really are our knights in shining armour, then?’

Arty puffed out his chest and winked.

To Liam’s surprise, Poppy turned to him, nudged his arm, and flicked her eyes to Arty as if to say, Take a look at those two. Liam pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. ‘Are you, okay, babe? You’re not in any pain, are ya?’

She snuggled into his chest. ‘No, Liam, I feel fine now.’

As he kissed the top of her head again, he looked up at Arty, beaming. Never in his wildest dreams would he have thought he’d pull a bird like Poppy. He’d assumed she was way out of his league, unlike Arty, who could click his fingers and have the pick of the bunch.