Page 36 of Legacy of Smoke
“Oh yeah? Likemyfriends? They know.” She leaned in, “And they’re happy for me.”
Pinner glared at me. “How’s Lily?”
“Doing better. The antibiotics are working, and she’ll be out Thursday.” Poppy’s voice was background chatter to the real conversation going on between Pinner and me.
“Why?”
Poppy thought he was speaking to her, but he wasn’t. “Because she must have eaten something at Jewel’s or…”
“Because she’s family, old man. I can protect her faster than you can. And our friends? They’re also around. Like family should be.” I spoke true. If I couldn’t help, the Destroyers would.
“That isn’t good enough.” His eyes dipped to our hands. “Do you love her? Promise not to fucking cheat on her?” He shifted his chair closer. “Even if she can’t give you kids and freezes you out for being a dick about it?”
“If we decide to have kids, that’s us, not you.”
His nostrils flared. “I did her mom wrong. But I hear that club is changing. Can’t say the rumors set my mind at ease none.”
“Daddy?”
Pinner looked to his daughter and his voice went soft. “Yes, baby?”
“Please?”
He flushed red. “Never could say no to either of you two. Yeah, yeah. Do what you want, but if he breaks your heart?” Pinner slid a finger across his throat, holding my eyes as he did it. “And both of you need figure out what to do with Lil. She’s a handful.”
“For now, she’s going to be living with us,” Poppy started.
“Us?” Pinner slammed his hands down and pushed his chair back. The guard stepped closer, baton ready. “Ease off, my little girl is fucking this clown.” He set both hands on his knees andtook a deep breath and held the pose until the guard stepped back. When he was as out of earshot as he ever could be, Pinner moved forward in slow, careful motions.
“If…you two have kids, I hope it’s a boy. Girls are…”
“A handful?”
“You havenoidea, son.”
Son. Damn.
Pinner changed the subject. “That brother of yours?”
I leaned in because his tone shifted to the sotto voice he used in the yard before someone bled. I filled in the details as quickly as possible. “Told to leave town. He’s got a week.”
“Track him. Next visit, tell me where he settles. I’ll get someone on it. That bullshit he pulled won’t fly.”
Pinner leaned back and casually checked the guards before saying anything else. Then he smiled like he hadn’t just informed me of a hit on my brother. “You know, Spring is nice, for a wedding. April. The surf where your mom lives calms down and it’s not as rainy.” He smiled and tapped the glass. “Although, rainy days are also good. That’s how we made you.” He winked at Poppy.
“I did not need to know that.” She covered her ears but smiled.
“When you visit her, tell her I miss her.”
I glanced at Poppy. Her smile fell slightly, but she rallied. “I’ll make sure Kuku Maile is listening. She’ll freak out.”
Pinner stretched out, a big smile on his face. “That old bat. Your grandmother hates my guts.” He pointed at me. “She’ll hate you, too.” His grin got bigger.
The hour flew by, Poppy doing the bulk of the talking from there, making her father smile. Every once in a while, he’d glance at me and that grin would fall. Then he’d smile at something his daughter said and it was as if that moment didn’thappen. Before the final reminder that our time was up, he held up his hand to quiet Poppy and talk directly to me.
“Brother to brother now, not father, understand?”
I nodded.
