“Tired, but good, thanks. It feels like forever since I’ve been here, but it feels good to be back. I missed you all.”
“We missed you, too. You look good.”
“Such a charmer.” She grins, pulling back.
“Where’s Alex?”
“He’s with his Auntie Six. They’re doing aSquid Gamesmarathon.”
I cock my eye at that.
“We listen and we don’t judge, Kruger.”
“Okay, I’m listening.”
She huffs. “Yeah, I’ve got nothing. I don’t know who is more obsessed with the show, him or Six. Every time she comes fora visit, they build a pillow fort in the sunroom and watch it from the beginning. It’s odd, I know, and it probably makes me a bad mom, but it makes him happy. And Six? There is such an innocent quality to her that it’s hard to refuse that woman anything.”
I laugh. “How’s King doing with all that? He’s used to being a boy dad and now?—”
“Now he’s finding it really hard to let her out of his sight, especially knowing what she went through. However, it helps that her husband, Will, is richer than sin and almost as ruthless as King in his determination to keep her safe.”
“I take it she’s the reason he didn’t come today?”
“He told me he wanted to keep Conan company, but even Conan wasn’t buying that.”
“And how’s the big guy?” I ask quietly.
She gives me a shaky smile. “Really good. His last check-up shows the chemo is working. He wanted to come today, but with his immune system shot to shit, it wasn’t worth the risk. It’s bad enough being around the kids, little petri dishes that they are. Fingers crossed, though, Kruger, we’re on the home straight.”
“That’s great fucking news, Sunshine.”
“I know. I’ve been scared to say it out loud in case I tempt fate. After losing Pike…I’m not sure I could do it again.”
“Sunshine, I’m not sure there’s much you can’t do.”
“Alright, stop touching my woman,” Inigo snaps, clearly reaching his limit, making me grin as he steps up.
I look at the baby in his arms and feel myself soften. “He’s so small. How the fuck don’t you worry about crushing him?”
“You should see him in Conan’s arms.”
“You want to hold him, Kruger?” Sunshine asks.
Inigo turns his back to me. “No, he doesn’t. Nobody wants to touch them.”
I snort, shaking my head.
“You’re so selfish,” Sunshine teases.
“Don’t care.” Inigo kisses her cheek before moving over to talk to Mac and Toot. They’ve been away from the clubhouse a lot lately, following up on a couple of leads regarding Lil from a contact of theirs, but it didn’t pan out. I think Havoc is getting to the point where he’s going to call a halt to the search. Not that we’ll stop looking completely, but sending brothers all over the country is taking its toll, especially when Lil doesn’t want to be found.
I walk over to Blade, who is rocking the other baby in his arms. “Cute,” I comment. And she is. She has a little bow hairband on her head, making it easier to tell her apart from her brother.
“She’s all her mother.”
“Thank fuck for that.”
He flips me off with his free hand even as he gazes down at his daughter with soft eyes.
