EZ looked at Poppy with wide eyes, dumbfounded to see a young woman who shared a striking number of physical similarities with his late wife on his brother's front steps. His heartbeat quickened, an ache filling his chest, he was so taken aback that it wasn't until Angel came over that he even spoke.
"Yo, E," Angel said, stepping into the entryway. "What's the problem?" He asked with interest seconds before seeing Poppy. "Alice," he said with concern, pushing EZ aside. Gently pulling her into the house, Angel wrapped Poppy in his arms and held her close. "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay," Poppy sniffled. "Bishop's in lockup. He got played. It was really bad," she stammered.
"Guys," Gilly hollered from the living room, interrupting their whispers, "That barbershop, Jimmie Cahill's, someone lit it up. It's fucking crazy, moving down the block and shit. It's all over the news."
Poppy tensed, "Fuck."
"What?" Angel stepped back to look her in the eye. "What is it?"
"Uh, Jimmie's shop," she said with a look.
"Fuck him," Angel snapped.
She looked at him with concern coloring her expression. "It was Luca."
"Fuck Luca," Angel huffed. "The war's between them now. Do not put yourself in that shit even just in your head," he told her.
"You guys don't get it," she sighed. "You don't know him. He did this," she gestured to herself.
"Who put their hands on you?" He growled, the fire distraction easily pushed from his mind. "He touched you?"
"Yeah but it's more than that," she huffed. "Bishop took me out to dinner and Luca showed up with one of his cousins. At first, they were just staring," she explained, "But when we left they followed us out and kept saying shit. Then they blocked us from the car and that's when Bishop just snapped," she stepped into him for another hug. "Luca had more guys there than just his cousin, it was a fucking set up, and it got bad."
"Who put their hands on you?" He asked with a deep growl that Poppy could feel in his chest as he held her close.
"Luca," she sniffled. "He was just taunting and teasing me, he shoved me and I lost my balance."
"Don't make excuses for him," Angel snapped.
"I'm sorry," she stammered.
Angel sighed heavily, slightly annoyed, "You don't have to apologize all the time."
"Habit," she shrugged.
"Break it," he told her.
"Angel," EZ spoke with a shaky voice from a few steps away. "Can I have a second?"
"You good?" He asked her quietly, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered.
Poppy nodded, "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," she stammered.
"Just one second," he said, hurrying into the kitchen. "What?"
"She looks like Nina," EZ blurred out.
"No, she doesn't," Angel said defensively as his cheek grew hot.
EZ peered into the other room and looked at her for a long moment. "Alright. Fine," he said in defeat, wanting to ignore it anyway. "She's gonna need a stitch or two for that head wound."
"Do it," Angel practically ordered. "I gotta make a call."
Leaving the two of them, Angel called Franky for the details of the fight and arrest and to find out exactly how much it would take to get Bishop out. He was unhappy with the information Rogan provided.
