Ace shrugged. “Well, if you must know, he did help me out. He helped me out in a way that nobody else ever would, and I owe him my life. So you can save your breath trying to make a deal with me.”
I knew he wasn’t mincing words. His loyalty to Lucian was unwavering, and I was at a loss. “So what happens now?”
Ace glanced at Birdie, and I stepped in front of her to obscure his vision. I didn’t want him to witness my sister crying. I didn’t want anyone to see how vulnerable she was.
“The way I see it.” Ace scratched at his beard. “You and your sister here are fucked six ways from Sunday. If I were you, I’d take the deal.”
“No,” Birdie shouted.
When I turned, she was already up off the sofa and trying to push through the barrier I’d created to protect her.
“Sit down, Birdie.”
“No,” she insisted. “I did this. It was my fault. Tell Mr. West that I will fulfill the deal.”
Ace narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “That’s not the deal, kid. Ain’t gonna happen.”
“Are you crazy?” I asked Birdie. “You know I wouldn’t let you do that. Stay out of this, B.”
“God, Gypsy.” She wiped at her tear smudged face and turned her angry blue eyes on me. “I’m not a kid, okay? I screwed up, and I should be the one to pay for it. You can’t fix everything for me all the time. Do you get that?”
“Obviously,” I snapped. “Because everything I’ve done to protect you has completely gone to shit now. How could you do this to me? After everything I’ve done to make us a home here, how could you just throw it all away?”
Regret welled in her eyes, and she looked at the floor. “I just wanted to be like you.”
Her words gutted me, and I knew she was right. This was my fault. I hadn’t shown her the way to live. I’d managed to get by with the idea that I’d done the best I could with what I’d been given, but that wasn’t an excuse. My eyes burned so deep with shame, it nearly spilled free. But I couldn’t allow that to happen.
Birdie had to know I was strong. She had to know I could handle this. I would fix it. I always did. I forced myself to hug her, and she cried harder.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered. “I’m sorry, B. I should have done better. I will do better from now on.”
“It’s not your fault,” she insisted.
We broke apart, and I fixed the messy hair around her face as Ace walked to the fridge and grabbed a six-pack of beer he must have brought with him.
“Women,” he muttered.
“What are you doing?” I asked as he plopped on the couch, kicking his dirty boots up onto my Italian mahogany coffee table.
He reached for the remote and turned on the television. “Making myself at home. It’s going to be a long three days.”
I stared at him incredulously. “You think you’re staying here for the next three days?”
He flipped through the channels without regard to my frustration. “It’s either that or I take her with me as collateral until your decision is made.”
I jabbed a finger in his direction. “Over my dead body.”
He didn’t bother to look at me as he settled back into the sofa and got comfortable. “It’s your funeral then.”
I didn’t think he was serious about killing me, but then again, how could I be sure of anything? I turned to Birdie, who was obviously terrified even though she was trying to put on a brave face.
“It’s going to be okay,” I promised her.
“How?” she whispered.
I looked at Ace and forced the words out with a smile for her benefit.
“I’ll think of something. I always do.”