determined to unlock Skye’s voice.
When Ace caught up with her, she reached for his hand and held on tight. His heart twisted inside his chest. He’d never loved anyone the way he loved her. He’d never been in love, not even with Courtney. He didn’t know if he was capable of it.
Maybe he was emotionally delayed.
They strolled down the pathway together, two misfits. When they reached the pond, they stood by the shore to admire the baby ducks. He hadn’t brought any bread today. He wasn’t sure it was good for them. A few weeks ago, they’d watched a noisy, naughty boy feed the ducks an entire loaf of bread. Two days later, there were several dead birds floating in the water. The turtles that also inhabited the pond had been feasting on the carcasses. Skye had watched this disturbing scene with Ace, clutching his hand.
Shawnee definitely wouldn’t have approved of that—but she’d never know.
After a few minutes, Skye went to gather blossoms from a lilac tree. At first she tossed them into the pond, decorating the surface of the water. Then she gave him a handful and touched her hair.
He tucked one into her braid. “How’s that?”
She studied her reflection in the water and made the sign that meant good. He’d learned a few signs and taught them to her, unbeknownst to Shawnee.
I
love you
, he signed, on impulse. She signed it right back, smiling.
God. It floored him, every time.
He hadn’t grown up without love. His mother had loved him, maybe as much as he loved Skye. She was the only relative he’d ever known. His father had abandoned them when he was about Skye’s age. His mother had disappeared ten years later.
He’d been a strange kid, quiet and still. The experience of losing both parents at a young age had stripped away any hint of softness in him, like meat from bone. He was a loner and a people-watcher. A people-hunter.
Skye’s love had found the last tender place inside him and taken root there, growing stronger every day.
At sunset, their time was up and he had to deliver her to Shawnee. Ace wasn’t allowed unsupervised visits, so they stayed within shouting distance while Shawnee read a paperback or sent text messages on her phone. Today she got up from her chair by the fountain and strode toward them in her skinny heels.
“Bill wants to talk to you,” Shawnee said, glancing over her shoulder. One of his paid thugs was standing there.
“Okay.” Ace crouched down to Skye’s level. “I’ll see you Saturday, bumblebee.”
Skye gave him a quick hug and a kiss. She didn’t linger, because Shawnee got annoyed when she acted clingy.
“What a pretty flower,” Shawnee said, leading her away. “Do you have one for Mama?”
Ace watched them go, filled with a mixture of sorrow and anger. It was really fucked up of Shawnee to pretend she was Skye’s mother. Skye knew she wasn’t. She might not remember Courtney, but Skye had seen pictures of her.
Pushing aside his resentment, Ace approached the casino security guard, who directed him into the nearby café. Bill was alone on the outdoor terrace, reading the newspaper. Ace took a seat across from him.
Bill didn’t look like a motorcycle club president here. He didn’t look like a mogul, either. With his basic khakis and polo shirt, he resembled any casual businessman on vacation. He had salt-and-pepper hair, closely shorn, and a long face. He was a tall, imposing figure.
“I heard about your meeting,” he said with no preliminaries.
Christ.
Ace stayed silent, his heart racing. Nothing got past Wild Bill. Did he have another mole in White Lightning?
“Were you going to tell me about it?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“It wasn’t worth your time.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.”
Ace just stared at him. He wasn’t going to offer any information or implicate himself.
“Well?”
“Well what?”
“What did he want?”
“He said he’d heard about your collaboration, and he’d like to continue the
When Ace caught up with her, she reached for his hand and held on tight. His heart twisted inside his chest. He’d never loved anyone the way he loved her. He’d never been in love, not even with Courtney. He didn’t know if he was capable of it.
Maybe he was emotionally delayed.
They strolled down the pathway together, two misfits. When they reached the pond, they stood by the shore to admire the baby ducks. He hadn’t brought any bread today. He wasn’t sure it was good for them. A few weeks ago, they’d watched a noisy, naughty boy feed the ducks an entire loaf of bread. Two days later, there were several dead birds floating in the water. The turtles that also inhabited the pond had been feasting on the carcasses. Skye had watched this disturbing scene with Ace, clutching his hand.
Shawnee definitely wouldn’t have approved of that—but she’d never know.
After a few minutes, Skye went to gather blossoms from a lilac tree. At first she tossed them into the pond, decorating the surface of the water. Then she gave him a handful and touched her hair.
He tucked one into her braid. “How’s that?”
She studied her reflection in the water and made the sign that meant good. He’d learned a few signs and taught them to her, unbeknownst to Shawnee.
I
love you
, he signed, on impulse. She signed it right back, smiling.
God. It floored him, every time.
He hadn’t grown up without love. His mother had loved him, maybe as much as he loved Skye. She was the only relative he’d ever known. His father had abandoned them when he was about Skye’s age. His mother had disappeared ten years later.
He’d been a strange kid, quiet and still. The experience of losing both parents at a young age had stripped away any hint of softness in him, like meat from bone. He was a loner and a people-watcher. A people-hunter.
Skye’s love had found the last tender place inside him and taken root there, growing stronger every day.
At sunset, their time was up and he had to deliver her to Shawnee. Ace wasn’t allowed unsupervised visits, so they stayed within shouting distance while Shawnee read a paperback or sent text messages on her phone. Today she got up from her chair by the fountain and strode toward them in her skinny heels.
“Bill wants to talk to you,” Shawnee said, glancing over her shoulder. One of his paid thugs was standing there.
“Okay.” Ace crouched down to Skye’s level. “I’ll see you Saturday, bumblebee.”
Skye gave him a quick hug and a kiss. She didn’t linger, because Shawnee got annoyed when she acted clingy.
“What a pretty flower,” Shawnee said, leading her away. “Do you have one for Mama?”
Ace watched them go, filled with a mixture of sorrow and anger. It was really fucked up of Shawnee to pretend she was Skye’s mother. Skye knew she wasn’t. She might not remember Courtney, but Skye had seen pictures of her.
Pushing aside his resentment, Ace approached the casino security guard, who directed him into the nearby café. Bill was alone on the outdoor terrace, reading the newspaper. Ace took a seat across from him.
Bill didn’t look like a motorcycle club president here. He didn’t look like a mogul, either. With his basic khakis and polo shirt, he resembled any casual businessman on vacation. He had salt-and-pepper hair, closely shorn, and a long face. He was a tall, imposing figure.
“I heard about your meeting,” he said with no preliminaries.
Christ.
Ace stayed silent, his heart racing. Nothing got past Wild Bill. Did he have another mole in White Lightning?
“Were you going to tell me about it?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“It wasn’t worth your time.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.”
Ace just stared at him. He wasn’t going to offer any information or implicate himself.
“Well?”
“Well what?”
“What did he want?”
“He said he’d heard about your collaboration, and he’d like to continue the
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