It was a terrible feeling. This sense that she was so ephemeral. So tenuous. Because she loved him.
Everything he cared about went away.
He was brought right back to when Emerald had been taken at the altar, and even though it had been Andrei doing it, even though they had reconciled, there had been a moment in time where he’d felt like he’d truly lost everything.
Then there was Circe.
Everything he touched. Everything he touched shattered.
Everyone who loved him…
She loves you.
What if you lose her? What if you lose the baby?
The pain was unending. Unbearable.
He wanted to go after her. But he couldn’t.
He wanted to go after her, but his pain had them frozen.
So he stayed in his room. And he locked the adjoining door.
Locked her out.
But it did nothing to block out the pain.
Birdie did her best to have a cheerful attitude when she went to Emerald’s parlor for tea.
But something about her expression must’ve given her away, because as soon as she was served her cakes, Emerald looked at her with concern.
“Are you and my brother having issues?”
She thought about lying. But really, there was no point. Life was too short for a great many things. Lying was one of them.
“Yes.”
“Let me guess. He’s being a hardheaded tyrant?”
“How did you guess?” she asked, trying to smile.
“Because he can be that way. What’s going on? Tell me so that I can help you.”
She did her best to recap what had occurred, leaving out the intense sex that happened beforehand—out of deference to the fact that he was her brother—but telling her everything else.
“He’s such a fool,” Emerald said.
“He’s afraid,” Birdie said. “And I understand. He’s had so many losses.”
“Yes, but it doesn’t give him an excuse to treat you that way.”
She thought about it. He didn’t have an excuse. But she wasn’t looking for one for him.
“I know. He’s being…he’s truly being difficult.”
“He needs to grovel. He needs to realize that what he’s doing is wrong. You should refuse to speak to him until he comes around.”
Should she? It didn’t feel outside the realm of reason.
