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It’s strange.
Before everything happened, there was a lot of tension between us. He’d tried to warn me off Ace, and I’d told him he should have more faith in his brother.
It sucked to be wrong.
“Well, you tell Cole I said hello,” the nurse goes on. “Always did fancy myself a young man with plenty of ink... and that brow pierc—”
“Okay, Delores,” Conner jumps up, “I think we can take it from here.” He ushers her out of the room.
“Conner...” I say, seeing right through his cover.
“Princess...” A smirk tugs the corner of his mouth despite the guilt shining in his eyes.
“He was here?”
He lets out a weary sigh, sinking back in the chair. “Shit, Remi, I don’t know what I’m supposed to say here.”
“The truth might be a good start.”
Everyone has been so determined to protect me, but I’m tired of it.
“Yeah, Ace has been here.”
A small gasp leaves my lips. It shouldn’t matter, not after what he did. But he was here...
Ace was here.
“Why?”
“Why d’ya think? The girl he...” He stops himself, shaking his head a little. “Sometimes it takes almost losing what you had to realize you ever had it in the first place.”
“That ship has long sailed,” I say, forcing myself to look at the ceiling.
“I know he hurt you, Remi, but you don’t know what he’s been through. What we’ve all been through. When you’ve had to fight to survive the way Ace has, it’s not easy to let people in.”
I make a garbled sound as my eyes cut to Conner’s. “I gave him my...”
“I know. Fuck, I know.” He grimaces. “Trust me, I wish I didn’t. Want to know what I think?”
“No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me anyway.” I roll my eyes.
“You scare Ace. You make him feel. Everyone in our lives—parents, teachers, social workers—they all gave up or walked away. But you’re different. You stood up for him. And he doesn’t know how the fuck to deal with that.”
Conner’s words weigh heavily on my heart. I want to believe he’s right—to believe that Ace only did what he did because he’s scared. But I can’t forget what he said.
“I was just a pawn in his sick game to get back at your uncle.”
“I think that’s what he tried telling himself, yeah.” Conner offers me a weak smile. “Look, I’m not trying to tell you to give him another chance. I wouldn’t blame you if you never spoke to his sorry ass again. I’m just saying we all make mistakes, especially those of us who were never taught any better.”
“You’re a good brother, Conner,” I say, because it’s easier than acknowledging anything he just said.
Ace didn’t just hurt me the night of my birthday. He destroyed a tiny part of my soul. And I’m not sure I’ll ever get over that.
“So, you’ve been coming around and Ace has been sneaking in. What about that twin brother of yours?”
“You know Cole,” he says around a knowing smile. “Besides, he never did like hospitals.”
Two days later, I’m finally allowed to go home. Mom and James insist on wheeling me out of the hospital in a chair, as if it's my legs I’ve hurt and not my head.
