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“This is far from over,” he informed me. “You even think about talking, your beloved biker prick will be next. Do you understand?”
I stared out the window with a blank expression, and all I could do was nod. I did understand. Brentwood wouldn’t stop until he got what he wanted. My life was officially over.
LUCIAN OPENED THE DOOR OF the truck and hoisted himself inside while I stared at the jail where Birdie was currently housed.
“How is she?”
It was the same question I always had for him, but the answer never changed. I’d stopped asking weeks ago why she wouldn’t see me. Every time we came here, I felt like I couldn’t fucking breathe. The thought of her locked up in a cage was too much. I needed to do something, but my head was too fucked up to figure out what that was.
Two months she’d been gone. The last memory I had was her begging for me to stay. And now, I wished that I had. More than anything, I wished that I’d just fucking stayed with her.
“She’s healed,” Lucian offered. “Her face looks better.”
His words didn’t give me solace, but I knew now that nothing could. Life post-Birdie was worse than any hell I’d ever been through. I was empty without her. She was my light, and now darkness filled all my days.
I still couldn’t wrap my head around what happened. One minute, she was there, and the next, she was sitting in a jail cell with a laundry list of murder charges and a battered face. Something had obviously happened to her, but whatever it was, she wasn’t talking about it. Not to me. Not to anyone. Trouble was dead, and there were no answers, but every second that passed without her felt like my life was slipping away.
“Did she say anything at all?” I asked.
Lucian shook his head. “No, I’m sorry. The only silver lining I can see is that she’s waived the preliminary hearing and her lawyer asked for a continuance on the trial date. That buys us time, but as it stands, it looks like Birdie has no intention of putting up a fight.”
I couldn’t accept that. “Something happened, Lucian. She has to be protecting someone. That’s the only explanation.”
“Maybe,” he sighed. “But unless she opens up, there’s nothing else I can do for her.”
“Tell Gypsy to come back,” I demanded. “She needs to try again.”
“She’s refused her six times.” He glanced out the window and shook his head. “You have to understand this is hard on Gypsy too. She feels responsible, and Birdie’s rejection isn’t helping matters…”
“I don’t care. We all better get used to being fucking uncomfortable. This is her life on the line. Tell me you wouldn’t do the same if it was Gypsy. Tell me you’d give up on her.”
He turned over the phone in his hands, considering my request. “I’ll ask her to come back and try again. But I can’t promise anything.”
For a second, it felt like there was room to breathe again. I couldn’t let a day go by when we didn’t try something. Anything. This was the only way that made sense. Every person in Birdie’s life had given up on her at some point, but I wouldn’t. I needed her to know that.
“Tomorrow,” I repeated. “We’ll try again tomorrow.”
“CAN YOU TELL HER LUX West is here to see her today?”
The woman behind the counter glanced at my son, a reluctant smile on her lips. “His name will be on the visitor registry, along with yours.”
I conceded because it was the only option I had at this point. I didn’t know if it would make any difference. Birdie hated me right now, and I couldn’t blame her. I thought I was doing what was best for her, but in the end, nothing I’d done to protect her had made any difference.
After processing, we sat until our names were called, and I held my breath as I waited for the guard to terminate the visit before it even began. It was the same guy who’d delivered the news to me several times already, and even though his face was marred by a permanent scowl, I could tell he felt a little sorry for me.
“You can go on in.” He pointed at the row of booths. “She’s in number six.”
My heart jumped, and I squeezed Lux in my arms as I shuffled in the direction he’d pointed. I was hesitant to accept it until I saw her, but sure enough, there was a halo of blond hair waiting for me on the other side of the glass.
Tears threatened my vision as I sat down and held my hand up to the barrier. “Birdie.”
She offered me a stiff nod before her eyes moved to Lux. Pain flashed in her blue irises as she held her hand up, and he reached toward her and cooed. We both picked up the phone, and before I could even speak, she asked to talk to him.
