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CHAPTERELEVEN
Ace’s question was answered soon enough.
He entered East’s office and his brother immediately handed him a packet of papers. A brief glance revealed they were the very documents he’d requested during their last meeting. “What?” he began, but realized it was the wrong question. He shook his head. “Why?”
East shrugged, his gaze casting down. “My wife, for starters. Her legitimate brothers have welcomed her with open arms and…” East face spasmed as his gaze lifted to Ace’s. “I want to help care for our sisters.”
Ace blinked in surprise, the air whooshing from his lungs. A relief he hadn’t imagined possible coursed through him. “The rest of…my brothers…our brothers, they can all take care of themselves, but Mirabelle and Anna—”
“You’ve already convinced me,” East said softly. “I’m financing Hell’s Corner to help you secure their futures.”
Ace nodded. “Thank you.”
“Now tell me about Miss Cross.”
His head snapped up, that weight returning. “There’s nothing to tell. You heard Boxby. He’ll not allow me to court her. There are too many rumors about my legitimacy.”
East’s brows lifted. “Protective of his sister?”
“Very.”
“And does she feel the same about you?”
Pain throbbed in his chest. “She does. Not that it matters. My hands are tied.”
“Why is that? You’d not work around Boxby in some fashion or another?”
He shrugged. “I’d not come between family.”
East studied him, his head turning a bit to the side. “Truly?”
“You’ll understand someday.”
“I’m sure I will,” East answered, but he looked at Ace in a way he never had before. Like, perhaps he finally understood him or maybe he just trusted his bastard brother a bit more. Ace was grateful for his brother’s acceptance.
What was more, he’d gotten what he’d wished for. A future for his family.
But the victory was far more hollow than he’d imagined possible. Without Emily… He looked down at the papers in his hand. “Thank you again.”
East stepped a bit closer. “You’re welcome, though I should tell you, they come with a stipulation.”
“What’s that?” Unease skittered along his skin as he straightened, looking at his half-brother.
“I want…” East drew in a breath. “I want to meet them. Our sisters.”
Surprise made his eyes grow wide. “Really?”
East nodded. “You were right about something else. I thought he’d given most of his money to you so I’ve been combing through the books. Turns out, he just squandered much of it. Our father liked an extravagant life and we all paid the price for that, didn’t we?”
Clearly, East had realized that Ace had told the truth on multiple fronts. Was that why his half-brother was trusting him for the first time? “We did.”
It was an odd truce. East was the man who had the potential to cause Ace the most harm. When the current marquess died, it was East who’d likely expose the falsehood of Ace’s claim to legitimacy.
Not that he begrudged East taking the title that was rightfully his. “Just promise me that no matter what happens to me, Mirabelle and Anna will be cared for.”
“What happens to you?” East asked. “What might happen…” But his words tapered off as a yell sounded through the club.
Then a scream. And another.
