“Besides, I thought some of the problems with Culbart stemmed from the fact the man thought Lin was being kidnapped?” Caden asked.
“He’s got a point, Caine,” Ace offered. “Like the man or not, truth is Lin came to no harm in Culbart’s care, and any man worth his salt would go after a woman stolen from his care, even if it was one of us who did the stealing.”
Caine frowned and took a large swallow from his glass. His green eyes narrowed. “The man still has an ax to grind. He lost good men in that ‘misunderstanding.’”
“It would have been easier if Fei had bargained a bit before up and taking off with her cousin,” Sam interjected wryly. “Might have saved on the grinding.”
“Culbart didn’t leave her much choice,” Caine drawled, taking another sip. “He’d lost good money in the deal. Holding on to Fei was his best chance of getting it back.”
Ace shook his head. “Or so he thought. Fei did a good job covering her pa had gone bat-shit crazy. You can’t totally blame Culbart.”
Caine cocked a brow at Ace. “You sound as though you like the bastard.”
Ace shrugged. “I do. He’s tough as nails, but he’s got a strong sense of right and wrong.” He took a drink of whiskey. “Not to mention an interesting sense of humor.”
“When the hell did you ever see his sense of humor?” Caden snapped, impatience rubbing his temper raw. He wanted to go, not sit here and discuss Culbart’s good qualities.
“When Caine here sent me to set Culbart straight.”
“You were supposed to intimidate him,” Caine countered.
“I decided to socialize first.”
Caden shook his head. Leave it to Ace to turn an enemy into an ally.
“I wouldn’t say he’s a friend,” Ace continued, “but he’s not hostile.”
Caden straightened. He was doing this, and to hell with Culbart and to hell with argument. If that ruffled feathers along the way, then too bad. “Well, if Culbart still has an ax to grind, let him grind it.”
“Goddamn it, Caden,” Caine snarled. “Why do you have to do this now when we’re spread so thin?”
Because he did. Turning on his heel, Caden walked away, not answering, pushing past Shadow and Tracker, ignoring the surprised lift of Tucker’s brow. As he reached the garden gate, he heard Caine say, “Would someone tell me about this promise?”
“It’s personal, not important,” Ace responded with a blatant lie for which Caden would owe him.
“It’s important enough that the man who never breaks promises is breaking one to keep it.”
Ace swore, “Shit.”
Maddie. Caine was talking about Maddie. Caden had promised her he wouldn’t leave the party before she got back. Caden saw her out of the corner of his eye, standing slightly apart from the others, smiling and watching the dancers, looking as pretty and as inviting as sunshine after a storm. Saw Luke head her way, and swore. She’d get over it. He shoved the gate open and kept walking. As the gate slammed closed behind him, he heard her call his name, the surprise and disappointment nipping at his feet in a tone he’d heard his mother use too many times.
Fuck.
He was his father after all.
Copyright © 2012 by Sarah McCarty
ISBN-13: 9781460349779
Ace’s Wild
Copyright © 2015 by Sarah McCarty
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