“The answer is seven remorseless, psychopathic killers.”
“What theory?” Did Micah know?How could he? Maybe he just suspected? Shiloh’s gaze darted around the room, knowing nobody could hear Micah but Jericho who listened in his office. “What do you want me to do, Micah? How am I supposed to infiltrate the Mulvaney family? And for what? They’re just a bunch of rich celebrities.”
Shiloh’s blood rushed in his ears, his heart beating way too fast, like he’d had far too much caffeine. Micah’s voice dripped with agitation. “That’s my business, little brother. Just find me something. Something good—something I can use to get my foot in the door.”
“Okay, I—I’ll try,” Shiloh said faintly.
“Do or do not, there is no try,” Micah told him menacingly. Only Micah could make a Yoda reference terrifying.
“Is that it?” Shiloh asked.
“No, I called to give you an update on Mal. But I need you to not fall apart.”
Micah’s words were an icy shock, causing Shiloh’s already rabbiting heart to shoot into hyper-speed. A metallic taste flooded his mouth. “What does that mean?” he asked, hysteria creeping into his voice. “Is he okay?”
“He got cornered in the showers early yesterday morning. It took a while for the guards to intervene. He’s alive. But he’s in pretty bad shape. They stabilized him and transported him toa facility with a hospital about three hours away. He’ll be safer there, but you won’t be able to visit him.” Shiloh’s head reeled. But before he could ask any of the questions swirling in his head, Micah said, “And I know you’ve visited him against my wishes. I told you, I have eyes everywhere.”
“Did you do this?” Shiloh whispered, tears welling in his eyes. “Did you do this to punish me?”
Micah chuckled. “You wound me. You need to get over yourself. You’re notthatimportant to me. Besides, I need Malachi in one piece. How else can I keep you in line? Hmm?”
“He’s going to be okay, though, right?” Shiloh asked. “How did this even happen? Where were the guards? ”
Rage bubbled within Shiloh at Micah’s snort. “I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner. Someone as weird as Mal will always be a target. You can’t walk around talking in riddles and changing your personality like it’s underwear and not expect an attack. Prison is like the jungle. They immediately cull the weak and the vulnerable. It’s a miracle he lasted as long as he did.”
Malachi wasn’t weak or vulnerable. Micah didn’t know or understand Mal at all.
“Don’t you care that he got hurt? He’s your brother,” Shiloh said, swiping angrily at the tears on his cheeks. Levi’s breath huffed against his neck, arms wrapping around him to hold him tighter, like he worried Shiloh might fly into a million pieces if he didn’t keep him together.
“It’s your fault he’s in there in the first place,” Micah said. “If you could just behave, I wouldn’t have to go to such extremes to make a point.”
Shiloh was getting whiplash. This was what Micah did, verbally spinning Shiloh in circles until he was dizzy. Was it his fault? He couldn’t even remember what it was that had set Micah off enough to decide to throw Malachi in prison in the first place.
Shiloh swallowed the lump of sand in his throat. “Can’t you just get him out now? Make the call? Hasn’t he suffered enough?”
Micah tsked. “I’m not the one keeping Mal locked away. That’s you. Find me something I can use and I’ll happily let Mal come home. But you’re proving to be as useless as always. Have you asked your boyfriend for help?”
Panic shocked through him. “What?”
“With the Mulvaneys?” Micah clarified. “Have you gotten anything useful from him?”
“I—” Shiloh’s mind reeled. “You want me to ask Levi to help you get to the Mulvaneys?”
Shiloh flinched as Micah exploded. “No, you fucking idiot. I want you to trick him into giving you anything useful.”
“I’m—I-I’m doing the best I can…” Shiloh whined, face flushed, embarrassed that Levi’s friends were witnessing his behavior.
Jericho’s office door opened and he walked to Shiloh, slipping him a piece of paper. Shiloh’s eyes widened. He looked at Jericho who nodded. Could he pull it off?
“There…was one thing but I don’t know if it means anything…” Shiloh trailed off.
“Well, what is it?” Micah snapped.
“A cabin in the woods.”
Silence stretched for a long moment before Micah repeated, “A cabin in the woods?”
Shiloh scanned Jericho’s notes. “Yeah, I overheard Jericho and Atticus whispering about it. But it’s probably nothing.”
