“Why are you being so quiet now?”
“You didn’t ask a question.”
Even when I can’t see him, I want to deck him in the nose. “Fine. What’s your weakness?”
“I don’t have one.”
“Yeah. Okay. Great getting to know you.”
He shifts again before he says, “I don’t.”
“So, if they threaten Micah or someone else in your family, you’d just let them murder them?”
“I learned a long time ago not to get attached to anyone.” His answer is flat and way too calm considering the topic.
“Great. I’m playing a game of dare with the Tin Man.”
“Tin Man?”
“Yeah. A heartless, hollow metal guy. Don’t tell me you never watchedThe Wizard of Oz.”
He waits a solid minute before he replies, “Yes, I’ve seen it. It was my mom’s favorite movie. And I’ll be your best chance of getting out. Because that’s all you want. To save yourself no matter the cost. So, who’s really heartless?”
“This game is already stupid.”
We sit in silence for few minutes until I finally ask, “What happened to your mom?”
“One day she walked out of our lives and never came back.”
“Oh, the way you said it made it sound like she was…” My voice fades off because I don’t want to say the word he says bluntly.
“Dead.”
“That’s a little harsh.” I focus on his heartless attitude so I can push my own feelings welling up about my mom out.
“So is abandoning your kids and never looking back.”
“True,” I reply. It’s not like he cares about causing me misery, so why should I spare his feelings? “Is that why you’re such an unemotional asshat?”
“Partly,” he replies.
There’s another stretch of silence until I hear footsteps. I listen as our phones chime in unison, and we’re instructed, “Take off the blindfolds.”
“Time to go. We have our next dare.” Luca holds up his phone, but I don’t look at mine.
“What is it now?”
“We have to ruin someone’s night.”
“Already done,” I utter, looking at my unwanted ally and least-favorite person.
Once we’re walking through the cemetery, Remy asks, “Apparently there’s someone who needs to be knocked down a few notches. Why else would they have us target them?”
“Yeah, I know a few of those asshats too.” I eye Luca as we make our way to our vehicles, Brooke and Micah in front of us. I never got a good answer out of her about the injury, but she did say she was safe. I’ll believe it when I see it. Or don’t see any more marks on her.
I glance at my phone, but the message has already disappeared. But I recall all of it.Ruin if you dare. It’s time to spoil someone’s night. Go to the Northshore Bonnaire estate and collect one of the senator’s prized automobiles. The last team to arrive back here is out of Mercy.
26
