Page 104 of Mercy & Malice

“Luca won. I lost. Mercy is over. It doesn’t even exist anymore. The thirteen highest members of the Keepers are all dead and no one will dare start resurrect the society and risk death to be in a little secret society club. The game is over. So, I’m moving on.”

Dad refills his tumbler with whiskey and downs it. “Sounds like she won if you ask me. Guess it’ll make for an awkward family dinner.”

I might not want to hurt her, but I can’t be near her either. “No, it won’t. Because I won’t be there.”

“Both my sons are abandoning me for pussy that has an expiration date. And I’m stuck with it under my own fucking roof.”

Of course, it’s never his fault, even when it is his doing. “You’re the one who moved them into the goddamn house. And don’t say it was for me. Tara has been on your fucking to-do list for years.”

“Yes, son, I understand what it means to complete a task and mark it off. But I won’t lose myself in the process because I’m thinking with my dick instead of my fucking brain. That’s the difference. I have a strong mind, and yours is weak. You’ll always come in second if you don’t tighten that shit up. So take a beat, then let me know when you want to move forward with regaining your control. It’s the only way you’ll ever be able to move on. If you don’t, you’ll always feel as weak as you appear.” Dad pours himself another drink as he holds it up to cheers. “To retribution.”

I know what he’s doing. He’s playing a mind game so I’ll go through with the scheme. He just likes to see people miserable and hurting. I won’t do it. I won’t trap her just to make myself appear stronger to prove she’s weaker than me. That’s not the control I desire. What I really want is the ability to never see her and be fine with it. Or figure out how to be near her and pretend she doesn’t exist. That’s the impossible part. She’s such a part of me that my life isn’t complete without her in it. When she finds out what I’d intended to do to her. She’ll hate me—hell, I already hate me. For planning it. For backing out. For not telling my father to go fuck himself years ago. But regardless of how far I’ve fallen into my miserable pit of hell, I won’t be the man he wants me to be no matter what he does.

58

BROOKE

“Are you sure you don’t mind me staying for a while?” I ask Ivy, my hands clutching the warm mug as we sit at the kitchen table with Luca.

“Not at all. You’re welcome for as long as you want to stay.”

“Thanks. I just don’t think I can go back to that house with him there, knowing it was him.” I take a sip of my coffee then admit, “Or face Micah yet.”

“I don’t blame you one bit,” she says.

Ivy’s uncle walks in and says, “Brooke, there’s someone at the door for you.”

I give Luca a quick glance as he stands and walks with me to the foyer. Facing Micah isn’t what I want to do, but neither is talking to the dickhead detective who’s waiting on me.

Ledet keeps a smirk on his face as he says, “Ms. Guidry, your mom told me where I could find you. Hope you don’t mind.”

“Can I help you with something?” Like showing you the way out.

“Well, I got an interesting call yesterday from a police officer looking into a missing person’s case.” He moves farther into the house, glancing around before he chuckles, “You seem to be the only missing person who ever shows back up.”

“Yesterday was a misunderstanding. I wasn’t missing.”

He zones in on me. “Care to elaborate?”

Not really. But I get that he won’t take that for an answer, so I try my best to appease him and get him the hell out of my sight. “I went for a walk and didn’t have my phone. My mom got worried and called the police.”

“Just went for a walk. Where?” he asks.

Luca moves forward as he asks, “Do you have a question relevant to the case you’re assigned?”

Ledet gapes at Luca. “Mr. Montclair, I decide what’s relevant to my case. You should be more concerned with giving any information I ask so perhaps I can assist with that abduction case of yours.”

Luca’s face stretches into a smile. “You can’t be that great of a detective since I’ve never been abducted. I’m not Micah; I’m his brother.”

“Ah, that’s right. Twins. Convenient.” Ledet focuses to me again. “I’m just wondering if this was a deliberate disappearance.”

“Excuse me?” I ask, truly confused by his question.

“Was it a cry for attention?” Ledet hooks his thumbs on his waistband as he adds, “Detective Bowers said the abduction wasn’t adding up. Was that a hoax also?”

“No, and I have the scars to prove it.” I bite the inside of my lip to keep from adding a colorful word to my statement.

Ledet’s eyes drag over my body before he states, “Show me.”