Page 29 of The Price of Mercy
No, wait, I need tosteal itfrom someone else.
“I’ll trade you intel.” Swallowing hard, I force the rest of that statement out of my mouth. “You tell me about your dad’s investment in your future… and I’ll tell you about my interest in Mercy.”
Sam’s forehead crinkles. “Why the hell do you care about my father?”
“I’m not dying because of your daddy issues, Sam.”
If things go my way, I won’t be the one dying, at all.
Chapter 13
Sam
There isn’tmuch that I would put past my father. Zane’s theory that my dad would wipe his existence off the face of the earth isn’t that far-fetched. Money doesn’t just open doors—it creates them, manifesting pathways that wouldn’t have existed otherwise. That’s how my father uses his wealth, as a tool to get what he wants.
“Destroying the frat is pointless, though.”
“I don’t care about your stupid fraternity,” Zane snaps, pacing now that he’s thawed out. The sweater I nabbed from the back of a dining room chair fits him perfectly; I bet it’s his, after all, and not a random article of clothing like I’d initially thought. After I wore it for all of ten minutes, I’m shocked that he hasn’t thrown it into the fireplace. I bet it still smells like my deodorant.
The cold must have addled his brain.
“You called in a favor,” Zane repeats for the third time, scrubbing a hand down his face. “And your dad went overkill. That doesn’t set off alarm bells for you?”
I can’t confess to understanding my father’s every whim. “I doubt he wanted anyone poking around about a murder his son may have been involved in, so no, not really. It makes sense to get rid of the evidence.” Maybe we should have left the bodythere for my dad’s team to handle, but it’s too late for that. “It might not mean anything.”
Zane swivels on his heel as he turns around to continue pacing in the opposite direction. The corner of the throw rug flips up. “Has he contacted you at all?”
“I don’t know. I don’t have my phone on me.”
Nodding, Zane seems to accept the half-truth. “That’s good. It buys us some time.”
While he mutters to himself, I throw another log in the fire and make a mental note to check my phone for any more messages. I’ll have to sneak out to my truck, but that’s fine. I can say that I want to take a drive into town or something. If I’m alone, I could even charge it?—
No, I reason, knowing that being alone is asking for trouble. That means that Mercy will be at Kane and Zane’s, well, mercy.I’d have to take her with me, but then Kane might try to pile into the truck with us to ensure we don’t drive away for good.
It’s tempting, that’s for sure.
Especially since I still haven’t found Mercy. Stealing her away for a few hours—or a lifetime—would soothe the discomfort in my heart. I don’t like the idea of my father coming after her for Kane’s mistake. If he wants todisappearanyone, it should be Kane and Zane, not Mercy. She’s innocent in all of this. But…
I hate to admit it, but Zane’s right. The fraternity, the football team, my degree—they’re all tying me to a life outside of my father’s strict parameters. Football season is over, and I’m missing the final game to be at this lakeside cabin, so that’s out. According to Zane, my fraternity is suspended. My degree, or lack thereof, doesn’t matter when taking a position in Wright Industries or any of its subsidiaries. All that’s keeping me from being squashed underneath my father’s thumb is my ownstubborn streak and the woman I’ll do anything to keep away from my father’s corruption.
If he could remove Mercy from the equation, my dad might think that he’s won the argument against my staying away. It’s notthatfar-fetched to believe.
Zane’s smarter than I thought for putting that together.
Thankfully, that’s as far as his conjecture goes; he doesn’t know enough about my father’s businesses to guess what kind of work I’d be involved with once absorbed into the Wright forces, and truth be told, neither do I. Despite sitting in on board meetings since I was ten years old, I’ve kept that part of my life as minimal as possible and blocked out anything unnecessary for immediate survival.
“I don’t know what his plans are,” I say honestly. “But I’m not interested, either way. He could offer me a mansion with a dozen wives, and I wouldn’t take it.” Frowning, I make sure that last part sinks in. That’s not the life I want. Riches can’t buy me happiness. “I don’t want anything to do with my father’s investments or business.”
Scoffing, Zane turns a grumpy glare onto me. “I know very little about having a father, Sam, but Idounderstand power dynamics. When the time comes, your little fantasy of a normal life is over, and you’ll be dragged into whatever position your dad’s curated for you since birth. All of this—” He waves his hand dramatically. “Won’t matter anymore.” Closing the distance between us, he places his hand on my arm. “Mercy will become a ghost of your past, and so will we.” Smiling wryly, he removes his hand. “The sooner you accept that, the easier this will be for everyone.”
My eyebrows pinch together. “The easier what will be?”
Zane seems surprised that I ask. “The grand finale. You didn’t think that Kane brought Mercy to this cabin for G-rated family fun, did you?”
No one could misinterpret Kane’s intentions after his announcement at the dinner table last night. “But I thought—” Perhaps foolishly— “The game was already over.” Anger and frustration surge through my veins. I grab Zane’s collar and shove him against the wall. “You tried torapeher,” I growl, slamming the back of Zane’s head into the wall. The picture frames overhead clatter. “That breaks all kinds of rules. The game is fuckingover.”
The shit-eating grin splitting across Zane’s face makes any normal feelings I had for the man evaporate. “The game isn’t over until someone dies,” he laughs, coughing his way through the declaration. “And I didn’t touch her,” he counters, huffing indignantly. “So stop accusing me of something I didn’t do.”
