Page 103 of Mercy & Malice

Her sadness quickly morphs into anger as she walks to me. “No, you were protecting yourself. If you really wanted to keep me safe, you would’ve told me who the actual threat was. I sat across the table from him not knowing it was him all along.”

That’s not even the worst of it. And she’ll hate me even more. “You’re right. I put you in more danger. I should’ve trusted you with the truth. I should’ve told you everything. I’m so sorry I didn’t.” I take in a steadying breath before I tell her, “But I will now. Everything. There will be nothing hidden and no more secrets between us ever again.”

“There’s more?” She moves back, dropping into the chair like her legs are about to give out.

“After the final dare in Mercy, I left pissed off at the world and felt betrayed by the most important person in mine. But none of those are reason enough to justify what I did afterwards.”

Tears are already trailing down her cheeks as she asks, “Micah, what is it?”

Fuck. This is it. This is where we end. “I wanted to make you hurt as bad as I was. I decided I was going to get even with you. And to do that, I planned to lock you in a cage, so you’d know what it felt like to have you’re control stripped away.”

“You planned it?” Brooke gasps, gripping the table as she goes to stand up.

There’s no point holding back, so I confess, “Not the specifics of what he did to us, but I picked the place, put the cage in it, and planned to trap you there. I wanted to humiliate you, scare you. But I couldn’t go through with it. No matter how much I hated you, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I didn’t want to hurt you. When I told my father I was backing out of the plan, he said I was weak and that he was disappointed. None of his words mattered to me. You’ve always been my weakness. It just became clear to him. So, he used you to hurt me and tried to make me the monster in your head since I wouldn’t be his puppet anymore.

“Luca had won Mercy. I was done doing his bidding, and he was losing control of his livelihood, his company, all of it. If my brother and I are enemies, he’s stronger. If I’m on Luca’s side, he’s weakened. I swear I never would’ve gone through with it. I was just angry and not thinking clearly. But I couldn’t ever hurt you.”

The horror on her face grows as she screams, “Too fucking late for that. You built the fucking cage, Micah?!”

“I’m so—” I start before her shriek cuts me off.

“No, you don’t get to say sorry and make it right. There is no making this better. Get out. Leave. I want you out of my sight. I need you to go. Now. And don’t come near me again.”

“Okay.” I take a step away. “You can have Troy stay with you or not. It’s your choice. Just let Luca know what you decide. I love you, Brooke. Even if I have a fucked-up way of showing it.” With that, I walk out and leave every piece of my soul with her.

57

MICAH

THREE AND A HALF MONTHS AGO

So, what are you going to do about it? The question my father asked has been echoing in my head for hours. The more I consider the answer, the more I want her to pay. The soreness from Luca’s hits are setting in, reminding me that once again my brother overpowered me.

Dialing my father, I respond to his question as soon as he answers. “I want control. I want her to pay for taking mine.” I never had a chance to win the fucking game. She took me out of Mercy before it even started.

Dad laughs. “There’s my boy. I knew you’d come to the right decision. You can get knocked down, but staying down is a choice. Now, what do you have planned?”

“Like I said, I want control. I will humiliate her the way she did me.”

“That’s fantastic. Playing with her mind will. Mind games are the worst punishment you can serve. What did you have in mind?”

I need to scare her. “I want her to feel helpless and trapped. I’ll put her in a cell and throw away the key.”

My father laughs. “Are you going to keep her as a pet, or are you actually going to get revenge?”

“I’ll get what I need. I just have to find a place where we won’t be bothered.”

“I have some in mind,” Dad states, then the details fall into place. He suggests an old property that he bought under a shell company. One that won’t be tied back to us.

My identity will remain hidden unless I decide to reveal it to her. The Keeper’s cloak was about freaking her out and never about concealing my identity. I want her to hate me as much as I resent her for making me look weak and pathetic.

Weeks have passed since the night when Mercy came to an end. Dad is eager for my revenge to play out. But I can’t bring myself to actually do it. And I accept that she will always be my ultimate weakness when I admit to my father, “I called it off.”

The disbelief grows on his face as he asks, “What do you mean you called it off?”

“Exactly what I said.” I can’t lock her in a cage and play mind games with her just because I’m pissed about losing some stupid fucking game.” I won’t damage her like that.

The disappointment on his face is evident. “You’re going to regret not making her accountable for disgracing you. It’ll set the tone on how you let people treat you for the remainder of your pitiful life.”