Page 106 of Mercy & Malice

I’m thankful he’s actually respecting my wishes, but I miss him. And it makes me so angry with him and myself.

I’ve barely seen him for than a few seconds, and no one mentions his name in my presence. So, I’ll ask, “How is he?”

“Fine. I guess. He’s been avoiding me and Luca mostly too. I’ve never seen him so distant and quiet,” Ivy says.

“I just don’t know how to be okay with him,” I admit. “I want to be.”

“Don’t rush it. Just give yourself time. It’s a lot to swallow even on a good day.” Ivy pauses before she sets her drink down and rotates to me. “I’m not saying I’m Team Micah, but I do believe he thought he was doing what was best for you.”

When I press my lips in a hard line and tilt my head, she hurriedly says, “I’m not saying what he did was okay. But one thing I know about them Montclair twins, they try so hard to protect and fix what they broke, that they end up damaging more, including themselves.”

I agree with what’s she’s saying. But can’t wrap my head around any of it.

Ivy continues, “Again, I believe what he did was wrong. He should’ve told you it was his father for starters. Has your mom mentioned that he broke off the engagement yet?”

“No, not to me.” And I don’t want to be around them enough to figure it out. But I am worried what it means for my mom. Part of the deal was Donald setting her up financially. If she takes his money, he’ll always be connected to us. Dad made sure to spend every penny she saved so I doubt she’s built up a fund for a fresh start yet. Worse case, we’ll just have to drive in from my grandparents’ house—there’s no way she’ll move out there and not guilt me into going with her.

Cain and Luca walk up as Cain asks, “What are y’all chatting about over here?”

Ivy quickly replies, “I was trying to talk Brooke into going to Bacchus with us. Like I said, my uncle rides in the parade every Mardi Gras. He wants us to attend the ball afterwards with him. It’s still a few weeks away, so you have time to consider it.” Ivy takes a sip of her drink before she adds, “You too, Cain.”

“Hell yes. I’ll be your plus-one, Brooke.” He hesitantly adds, “Unless Micah is going with you.”

Ivy quickly answers, “No, he passed on the invite. It’ll just be us.” She’s saying it to reassure me. But I can’t say that makes me feel any better knowing Micah won’t be there.

60

MICAH

It’s been forty days since I woke up in a cage, and ten days since I made a bargain with the man who put me in it.

Brooke’s cheering at a game on the Westbank, and Tara is in attendance too. The staff is gone or retired for the night and wouldn’t be an issue even if they saw me (which none have) since they wouldn’t think twice of me being in the house that I live at.

And thanks to Dad’s predictable routine on the nights he’s home, I find him in his office. There’s a lit cigar on his desk beside his tumbler that has already been filled (likely several times) with whiskey.

“Finally come home to make amends with your old man?”

“Something like that.” I drop into the seat across from his desk and prop my shoes on the edge because I’m aware it’s one of the many things he hates when people do.

“Feet down.” He takes a swig of whiskey before he drops the tumbler with a thud.

“Nah.” I interlock my fingers and place them behind my head. “I’d say you have more pressing problems to address.”

He reaches for the bottle of whiskey that sits on his cabinet and pours another before he reclines in his seat. “Care to explain what this attitude is? I thought we were past all the fuckery.”

Never. “Did you really think I’d just let it go?”

His tough shield falters but is quickly masked with a grin. “Yes, you’re weak and pathetic. You’ll do anything to protect that girl and save your own ass from the leverage I have.”

“You mean the footage that your old buddy Aldridge was holding onto of me disposing of Julian’s corpse?” I let the shock that I have that information sink in before I add, “If you’ve taught me one thing, it’s that everyone has a price tag or a weakness and sometimes both.”

He snaps. “He wouldn’t betray me.”

I wait for him to simmer in his anger for a minute before I tell him, “He already did. Maybe if you weren’t such a coward, you’d have more loyal friends surrounding you. After all, your old college buddy was happy to take the money and hand over the footage with the promise that he would never be under your thumb again.”

“I will bury you. With or without that footage, I can have you put away for the rest of your pathetic life,” he chokes on the last word as he takes a swig of his drink.

“You won’t get the chance. My strategy to bury you is already in motion.”