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“He’s bluffing.”
Michael leaned down and put his hands against the table. “Try me.”
His father stared back. “This isn’t a game.”
“Trust me. I’m not having any fun.”
His father’s voice lowered and lost some of the anger. “I’m not kidding, Michael. Running away from this won’t work. It’s a death wish.”
Michael flung his chair in against the table. “Maybe I should just take my chances.”
He stormed across the kitchen, sure his father was going to call him back, to lecture more, to issue ultimatums and threats until Michael caved and promised to try harder.
How do you try harder at something that consumes every waking thought?
But his father didn’t say anything. Michael kept going.
Only to find his three brothers waiting, wide-eyed, just outside the kitchen doorway, their expressions some mix of betrayal and anger and confusion.
Great.
“You’re leaving?” said Nick.
“Look. Guys ...” Michael sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t mean right this second—”
“So you are,” said Chris. “You’re leaving.”
Gabriel had backed up against the wall, and his arms were folded across his chest. “What’s going to happen to the rest of us?”
“Are they going to kill you?” said Chris, his voice hollow.
“Tyler won’t stop,” said Nick. “Just because you’re gone, the rest of them will still—”
“Boys.”
Michael felt their mother come up behind him, felt her slim hand on his shoulder. “No one is leaving,” she said. “People say things in anger all the time. Michael didn’t mean it.”
Three sets of eyes locked on his.
“Tell them,” she said.
Michael looked at his three brothers. He could read the new emotion there: desperation. They wanted him to deny it.
He wanted to.
He just didn’t want to lie.
So he shrugged off his mother’s hand and went for his bedroom.
And he didn’t come out all night.
CHAPTER 3
Emily stared at the door to the shop. Sweat was trickling down her back despite the blasting air-conditioning.
I come on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Maybe he wouldn’t show. Her father sure hadn’t been subtle when he’d called the Merricks. But maybe that would work against her. Just like the other day. Michael had seemed just as surprised to see her—and then she’d gone and provoked him. Sure, her parents had a deal with his, but it felt flimsy. Kind of like those treaties with countries who kept nuclear warheads.
