Mercy (Somerset University #3) - Ruby Vincent Page 0,32

bad—”

“Fuck outta here,” he cried, laughing. “Save your damn self.”

My shoulders shook, melting away the tension. “For real, Jaxson. I wouldn’t want anyone else at my back.” I turned to leave. “I’ll be home before midnight. Check on Adam before you go to bed.”

Jaxson saw me off at the door. He ceased convincing me to stay, but his haunted gaze took up the task just fine. I understood why he embraced Val’s resolution to return to normal. He just came off an intense year. Normal is what we all wanted.

We can only have that if Aiden allows it. Waiting around while he decides isn’t an option.

I blasted Val’s playlist on the drive. Listening to her songs made me picture her hunched over the computer, tongue poking out, and forehead wrinkled in the most adorable flipping way. It had been one week and I missed her like a limb. The scent of her sweet shampoo lingered on my pillow, and it messed me up something serious every time I climbed into bed.

The argument could be made that my boys and I were the kings of assholes. Sultans of insufferable shitheads. The pharaohs of pricks.

Ezra sized people up by what they could offer him and discarded those who came up wanting. Jaxson was as blunt as a pool noodle. He’d tell saps what he thought of them straight to their crumpling face. As for me, I didn’t have many words to spare, and I gave none to people who weren’t worth my time.

But none of us would ever compare to Ryder Shea.

Why?

Because he whisked Val away for two damn weeks and left us sitting here wondering why we didn’t think of it first.

I spent the remainder of the ride cursing one of my closest friends in the world.

Turning onto the final street, I saw straight down the road to the once again dark house. Beside it, Sally house boasted more life. Lights flickered through the gossamer curtains of the living room. Three floors above, the outline of a woman rocked before her window.

I left behind their relative normalcy and climbed the stairs for the Sam house. The door was left open for me again. Without invitation, I let myself into the basement.

“It’s Rick,” someone said. “Rick! Get down here, mate. I’ve got more scotch for you to try.”

A blanket of inky black swallowed me as I descended the stairs, flickering within it was a soft, warm glow. The boys had opted for candlelight. Why?

I stepped off the stairs and froze. Sawyer crowed about seven making perfect, but there were more than seven people here. Thirteen to be exact.

Winston leaned against the bar talking to a blond back-of-the-head in a short pink dress. Nasir claimed the couch with two girls. His hands rested on both of their knees while theirs roamed under his shirt. Hayes posted up in the corner attempting to suck the organs out of a girl through her mouth. Aiden and the girl on his lap were at the poker table, and the final woman I recognized.

“Hi, Maverick.” Teagan closed the distance, taking my hand and drawing me in. “Glad you could make it.”

“Are we having a party?”

“Party?” Rowen snorted. “A party demands a hundred more people. Four times the alcohol and ten times the nudity. We’re here to play poker, man.”

I glanced at the girl on my arm. “Are you joining us?”

Teagan shook her head. “It’s fatally boring next door. I crashed for the booze.” She smirked at Sawyer. “And to see how long my man can hold out before taking me upstairs and entertaining me.”

“The answer is not long.” Winston rolled up on us, putting a drink in my hand. “We better get this game underway. But first”—he lifted his arm and the blonde girl magically appeared beneath it—“Rick, meet the duchess.”

It was incredible to say that Winston undersold her looks. The statuesque beauty in front of me took the silky tresses and cornflower blue eyes and paired them with a mischievous twist to her lips and a firm hand on Winston’s collar like she had every intention of reining him in. I was looking at a woman with means and the willingness to use them.

“Pleasure to meet you, duchess.”

“Phillipa, please.” She extended her hand in expectation of a kiss. “Lovely to meet you as well.”

“Now that Maverick is here, we can start,” Aiden announced. “Jasmine, if you don’t mind.”

The guys migrated to their original seats, leaving me to claim the chair between Sawyer, Winston, and Phillipa—who climbed