Mercy (Somerset University #3) - Ruby Vincent Page 0,49

they made a mistake.

“Sorry.” The word burned coming out. “What’s up with Sawyer?”

“Ask him yourself.”

Aiden blew past me.

I resisted the urge to take back that apology or heed his taunt. Sawyer looked fine now as he danced with his girlfriend. I still needed to find Maverick before Aiden took back his book.

We crossed paths at the top of the stairs.

“Val—”

I grabbed his hand, tugging him toward the first door I laid eyes on. A peek inside confirmed it was a bedroom.

“Get in,” I whispered for no reason. The music was too loud for them to hear me throw a vase. “The book. You have to see it.”

“What’s in it?”

I shut and locked us in. Maverick sat on the bed and then placed me on his lap. I handed over the book for him to read but launched into the whole thing anyway.

“It explains everything that Aiden said. They’re brothers who are brothers in everything. Supporting each other without question. Willing to go as far as it takes to prove themselves. Under those terms, the president can pick anyone they believe fits the criteria. Doesn’t have to be a Sally or Sam.”

“Does it say anything about compiling files on everyone who walks into the house?”

I shook my head. “Nothing like that, but it does”—I flipped to page forty—“talk about this.”

“Initiation,” he read across the top. “To get into the club?”

“No. To get into the Sallys and Sams. Read it. Second paragraph.”

He squinted at the cramped, handwritten text. “The final test is the reveal of secrets. Sams must trust their brothers absolutely, and trust is only possible when you have nothing left to protect. Nothing left to hide. Those who refuse to reveal their secret will be denied a place in Nu Alpha Theta, but with the respect of their privacy being protected. To use, allude to, or reveal these secrets will mark you as without honor and unfit to lead Nu Alpha Theta.

“Holy hell,” he breathed. “This reads like it was written by the High King of Evergreen to be bestowed upon his heir. Without honor? Unfit to lead? Who talks like that about running a fraternity?”

“You haven’t gotten to the best part yet.” I read it myself. “When you’ve chosen the final candidates, contact this email address: [email protected]. You will receive a reply containing all the information you need for the initiation. Do not share with anyone.”

Maverick leaned back, eyes wide. “This is it? You just shoot off a message to this email address and they tell you if the brother of one of your pledges is hiding from a gang?”

“It’s unbelievable. Leighton said I had to become president to find out and here it is. The email of the person who told Leighton I killed someone.”

Maverick shot up, tipping me onto the comforter. “Val, you have to contact this person. Find out who they are and how they know the things they do.”

“That was my first thought, but why would they tell me? However they do it can’t be legal. They’re not going to shout about it—least of all to me. If they’re connected to the Sallys, they know we don’t have pledges and therefore no reason to contact them.”

He started pacing, treading the length of the cashmere carpet. “You’ll get pledges, Val. When school starts. When the time comes, they’ll have to respond. In the meantime, I’ll trace the address and see what comes up.” He spun on me. “What else does the book say? Are we so lucky that we got the email address for body cleanup?”

“No. We’re also missing the chapter on faking your death.” Sighing, I tossed it on the bed. “It mostly goes on about what it takes to be a Sam and your duties to your brothers.”

“That’s fine, babe. It’s already told us what we need to know.” He knelt and rested his head on my lap. “We will figure this out. I promise.”

“I know we will. And whoever is behind this, whether it’s Leighton, Aiden, the club, or every Sally in the house—they’re gonna fucking know it too.”

Chapter Seven

Maverick

“Daddy!”

A cannonball struck my chest, ejecting me from sleep. I shot up and knocked the giggling menace onto the covers.

“Daddy,” Adam cried. “We have to walk Pepper before school.”

“Y-yes,” I rasped. “We will, son. Just give Daddy... five more minutes.” I collapsed on my pillow, eyes drooping in an instant.

Soft lips brushed my forehead in a much sweeter wake-up call. “Sorry, love. You can’t have five minutes. You slept through the alarm and your