Mercy (Somerset University #3) - Ruby Vincent Page 0,58
blood pool beneath me before I was turned over and dropped on my ass.
“Not bad.” The appreciative drawl pierced my fog. “You got more hits in than I expected.”
Aiden slowly came into focus—as did Val’s screams. A red trail pouring freely from his scalp shone stark on his skin along with the grin that said he didn’t care. He wasn’t the only one. Rowen, Hayes, and the other guys all smirked at me like I’d just performed a cute trick.
“I’m gonna get out of here before your girlfriend takes another shot at kicking my ass.” Aiden laughed. “In her case, I have no doubt she’d win.” He clapped a hand on my shoulder. My swipe was too sluggish to stop him. “See you Friday night, Rick. Welcome to the club.”
“Wh— What?” I croaked. “What the fuck? I lost.”
“So? I said if you lost you’d stay out of my shit, not that you wouldn’t get into the club. Friday night,” he repeated.
The boys filed off, leaving me to sink onto the ground, slipping peacefully into blackness. Val’s voice sought to bring me back. I let go of her... and everything else.
“MOMMY’S REALLY MAD,” Adam said conversationally.
“You’re telling me.”
Valentina had been coming in and out of the room to shout at me for the last three hours. Ever since the doctor signed off on a clean bill of health. With the worry gone, the anger came flooding in. The second day of school and the two of us were home dealing with the aftermath of my initiation.
Adam ducked into our room halfway through to burrow into my side. I think he was also trying to comfort me in the wake of her onslaught.
“It’s okay, Daddy.” He patted my head. “Mommy will forgive you.”
“Thanks, son.”
He cocked his head, taking in the collection of bruises, cuts, and swollen skin that used to be my pretty face. “What happened?”
“Daddy got beat up,” I said bluntly.
Adam gasped. “Someone beat you up? How?”
“There’s always someone stronger, smarter, and quicker. The trick is for that person to be you. This time I wasn’t.”
His face crumpled in confusion. To be fair that wasn’t the best explanation for a six-year-old.
“Daddy turned his back on the bad guy and he got me.”
“Ooh,” Adam said. “Don’t do that next time.”
“I won’t. Believe me, I’ll never turn my back on this guy again.”
“—idiotic things I’ve ever seen!” Val blew inside. “Why didn’t you walk away and keep walking? Why did you agree to fight him? Huh? Huh?!”
“I’m sorry, Val.” Groveling was my only hope at this point. I tried pointing out earlier that it worked out and I’d gotten into the club. She glowered so fiercely, she singed my eyebrows.
“It was dumb. No argument here.”
“Adam, find Chef in the kitchen. He’s got a bowl of ice cream with your name on it.”
“Yay!” He raced off and I was left to fend for myself.
“What kind of initiation was that?” Val climbed up and cradled my head on her chest. “He drags you out there, says he knew the whole time we got into the file, offers to come clean if you win, and then beats you and lets you into the club anyway? What was the point?”
“The point was to tell us who’s in control, Val. And it’s not us.”
“Don’t say that.” She held me tighter. “We are in control. Aiden hasn’t beaten me, and he hasn’t beaten you. But... all this club stuff... it’s time to put a stop to it.”
“I’m finally in the club. I can’t back out now that we might get somewhere.”
“We’re not getting anywhere like this. Hanging around him and hoping he spills the truth out of the kindness of his heart isn’t going to work.”
“It’s not about him anymore,” I argued. “Aiden whispered my prize for winning like he didn’t want the others to know. Or at least one person in particular—Sawyer. I still say he’s the way in. He’s the one who has to tell us the truth of his disappearance, and he’ll open up to me now that his president has welcomed me into the club.”
“I’m sick to death of this fucking club! Seeing the people I love get hurt. Wondering if we’ll ever really be safe. Seeing Leighton ghosts everywhere I go! I regret every day that I joined that fucking sorority.”
Threading my fingers through hers, I placed our hands over my chest. Hers rose and fell with hard pants, but slowly, her heart thrummed it’s melodic, steady beat.
“You don’t regret it,” I said softly.