Page 74 of Mercy in Betrayal

Funny how this might end for me. Just like Francis—forced to battle for my survival.

I look back out the window, and instead of seeing my face, I see my father’s.

He’s laughing at me, and this time, I don’t blame him.

Chapter 26

Rowan

Reset.

Reset.

The flood of feelings I’m experiencing is a bit like Niagara. Loud and chaotic and messy. I don’t know where to go or what to do with all these feelings. How to turn them off. There’s confusion. Anger. Fear. Frustration. Panic.

All I know is that when feelings turn into waterfalls, I can’t let the village below drown. I have to turn it off, somehow.

Reset.

The only thing I can control in this world is myself. I am the master of myself.

Only, that has probably been the greatest lie of my entire life. Nothing has ever been in my control.

Not until I met Enzo, that is. Yes, I had taken the small step of secretly getting a part-time job, taking charge of my class schedule, and trying to make my future what I wanted it to look like. It wasn’t until Enzo, though, that I really stepped outside of the narrow little world Cassidy and Evie had built for me and started exploring all the possibilities of who I might become.

My fingers trace the words of the book in my lap, the pages crisp and dry beneath my skin. Angel brought Vivi and me to his study, and Vivi stands next to the fireplace, staring blankly into the fire.

She’s in shock, I think.

It’s her turn to discover her brother isn’t who she thought he was.

I left Clementine in Vivi’s room, not knowing what to expect out of this strange situation. I had the unsettling feeling that the cat would be safer somewhere else. Needing something to do with my hands, I pulled a random book from the shelf before sinking down into one of the leather chairs, but I’m not reading it.

The air is too tense for that. Angel stands at his bar cart, pouring a whiskey. “Can I make you ladies something?” He frowns as we shake our heads in unison but doesn’t reply, interrupted instead by a man knocking on the half-open door and striding in. “What is it?”

The man moves to Angel’s side and whispers something in his ear. Angel tips his chin back and smiles, dropping the tongs back into the ice bucket with a clatter. “Thank you.” The man leaves, giving each of us a quick, impersonal nod. “I do wish you ladies would celebrate with me.”

Vivi glares at him. “There is nothing to celebrate.”

“Oh, there is plenty to celebrate. The Marzano mansion, a symbol of their might and power, is gone. The O’Hanlons have mostly been destroyed, so they’re just…insignificant. And three of the five families are currently getting ready to end their lines with a battle royale. With Azrael in the city, the victor will most likely end up dead, too.”

My spine stiffens. “What are you talking about?”

Angel turns his attention on me, his gaze cold. “I have been informed by the Scarpetta/Marzano mediator that Cassidy O’Rourke, Luca Marzano, and your lovely husband are going to be meeting in about an hour at Fort Washington Park to settle all debts. Dear Tom is on his way, but he doesn’t realize that the Valachis will not be sending help. It behooves us to stay out of this conflict.”

“You can’t…”

“Oh, but I can.”

This is all my fault. Cassidy must be furious. I’m not certain how Luca got involved—Angel said Enzo burned his family’s home, so maybe that—but it all comes back to me, somehow.

“This isn’t what I wanted,” I say aloud, looking at Angel. “You have to stop it.”

Angel lifts his drink and takes a swallow.

Enzo could die. Or Cassidy. It doesn’t matter who wins; I’m going to lose one of them.

Reset.

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