Page 50 of Wyoming Cowboy Undercover

Certainly not the mother she barely remembered.

All this time he thought Rocco was the problem when really, he was the solution to one. Marshall was at his wit’s end about how to get Mercy to abandon her desire to leave and accept her role in the commune. There had been times when he’d gotten close to forcing her to take her vows to shed her former self and receive the tattoo. But he never did out of fear. A cold, stark fear that she might still leave. And if she did, after taking her vows, then he could never allow her to return. She would be considered forever lost to them. One of thefallen.

But now she would make the sacrifice of her own free will.

Thanks to a nonbeliever.

Once this was all said and done, he’d have to send Rocco a gift basket with some of their finest goods: produce, homemade soap and a jar of their lavender honey.

“In helping Rocco, we help the Shining Light,” she said, and he couldn’t tell if she was trying to convince him or herself. “We have to protect the commune. They’re coming for us.”

Hardly breaking news. “They’ve been coming for a while. They planted an informant in here.”

Shock spilled across her face. “Do you know who?”

He gave her a knowing smile. “Sophia.”

Mercy flinched. “You’ve known this whole time?”

“It’s the reason I started sleeping with her. As soon as I did and she saw what her life could be, she told me everything. Confessed in my bed. Her handler was Becca Hammond. I had Sophia sever all contact and she did. I’m not surprised that they would stoop so low as to seduce you next, treating you like a tawdry pawn. They would cross any line, trample on hearts, tell any lie to achieve their aims.”

She looked like she was going to retch.

“Can I get you a glass of water?” he asked.

Taking a deep breath, she shook her head.

“Do you still want to protect Rocco?”

Mercy lowered her eyes.

Out of shame, no doubt. The poor girl did want to protect him. Still.

What a disappointment.

“The only way to protect the commune,” she said, “is to give his task force the name of our weapons supplier and help them stop whatever is planned for tomorrow. Do you know anything about that?”

“Iamthe prophet.” He didn’t know what was planned, but he did know who was planning the event. It would be big. Loud. And violent. In the end, the chaos and tragedy would increase their numbers. But first he had to protect and preserve what he already had. “I can be of service to this task force. But I need something from you first.”

She grew still as stone. “What?”

The flames of rebellion had burned in her for far too long. The time had come for him to extinguish that fire.

“If I do this—if I help Rocco without delay—then you must agree to take your vows to the community and seal your union with Alex on a date of my choosing.”

Mercy paled, all the blood draining from her lovely face. If only she could see that this was for her own good. Once she married Alex and had a child the rest would fall into place.

“The Light has spoken through me. What say you?” he asked.

Tears welled in her bright blue eyes that were the same as her mother’s.

But he would take his daughter’s sorrow and turn it into joy, like water into wine.

“Okay,” she said.

He reined in his impatience. “I need to hear the words, Mercy.”

“So shall it be.”

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