Page 73 of Wyoming Cowboy Undercover

Mercy rammed her knee up into his unprotected groin. She felt the softness there and knew she’d made contact when he cried out and hunched over. But she didn’t stop. She shoved him away.

He staggered back, trying to recover. As soon as he straightened, she punched his chest, striking the spot Rocco called the solar plexus. He’d told her when you got the blow right it caused momentary paralysis of the diaphragm, making it difficult to breathe.

The force of the punch, or more likely the shock, knocked Alex off his feet. His back hit the floor and he flailed like he was being electrocuted. Gasping and thrashing, he rolled onto his side. His face was wrenched in agony.

She never wanted anyone to suffer. Her instinct was to help him. But she ran to the door. Pulled out the wedge and tossed it to the side.

“Wait,” he wheezed, gasping for breath, looking weak and pained. “Help. Me.”

Mercy stared at him. Frozen. Unsure what to do.

He rolled onto his hands and knees. Bloody spots bloomed on the back of his gray shirt.

Her feet were moving before she thought to act. She grabbed his outstretched hand and got him up onto her bed. Helping him was a force of habit.

He lay down on his side, curling up in a ball.

“What happened to you?” she asked.

He unbuttoned his shirt and showed her his back that was covered in gauze soaked with blood. “Flagellation.”

“You took something strong for the pain?”

With those glazed eyes, he nodded.

“Alex, I have to leave. I can’t stay here any longer.”

Tears fell from his eyes. “I know. Because of me.”

This was so much bigger than him. “I was never meant to be a Starlight.” She let his hand go and inched away to the door.

“Do you remember my favorite book?” he asked, stopping her. “When we were younger.”

How could she ever forget. “Frankensteinby Mary Shelley. You read it ten times.”

“Everyone thinks the Creature is the monster. He was just misunderstood. And lonely. But Victor Frankenstein, the one who made the Creature—he was the real monster. Why doesn’t anyone see it?” A sob broke through him, and he cried. “I’ve become a monster, too. But I’m what our father made me. I only did to you what he did to Ayanna. And yet, his princess still loves him.”

“What?” She went to his side and lowered to her knees.

“The allergic reaction.”

“He put peanuts in my mother’s food?”

Alex nodded. “I watched him do it. He didn’t know I was there in the kitchen. He even made sure the doctor was close by to save her. That’s how I got the idea.”

A hot flash of rage tangled with the sorrow rising in her chest. “How could I be so blind to who he is?”

“He worked very hard to blind you. And I helped him do it.”

She was on her feet, headed for the door.

“Mercy. Please,” he begged, “don’t leave me. I need you!”

With hot tears welling in her eyes, she flew out the door. Ran down the steps. Grabbed her shoes. Reached for the handle of the front door.

A squawk from a radio made her still.

“Marsh, pick up.” Her uncle Cormac’s voice carried through the house.

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