She’d been braced for a rough road, but she’d been ready to try. Now, after staring into that one eye of his? I’m still ready. Which was kind of a shock, if she was being honest with herself.
He’d found her. After all these years, Ephraim had found her. And she wondered why she hadn’t been afraid before that he would. She had wondered what the Founding Elders had told the people of Eden after her disappearance. Probably that she’d been torn apart by wolves. It was what they’d said when Gideon had run away.
And I believed them. She imagined the people of Eden had believed the lie about her ‘sad demise’ as well. But DJ had known the truth. No wolves tearing her limb from limb, just a monster wearing the pretty face of a young man with white-blond hair. Who shot girls and their mothers with his gun.
And . . . she wasn’t going to think about that right now. In the box. Hammer the lid. She visualized her hand gripping the hammer, each strike confident and sure. Each nail entering squarely, with finality. The lid staying closed. The bad things trapped inside the box.
A soft meow came from the ball of fur in her arms. The first thing she’d done when the SUV doors were closed was to let Rory out of his carrier. She’d asked no one’s permission and no one had said a word in protest.
‘He’s very pretty,’ Rafe said from beside her, startling her even though his deep voice was purposefully quiet. Nonthreatening. She truly appreciated his effort.
‘Thank you,’ she murmured. ‘He’s a good cat. They both are.’
Rafe had climbed into the backseat with her after Sasha had loaded their luggage and his wheelchair into the back of the SUV. Farrah was up front with Sasha, who was driving a little faster than she probably should have, but she was nervous. As she should be.
I’ve brought trouble to their door. And that wasn’t okay. Mercy would have to find another place to stay, but she hadn’t even tried to suggest it tonight. She was too tired to argue with all of them.
Fortunately, Sasha wouldn’t be getting a ticket. They had a police escort, but it hadn’t lessened their fear. Everyone had been silent up until the moment Rafe had spoken. The atmosphere was so tense, it could have been sliced with a knife.
‘How old is he?’ Rafe asked.
‘They’re six years old. Littermates.’
Rafe was quiet for a long moment. ‘Rory brings you comfort?’
‘He does.’
Another silence, then Rafe sighed. ‘We need to tell Gideon. It’s not fair for him to hear about this from the news or another Fed.’
Mercy’s first reflex was to say no. Firmly. But Rafe was right. ‘Can . . . can you do it? I’m still . . .’
‘I understand.’ He reached out and she thought he’d touch her, but he gave Rory a stroke instead.
‘Soft,’ he commented.
She wasn’t sure if she was disappointed or relieved that he’d touched the cat and not her. But she supposed it was okay to be unsure. She had, after all, just endured what Farrah would call a ‘trauma’.
Mercy glanced at Rafe from the corner of her eye. He was as handsome as she’d remembered, blond and somehow tanned in April, although he had dark circles under his eyes, too. She wondered why he hadn’t slept well. Wondered if it was because his injuries still pained him or if he’d been worried about seeing her.
Retrieving his phone, he caught her staring. One side of his mouth lifted, but he made no comment. Instead, he hit a contact on his phone and Mercy closed her eyes.
Gideon.
She’d hoped to have a little more time to prepare herself, but it didn’t matter. She’d had plenty enough time. Weeks since learning why her brother had escaped Eden. Years since they’d been reunited after her escape.
She didn’t remember the day of their reunion very well. She’d been out of it, still. Thirteen years old and traumatized. In pain from the surgeries she’d endured after being discovered nearly dead at the Redding bus station by a well-meaning bystander. She’d been placed in foster care after her release from the hospital, but she’d had no idea how much time had passed, having rocked herself for hours at a time.
And then Gideon had walked through the door of the foster home, looking handsome and healthy and strong and so excited to see her. But she hadn’t wanted to see him. She’d wanted to scream at him and claw her hatred into his skin. She’d wanted her brother to pay for every time Ephraim had hurt her. For every time the monster had hurt Mama. She’d wanted Gideon to pay for Mama’s death at DJ’s hand. She’d wanted Gideon to drop to his knees and beg her forgiveness, but he hadn’t and she’d hated him for that, too. Everything in her life that was bad was because Gideon had run from Eden. Abandoning them. Abandoning me.
Or so she’d thought. Now she’d be begging his forgiveness.
‘Hey, it’s me,’ Rafe said softly when his call had connected.
With Gideon. God. He should hate me. He still might before all this is over.
‘Well . . .’ Rafe cleared his throat. ‘Yes, something’s happened. First, I need you not to freak out. Everyone is okay.’ Rafe winced and Mercy could hear Gideon’s voice from where she sat, even though Rafe had not put his phone on speaker. ‘Mercy is here.’ Another wince. ‘Yes, here in Sacramento. Here with me and Sasha. Plus a friend who came with her.’ A pause and more wincing. ‘I don’t know exactly why she’s come back or how long she’s going to stay, but, Gid, I need you to listen.’ He blew out a breath and continued. ‘I’m not sure how to say it, so I’ll just say it. Ephraim Burton was in the airport, waiting for her.’ A pause, then, ‘You still there?’
Apparently Gideon was still there, because for the next two minutes Rafe nodded, listening. ‘I understand,’ he finally said. ‘I was shocked, too.’ Rafe glanced at Mercy with a slight grimace. ‘She’s physically okay. Burton sliced her side, a cut about two inches long.’ He massaged his temples. ‘He tried to drag her away. I . . . stopped him, but he got away.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘Of course I reported it. I called it in to SacPD dispatch and I called your boss, too. They’ve got airport police pulling surveillance tapes to figure out where he went. Then I called you because I didn’t want you to hear about it from someone else.’ He listened again, his expression softening. ‘No apologies necessary. I knew you’d be upset. You have every right to be. But she really is okay. We’re just on our way to Mom and Dad’s house for a little bit of first aid.’ He offered the phone to Mercy, then mouthed, He wants to talk to you.
It’s time. Mercy swallowed hard and forced her hand to reach for the phone. ‘Hello?’ she said, barely able to hear her own voice over her beating heart. The phone was warm and it smelled like Rafe. She drew the scent in, letting it calm her as she’d done weeks ago when she’d sat by his bedside after he’d saved her life. He smelled like citrus and clean wood smoke and it was the best scent ever.