Chapter 12
Victor reacted first.
“You need us.”
Mercer looked at him.
“For what?”
“You need Whitmore access.”
“I needed it tonight.”
His gaze moved toward the open doorway.
“Now I know which gates respond to old Cole codes.”
Victor went pale.
Mercer continued.
“You needed Sebastian unstable.”
He smiled.
“I needed you stupid.”
Ethan stepped forward.
“You said I’d have a place.”
“You do.”
“Where?”
Mercer looked at the floor.
Nobody laughed.
Ethan did not either.
Natalie held her stomach.
“You said my baby would be safe.”
Mercer’s expression became bored.
“Your baby was useful.”
She flinched.
Same language Victor had used about Lily.
Useful.
Never loved.
Only positioned.
Mercer looked at me.
“You see the family resemblance?”
I hated that he was right.
Natalie whispered:
“What were you going to do?”
“To you?”
“Yes.”
“Let you leave.”
Relief crossed her face.
Then Mercer added:
“Without the child.”
Her expression collapsed.
I stared at him.
He smiled.
“Your son would have value.”
Natalie moved backward.
For the first time that night, she understood what it felt like to have a child described as leverage.
I did not comfort her.
She had done the same to Lily.
Victor pointed at Mercer.
“You son of a—”
Mercer laughed.
“You packed a three-year-old’s suitcase.”
Victor stopped.
“I only followed the logic you provided.”
Silence.
That was the ugliest part.
Mercer had not corrupted them.
He had simply found people already willing.
Noah held Ethan’s phone against his chest.
Mercer noticed.
“What’s on that?”
Ethan immediately said:
“Nothing.”
Noah stepped behind me.
Mercer smiled.
“Smart boy.”
Victor snapped:
“Don’t encourage him.”
Mercer looked at Victor.
“You still think you’re in charge.”
Then his face changed.
Not fear.
Calculation.
He glanced toward the windows.
My captain noticed too.
Three Whitmore vehicles had arrived outside.
Not mine.
The third compromised man.
Finally.
Mercer smiled.
“There.”
I looked at him.
“You knew he’d come.”
“He answers to opportunity.”
“Name.”
Mercer shook his head.
Then the front doors opened.
One of my oldest capos entered.
Dominic Vale.
No relation to the Vale crew.
Twenty years with the Whitmores.
He looked at me.
Then Mercer.
Then Natalie.
And said:
May you like
“I was told Sebastian would already be gone.”
The final traitor had identified himself.
