Chapter 24 Luca
LUCA
Brooke: She’ll be there.
The message from Brooke makes my night simpler. One way or another, Ivy will be at the cemetery tonight. And her coming willingly makes it easier for the both of us. I suspect that’ll be the only aspect that will go smoothly since our encounter in the parking lot earlier today.
Totally worth it.
She walks over to where Brooke is standing next to her car.
“Hey, dude. I didn’t see you at the field,” Remy says as he moves beside me.
“Because I didn’t go.”
“Ah. That makes sense. We won by the way. Owls are undefeated this season.” He hoots ridiculously.
“It was the second game.” But I’m guessing the season will go well with Remy and Cain leading the team.
I just couldn’t care less what the football stats are, though it’s important to them—and one of Cain’s many excuses for not playing Mercy.
He said he didn’t want to be distracted by the dares while he’s trying to keep his scholarship to LSU.
Either way, he’s set to attend. But the full-ride would make it easier for his folks.
And playing football in Death Valley is the only thing he’s dreamed about since we were kids.
Once it’s almost midnight, we head into the cemetery.
Ivy asks, “Why are we here? I was hoping to parachute off the Ferris wheel tonight.”
I saw the look on her face; it’s the only time I witnessed a spark in her since we’ve met. She can complain all she wants, but I know she wants to be here.
“We can do that afterwards,” I tell her.
“I’m not doing anything with you afterwards.”
Remy is the one who hollers “Burn.”
I ignore him as we keep walking because my full attention is on her. Mercy isn’t for the weak.
Ivy stops, “Where the hell are we supposed to go? Do we just walk around all night?”
“It didn’t say but we’ll know it when we see it,” Brooke replies.
“She’s not on your team, babe.” Micah places his arm over her shoulder as he whispers something in her ear.
“I didn’t even want to play,” Brooke shouts as she shoves him away.
“You’re committed now either way.” Micah slaps her on the ass, and she yells a string of curses at him.
We reach the backside of the cemetery where there’s a mausoleum with a flame flickering inside.
“Now what?” Garrett asks.
“Time to go inside.” Micah makes his voice shudder like he’s scared, but the smile on his face says otherwise as he disappears through the opening.
Ivy stands, studying the exterior, as I tell her, “After you.”
Her attention turns solely to me before she tells me, “Fuck off.”
“It’s too late for that. So, keep your eyes open and your mouth closed.” I rub my finger along her lip. “Unless you want to get on your knees and put it to use.”
“Yes. Try it so I can bite your tiny dick off.”
“I don’t mind the pain.” I slide my palm down her arm before grabbing her wrist.
She quickly jerks out of my grip. “Keep your hands to yourself, or I really will cut off your dick.”
Following behind her, we enter the mausoleum and notice there’s another door to walk through followed by a stone staircase that goes underground.
We follow the path until it leads to a room that looks straight out of a ritual movie or something while everyone stands around the Belgrave crest that’s etched into the floor.
“This is a joke, right?” Ivy asks. “Some hazing ritual that this asshole made you join.”
“Silence,” a voice booms. “I assure you, this isn’t a joke. You’re here because you’ve earned the privilege to play Mercy.”
Ivy is less than amused as she sarcastically asks, “So, who are you? The Gatekeeper, the Ringmaster, Yoda?”
“The Decider.”
Ivy lets out a little chuckle. “And what is it that you decide?”
“Fate,” Decider replies.
“Ah, so you’re God. Got it. And how long are you going to be the almighty Decider?” Ivy snickers. She’s clearly unable to take the dude seriously. I don’t blame her considering he’s wearing a navy hooded cloak with his face covered. However, I understand how much power these fools really hold.
“Until the game is over,” he replies.
“Great.” She claps her hands together before asking, “And what if I don’t want to play your pointless Mercy game?”
“Then I decide his fate.” Decider waves at the stone wall behind him. A picture is projected there, and I see the panic in her face, hear her gasp, and feel the way her body tenses simultaneously. She just realized something important about Mercy. We have no control.