I'm not going to seduce him.
That's not why I'm here.
"So...you're Eduardo Cruz's daughter," Mercer says. "The Control Bureau's lost princess. You know everyone thinks you're dead."
"Not dead," I say. "Obviously."
"You ran away."
I nod. "Director Cruz--he was never dad to me--I used to hear the things he would talk about with his lackeys. The way they treated omegas, how they hunted them down and gave them to the highest bidder. And I knew I needed to escape before I came of age...so I did."
"How'd you do all this?" he asks. "Get away--go into hiding for two fucking years? That would be valuable information for us."
I bite my lip. "I've been with two other girls this whole time...we've been scrounging for suppressants, only leaving one at a time so they never see us together."
"Where do you live?"
"I paid off a beta bodyguard to keep our secret after stealing some money from my father," I tell him. "But we were running out of money. So we knew it was finally time to escape Solstice Bay."
"Then you came to us."
"Exactly," I say. "Look, Mercer...I'm grateful to you all for helping me. I didn't mean for this to happen with Liam and Phoenix, but it felt like none of us could resist."
Mercer snorts. "I know. I could see it."
I frown. "See what?"
"I could see the look in their eyes when they were with you." He pauses. "It's how I looked at my mate, once upon a time."
My eyes go wide. "You were pack bonded?"
"I was," he says. "She died in the ACB's first purge, along with our other alphas. But I still remember it, you know? When I look at you, I can't help but wonder...what if things had been different?"
"I'm sorry," I say, my voice hollow. "I didn't know."
Mercer shrugs. "It was a long time ago."
I nod. "So...where are we headed, anyways?"
"Right now? There's an old warship the Enclave uses as a stopping point--that's where we're going. Then...then, I guess we figure out a way to get you out of Solstice Bay."
"And Liam and Phoenix?" I ask.
"What about them?"
I swallow hard, knowing Mercer isn't going to like this.
"I don't want to go without them," I whisper.
Mercer runs a hand through his hair, exasperated.
"Look, I get it. I really do. But Phoenix and Liam have a part to play here in Solstice Bay. They can't just leave; we're all working on helping omegas here."
"Then maybe I should stay," I say.
Mercer laughs out loud at that--a cruel laugh without any humor in it. He doesn't even bother arguing with me, shaking his head as he looks out at the dark sea.
"What's so funny about that?" I ask. "Mercer, I'm not leaving without them...and Ican'tleave until I know my friends are safe. Jade and Kendra are depending on me to get them out."
