Page 120 of Undertow

“He said he’ll deal with you in the morning.”

I swallow hard and look away. Now,thisis fear.

“Is he going to kill me?”

I force my gaze back to Merrick’s. That strange flash of emotion flickers in his eyes before he clears it.

“Probably, but not yet. He still needs you.”

“To close the loop with the RLC.”

Merrick nods.

“Which is why you agreed to this trade in the first place. Otherwise, you would have let me rot in Hartford custody.”

Merrick shrugs. “You know how this works, Shaw. You’re now a liability instead of an asset.”

I avert my gaze and try to calm my racing pulse. “And the wedding?”

“Is off, obviously. It was all pretense, anyway. You know that.”

“It’s always been about the RLC. Scarlett didn’t know that, though, did she?”

“Doubtful. McArthur needed something to distract her and keep her out of his way. Two birds, one stone, right?”

“Lucky me,” I mumble.

“Shaw… there’s something else.”

I force my gaze back to his.

He clears his throat. “The Dylans are flying in as we speak. McArthur told them plans changed. They’re coming to talk. They’re going to want to see you.”

My heart turns over in my chest. I search Merrick’s eyes. Does he know about my true connection with the RLC?

His expression gives nothing away, so I do everything I can to do the same.

“Not surprising. This is a big negotiation. How long have you known McArthur plans to eliminate the Hartfords and become the link between La Quinta Muerte and the RLC?”

He leans back and crosses his arms. I wish I could do the same, but it’s been a while since I’ve had free movement of my body. With the way things are going, that may never happen again.

“Since we brought you to Undertow,” he says.

Air leaves my lungs.

This entire thing was a setup.

It was always going to end this way no matter what happened.

“So I was a dead man from the moment I arrived on the island.”

“You were a dead man long before that, and you know it.”

Bile swirls in my stomach. It’s not even for what’s coming. This sickness is for pain already lived. Every breath a dead man draws is poison, and I’ve been inhaling toxic air for as long as I can remember.

I rest my gaze on him again. “Can you just do one thing for me?”

“Shaw…”