Mercy: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Montlake Prep Book 5) Read online

  The comment doesn’t lessen his bite. Thomas moves toward Hannah, and Jacob steps closer to his mother, but she holds up her hand, keeping them both in their place.

  “I told you that my son will remain in my house until he leaves for college. I have no intention of abandoning my son.”

  The tension leaves Jacob’s body, and his hand flexes as if he wants to touch his mother’s hand.

  I saw what Lucas went through with Arielle. They fought almost every day in the cafeteria while they were briefly married. But Jacob’s struggle was hidden out of sight, and he’s shouldered the burden, alone and uncomplaining. Tears come to my eyes, but I remain behind him, praying for strength.

  “He is your son,” his father scoffs. “He’s one hundred percent you, Hannah.”

  “You’re right. My son and I don’t hide things, unlike the man I married.”

  Thomas Fleming glares at his wife, but she just curls her lips. She doesn’t raise her voice, swear, or threaten. She just stands her ground beautifully.

  “I want him gone the day he graduates.” Thomas looks at me. “And I don’t want his strays hanging around either.”

  “Will you be home tonight, dear?” she asks mockingly.

  “No,” he replies, “I’m staying at the club.”

  Hannah rolls her eyes. “Wear a condom, dear.”

  “Why bother? I don’t get it at home.”

  I grab Jacob’s arm, but Hannah steps in the way again and stops him.

  “Complain to your next wife, dear.” She smiles. “I’m sure she’ll listen to you while you put my son’s inheritance into her g-string.”

  One minute, I want to cry, and the next, I want to gasp. Mr. Fleming says something under his breath as he slams the front door. Seconds later, the sound of his car is heard skidding out of the driveway and onto the street.

  Jacob holds his mother, and I stand quietly, watching. I’m overcome with emotion, and hopefully, it’s not the extra hormones. My tears flood my face, and my breathing turns ragged. I’m trying to compose myself, but I can’t. Hannah breaks away from Jacob, who needs her more, and wraps an arm around my shoulders.

  “I’m sorry you had to see that, Natalie,” she pushes my hair off my moist cheek. “My husband can be a brute.”

  “Natalie needs to talk to somebody,” says Jacob.

  “I’m so sorry, Jacob,” I reply, “It shouldn’t be about me.”

  “I think it’s about all of us,” he says quietly.

  Jacob leads me into the kitchen, but Hannah sends him away, so we can talk privately. Part of me wants him to stay. I want to sit beside him, and lean on his shoulder, feel the comfort of his warmth near me. But I won’t tell her the whole truth if he’s around. I sit down, and Hannah hands me a tissue box so I can blow my nose.

  “What’s happened, Natalie?”

  “I think I’m pregnant.”

  Hannah stiffens in surprise and averts her gaze, but she doesn’t seem upset. If anything, she appears to be turning the news over in her head. She almost looks pleased, and I realize that she thinks it is Jacob’s baby.

  I can’t tell her everything. I should, but I can’t. I’m not as brave as her or Jacob, but I also can’t lead her to think that this child might be her son’s. I want to tell the whole truth, but I’m scared. What if she calls me a slut for loving three men?

  ***

  “Are you certain?” she asks.

  I shake my head. “I’m not certain about anything.”

  She frowns slightly, and I continue, “I’ve been sexually active.”

  Hannah looks down at her hands, and she seems to understands what I’m implying. “I don’t mean to be indelicate,” she says softly, “but do you know who the father might be?”

  I nod. And I know Hannah wants me to tell her if it is Jacob’s but I just can’t. I don’t want her to think less of me. I don’t want her to compare me to her loser husband.

  “They all asked me to prom,” I offer weakly. “And I guess I’ll have to choose.”

  She smiles tightly. “It’s a hard choice when you’re young. I had choices, and I thought I made the best one.” She pauses and twists her wedding ring around her finger. “The one that got away, that’s what they call it. I see him from time to time, not anything romantic. Our kids grew up together, that’s all. I wonder if he looks at me and thinks I was the one that got away.”

  “You don’t think I’m bad?” I ask, wiping my nose.

  “I don’t understand modern dating, but I won’t judge you for it. You’re young, and you haven’t made a commitment yet. It’s a different generation.”

  “Thank you,” I whisper.

  Hannah reaches toward me, and willingly, I let her hug me. I close my eyes, and I imagine it’s my mother holding me again, the way she would when I needed comfort. It’s almost exactly the same. I feel the warmth and the kindness that radiate from a strong woman. My mother was tough and determined, and I need to be strong also. I’ll cry today, but tomorrow, I’ll face life head-on.

  “Natalie, dear, everything will be okay. You’re not the first woman to go through this, and you’ll find a lot of support from those who have been on this road before.”

  “Have you?” I ask, sitting back.

  She shook her head. “But I was pregnant when I married. We had been engaged, but my pregnancy caused us to rush the wedding forward. Don’t do what I did. Don’t leap out of the pan and into the fire because you’re pregnant. Sometimes a man is not the answer.”

  I sigh and lean my head on Hannah’s shoulder again. Bless her because she indulges me and holds me as if I were her own child. I wonder if she holds Jacob like this. No wonder he’s devoted to her. She’s so giving of her love. Her husband is a blind fool.

  ***

  “Sometimes, stress can delay a period,” she continues. “Once the stress eases up, the period will start. I can’t imagine that graduation, prom, then college are an easy transition.”

  “Montlake has been awful.” I sit up and wipe my eyes on my hands. “The students are bullies. But things have calmed down for me with Jacob around. I believe in karma, and either I did something horrible, and I’m working it off. Or I’m helping them to get rid of theirs.”

  Hannah laughs. “I can see why Jacob likes you.”

  She excuses herself to get her phone and a piece of paper. She writes down a number on the screen. “This is the number of my doctor. He’s local. I’ll call him to let him know that you will be contacting his office. Use my name to book your appointment.”

  She hands me the slip of paper.

  “He’s very discreet,” she adds, “and he will tell you if you’re pregnant, or not.”

  CHAPTER 8

  JACOB

  It’s after seven, and my Hummer sits idling in front of Natalie’s house. She looks drained, and I won’t be going inside. Not because of the second bombshell she dropped on me. It definitely wasn’t her fault. But the day has been more emotional than when my father flipped out over my decision to go pro.

  “You’ll be okay, Natalie.” I kiss her cheek.

  She looks at me with sad eyes, and I kiss the tears away gently. She inhales and stares at me.

  “What’s going through your mind?” I ask.

  “Nothing.”

  “Nat,” I coax, hoping she won’t drop a third bombshell.

  “You can be gentle like your mother.”

  I smile widely. “I don’t mind hearing that I’m like my mother. I inherited her strength and fairness.”

  “Jacob, I am truly sorry,” she says, “I didn’t know about all the shit you were going through. I was too focused on Lucas.”

  I take her hand in mine to calm her down. If Natalie is pregnant, the stress will hurt the baby. “Natalie, it’s not your fault. I never really talk about my shit like Lucas talks about his. He doesn’t mind talking and putting his feelings out there. That’s just not me. So, it’s not your fault. Lucas has a dial—he can turn his emotions up or down. I
have a switch. It’s either on or off. There is no in-between.”

  She kisses my cheek, and I pull her in for a deeper kiss. Her soft lips taste like cherry lip gloss. It’s my favorite one that she wears. I want her to believe it when I say it’ll be okay, but I can tell that she’s not there yet.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, little fighter.”

  Natalie smiles back at me as she closes the car door and I watch until she’s safely inside her house. I head back to my house, or rather, my mother’s house. It’s fortunate that my mother wasn’t blinded by love when she married my father. She held onto her finances separately, and if she hadn’t, my dad would be telling us what to do. Regardless, she’s devoted to the marriage, if not the man. But what will happen when I leave home?

  My father’s car is still gone. Not that I expected him to come back after that argument. He’s off licking his wounds or licking some tramp’s tail. I shake my head. My only sin is that I want to play pro ball and not run a business that only thrives because Dad intimidates his competition with shady deals. I shake my head as I walk into the house. There’s noise in the kitchen and I head toward it. Mom is heating up lasagna in the microwave. Dad hates that and thinks she should be slaving over the stove, barefoot in the kitchen. He’s old enough to feed himself.

  “Please don’t scowl, Jacob.” She gives me a worried look as she takes the plate out of the microwave.

  “Sorry, Mom. I have a lot on my mind.”

  “Have you eaten?” she asks.

  I forgot the bag of diner food in the car. That’s going to smell. I’ll toss it later. I just don’t want to look at it right now. It’ll remind me of Troy.

  “Not really,” I answer.

  “Come and have something to eat. Would you like a glass of wine?”

  I grimace. “I must look torn up.”

  She presses her lips together and appraises my condition with her warm brown eyes. “You look a little pale. Come, sit down. We’ll eat in the kitchen.”

  Every house has a heart, and that heart is the kitchen table. We sit alongside one another and eat a few bites, lost in our thoughts—her relationship ending and mine starting.

  “Natalie seems like a nice girl,” Mom says. “A bit troubled.”

  “She lost both her parents before starting Montlake.”

  Raising her eyebrows, Mom nods. “That explains several things.”

  “How do you mean?” I ask.

  “Well, she doesn’t have a woman to talk to.”

  I nod, taking another bite of lasagna. “Yeah, Cromwell got rid of Ms. Petrenko. She and Natalie were tight.”

  Mom presses her lips together. “I don’t like how that was handled.”

  “No one does.”

  My mother sips her wine as I dig into my lasagna. I didn’t realize that I was that hungry. No matter how rough things are, I can eat my mother’s lasagna.

  “What do you plan to do if she is pregnant?” asks Mom.

  “I plan to take care of her and the kid.”

  Mom inhales sharply. “I heard that she has a reputation, Jacob.”

  I put down my fork and level my gaze at my mom. “Natalie was a virgin before I ended that. And I wasn’t a virgin when I hooked up with her, but I don’t have a reputation.”

  She shakes her head. “I understand that, but aren’t you concerned?”

  “She’s dating Troy and Lucas.” I respond carefully. “We’re all close. Whoever the father is, it will be okay. Now, we have an understanding, and I’m good with it.”

  “So, you could be taking care of another man’s baby.”

  “She needs to take a test first.” I pick up my fork again but pick at my food. “I love her, and the baby is a part of her, so I’ll love the baby, too. Natalie makes me happy, and I need to be happy to get through the next year. Natalie is a good person. She’s always been truthful, she defends the people she loves, and won’t let other people sway her loyalty.”

  Mom is quiet as she chews a forkful of her food. Her eyes are thoughtful as she probably thinks about her own future.

  “What’s happening with you and Dad?” I ask.

  Mom shrugs her shoulders as she picks at her food. “I thought your father was having a mid-life crisis. A fling to make him feel better, and when he saw reason, he’d settle down again. We would grow old together. Maybe not happy, but comfortable. Did you know that your father socializes with Dale Bellman?”

  Her fork makes a loud noise as it hits the table.

  “That club he talks about is nothing I would ever want you to go to. Jacob, you’re a better man than your father. But my investments are tangled up in his. And he knows the best lawyers.”

  “Are you planning on divorcing him?” I ask.

  “It depends on who makes the call first. I thought about it. If I divorce your father, I could afford to pay for your tuition.”

  I’m done eating and take both our plates to the sink. “Mom, don’t do anything for my sake. I plan to play ball and succeed. I know I will make it.”

  “You will make it,” she smiles, “but what about Natalie? A baby is a big responsibility.”

  “It’s worth taking it on.” I lean against the kitchen counter. “I’m not going to find this kind of love again. We’ve seen each other at our ugliest, and we fell in love anyway. I know I’m going to play pro ball just as certain as I know I’m going to marry Natalie.”

  Mom stands up, and we hug each other. “Jacob, I wish I had found love as certain as yours.”

  “Do I have your blessing?”

  “Of course.” She touches my cheek. “I don’t want you to be a hotshot businessman. I don’t care if your billionaire. I don’t care if you’re a CEO. I don’t care if you’re famous. All I want is for you to be happy. And I want a son that calls me.”

  I hug Mom tighter. “I’ll always call you. I love you, Mom.”

  “I love you, Jacob. And I’ll do what I can to protect you.”

  “I could help,” I offer.

  “No, don’t waste your time fixing the past. Focus on your future.” She grabs her ring finger and twists the ring off her hand. “Take this and propose to Natalie. Make it a special moment. Don’t be like your father and make it sound like a sensible business deal.”

  “Mom, I can’t take your ring, as much as I hate Dad right now. I can’t.”

  “Jacob, I always planned to give it to you.” She pushes the three-carat diamond in my hand. “Even if your dad and I were madly in love it, it would have been yours. Natalie is confused, but maybe if she knew you were there, it would help make her feel secure.”

  I kiss Mom’s cheek, but I need to be alone. I have to think about all this tonight and do something soon, before another bomb drops.

  “Make sure she goes to the doctor,” Mom adds. “You have to look after your baby starting now.”

  My heart doesn’t just sink; it tanks to the bottom of my gut. Mom is certain that the baby is mine, and I don’t know how I can tell her otherwise. If I tell her, then what will she think of Natalie? What will she think of me? I hesitate. What if I tell her that I’m willing to raise another man’s baby, and she’s pissed? She’ll grab the ring out of my hands and kick me out the door. I sigh, knowing I can’t take anymore, at least not for tonight. Maybe I’ll say something tomorrow.

  She smiles, runs her finger along my chin, and pinches my cheek. “Don’t worry, Jacob. Natalie loves you, and you’ll make a great father.”

  ***

  I wait by the field house before school. Practice has finished up for the school year, and only the underclassmen are forced to run the field. Of course, the coaches can make the seniors run by threatening to revoke our eligibility. But at this point, the coaches want summer vacation to start, so they can start beating on freshmen. Coach Stanford waves as he crosses the field, and I wave back. He points at his watch, and I shrug my shoulders. Yeah, I’m here early. He makes a crude gesture, and I laugh. When I’m famous, and the press question me, I’ll tell them t
hat Coach Stanford raised me like his own son.

  Troy comes out of the parking deck, following Lucas. I sit up and watch them as they talk. I wonder if Troy has already told Lucas about the baby. There was a time when he would’ve taken pleasure in spreading gossip that hurt, but this isn’t something to gloat about. This could change all of our future decisions. Worst-case scenario, I could reconcile with my dad and take the job in the company. Marry Nat and raise the kid. But that won’t happen. My father won’t compromise. If I give him a little, he will take it all. He’ll never consent to me marrying Natalie.