Page 6 of Scandal
“He hasn’t seen his parents in thirteen years, Merc,” my brother states.
“Thirteen years?” I try to picture going thirteen years without seeing my parents, and the thought makes my heart ache. My mom and dad mean everything to me. But I am not naïve. I know I was blessed with an amazing set of parents.
Not everyone can say the same.
It’s why Zander ended up in our family bar when he was barely eighteen after running away from home. It’s also how Hollis ended up with us for a year in high school when his mom ran off with a guy.
And I’m assuming it’s why Asher hasn’t spoken to his parents for over a decade.
“So why would he go there now?” I ask. “After all this time?”
“We don’t know,” my dad says. “And that’s what we’d like you to find out.”
I realize I’m still holding the water bottle he gave me. My fingers are grasping it so tightly, the damn thing might burst if I don’t let up.
“Why me?” I finally ask the question that’s been hovering in my mind since they dropped this ridiculous idea.
Because, seriously, it is…ridiculous.
“Because, like you probably heard when you were lurking in the hallway…” My brother gives me a pointed stare. “We’ve all tried to contact him. We’ve called and texted. Darius even went to his family’s fancy-ass estate to try to see him, but they wouldn’t let him past the gate.”
I make a noise of disbelief. “And you think I can do much better?”
“It’s worth a shot.” Zander shrugs.
Hen lets out an annoyed sigh. “Zander seems to think you two have some kind of weird bond because you’re both musical wizards or whatever.”
I stare at the two of them blankly.
Zander is the one to clarify. “When Ash came over for family dinner last year,” he reminds me. “You and Ash talked for hours. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him that…at ease. Happy, even.”
A weird sensation begins to stir in my belly, suspiciously similar to excitement. Heat rises to my cheeks. “Oh,” is all I can manage to say.
“We know it’s a long shot,” my dad says.
“We know it’s a lot to ask,” my brother adds.
“But we think you might be the only one who can get through to him.”
All three of them are looking at me like I’m their savior in this whole mess, and suddenly it’s all too much.
I find myself on my feet before I even realize it. “You think that because Asher Knight…” I scoff, shaking my head at the mere mention of his name. “And I happen to like some of the same indie bands, I’ll be able to fly all that way to Scotland, and we’re gonna what? Have a few friendly chats, share some playlists, and then he’s going to magically forget about the pictures, the betrayal, and everything else that drove him there in the first place?”
The way they’re staring at me tells me that yes, that was sort of their plan.
Unbelievable.
I let out a frustrated growl and pivot on my heels. “Where’s Mom?”
“In our room,” my dad says. “Why?”
“Because all the men in this house are idiots, and I need to talk to someone who isn’t.”
Especially since I’m starting to wonder if I might be an idiot too, because maybe this doesn’t sound like the worst idea in the world.
Chapter Two
MERCURY
