Without Mercy (Mercy 1)

The pounding of running footsteps almost caused Shay to take her eyes away from Rolfe. Almost.

“Did you hear me? Stop!” a woman yelled.

On the balls of her feet, circling, Shaylee focused on Eric. “Try it,” she goaded, ready for another round. He kept his face toward her, his disgusting snarl in place, his eyes as dark and hard as onyx. Good. If he thought he could take her, he had another thing coming.

“I said, stop, this instant!” The woman again.

Suddenly Dr. Hammersley and Mr. Taggert cut between Shay and Eric, barricading them from hitting each other. Some of the other kids receded, only to linger a little farther away but close enough to watch the action.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Dean Hammersley demanded in a harsh whisper, her gaze riveted on Shaylee. Her bird face was flushed, anger radiating from her slim body.

“Dealing with a loser.” Shay wasn’t backing down.

“Fighting isn’t the answer, Shaylee, and you know it. Nor is name-calling.”

Shaylee rolled her eyes at that.

“Hey!” Father Jake was running across the room, and Shay saw that his face, usually charming and friendly, had turned deathly serious. “What’s happening here?” He glanced at Taggert and Hammersley. “Let them go.” He turned his gaze to the group that had gathered. “Anyone want to explain?” he asked calmly.

“It wasn’t Shaylee’s fault!” Lucy Yang stepped forward from her group of friends, leaving Nell and Maeve to gape at her. In an act of honesty Shaylee couldn’t believe, Lucy added, “Shaylee’s right. Eric was being a real jerk about Nona. He wouldn’t shut up about it, wouldn’t quit making sick jokes, and I snapped. I slugged him in the gut.”

Way to have my back, Lucy, Shay thought.

“Is that so?” Father Jake said, folding his arms over his chest, his gaze on Eric.

“See. It wasn’t my fault,” Eric said with a sneer as he swiped at his mouth with the back of his hand. “Yang started it.”

Lucy sent him a withering glare, then turned to Hammersley. “Before he had a chance to hit me back, Shay stepped in and stood up for Nona.”

“You were gonna coldcock me!” Eric accused, pointing at Lucy, his face twisted in hatred.

Father Jake held up a patient hand. “Slow down.”

“You deserved it!” Lucy wasn’t backing down an inch.

“We aren’t here to judge.” Wade’s goateed jaw was rock solid as he glared at Eric Rolfe.

“That bitch slugged me!” Eric said, motioning toward Lucy.

“So she admitted,” Wade agreed.

“I was just defending myself when she”—he hooked a thumb at Shaylee—“butted in and came at me!”

Hammersley studied Lucy Yang. “You put your hands on him first. Is that what you said?”

“That’s right!” Still enraged and trying to hold on to some of his bravado, Eric sniffed and touched the corner of his mouth again. “Stupid, fuckin’ cunt!”

“Hey!” Father Jake was having none of the swearing.

“That’s it!” Wade grabbed the TA by one arm and escorted him out of the building.

Hammersley’s eyes narrowed. “Anyone else witness what happened?”

Of course all the students turned away, afraid to be drawn into the fray. Shay didn’t really blame them; it wasn’t their fight.

“Lucy’s right,” Ethan finally said. “Eric was mocking the details of Nona’s death. Lucy told him to knock it off, and when he didn’t, it went down just as she said. She, uh, Shaylee”—he pointed at her—“was just helping Lucy out.”

“Doesn’t seem like she needed any help,” Hammersley observed as an exit door opened and one of the deputies in full uniform, holster unbuckled, sidearm within his grasp, hurried inside the building.