Page 1 of End Game

Prologue

Ronan

As we watch Cami pull away, I start arranging the words I need to say to Micah.

Today was supposed to be easy. Relaxed. Fun.

For the first time in my life, I was bringing someone home to meet my parents. Two someones, technically. Micah and Cami. The day after my birthday, at the family celebration that’s supposed to be for me.

This was supposed to be a good day.

Instead, I’m standing in my parents’ garage trying to figure out how to tell Micah that my brother put his hands on our girlfriend.

“You’re not going to like what I’m about to tell you,” I say quietly to Micah.

We turn toward the interior door, but I stop. Turn on the light. Shut the garage door.

I don’t know why. Maybe because what I’m about to say feels like something that needs walls around it.

“My brother,” I begin, as a very patient Micah just looks at me. “Ben, he put his hands on her. I don’t know everything he said before I got there. What I heard was essentially that if she’s willing to be with more than one man, she should be willing to be with him too.”

Micah’s jaw tightens. His hands curl into fists at his sides, but he doesn’t interrupt.

“I sent him inside because Cami came first. I needed to make sure she wasn’t hurt and get her out of here.” I pause. “Now I have to deal with him.”

Swallowing, I look back toward the closed garage door. “I don’t blame her at all for wanting to leave.”

I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly.

“Ronan,” Micah says and then waits until my eyes meet his. “I’m pissed, don’t get me wrong, but right now I need to know what you need from me. How can I support you?”

I think about that, apparently too long because then he starts talking again.

“Do you want me to be the confrontational asshole? Because I can be that if that’s what you need.”

My lips almost turn up in a smile, but I just can’t bring myself to be amused right now.

“No, just stand beside me.”

When we get inside, Ben has clearly said something to my mom already.

“Is Cami alright?” she asks sweetly and genuinely.

“She’s not,” I reply quickly. “And we need to talk.”

“Oh, don’t go blowing this out of proportion,” Ben chides, but his wife, next to him, looks like a deer in the headlights.

“We aren’t blowing anything out of proportion,” Micah says calmly from my side.

I look at Mike, my sister Margot’s husband. “Mike, can you take all the kids somewhere for a minute? And send my dad in here?”

Mike looks at his wife and then swallows before he nods. “Yeah, I can do that.”

He gathers the children and takes them to the basement.

My dad walks in moments later.

“Son?” he asks, confused. “What’s going on?”