Page 33 of Mercy

I quickly step back from the door, my mind whirling with everything I've heard.

As I turn to leave, the door swings open, and I come face to face with my father.

His eyes narrow as he takes in my proximity tokirkja.

"Tor," he says, his voice a mixture of frustration and concern. "How much did you hear?"

I consider lying for a split second, but there's no point.

Dad can read me like an open book. "Enough," I admit. "This Patriot guy, he's serious trouble, isn't he?"

Dad sighs, running a hand through his graying hair.

The other patches file out behind him, their faces grim.

"Nothing we can't handle," he says, but I can see the worry lines etched around his eyes.

"I want to help," I say, squaring my shoulders. "Whatever you need, I'm in."

A flicker of pride crosses Dad's face. “For now, we gather intel. No heroics, you got that? I'm not eager for a repeat of last time."

The unspoken words hang heavy between us.

I know he's thinking of me lying in that hospital bed, tubes snaking from my body, hovering between life and death.

I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Got it, Dad. I'll be careful."

He claps a hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently. "Good. Now, go find Meghan. Take her to Bubba's, have a drink. Try to relax a little."

I raise an eyebrow. "You sure? With everything going on..."

"We can't put our lives on hold every time some asshole decides to cause trouble," Dad says firmly. "Go. Enjoy yourself. But keep your eyes open."

As I turn to leave, Dad calls out, "And Tor?" I look back, meeting his steely gaze. "We protect our own. Always."

I nod, a fierce surge of loyalty burning in my chest.

"Always," I echo.

The main room of the clubhouse is the complete opposite ofthe tension-filled air ofkirkja.

Music pulses from the speakers and the familiar clack of pool balls fills the air.

I scan the room, my eyes landing on Meghan.

She's perched on one of the barstools Magnus crafted, chatting with Charm.

The sight of her eases some of the tightness in my chest.

As I approach, Meghan's eyes light up, a smile spreading across her face. "Hey, you," she says, her voice warm. "Everything okay? You look... tense."

I force a smile, not wanting to burden her with the weight of what I've just learned. "Yeah, just club stuff. Nothing major."

The lie tastes bitter on my tongue, but I push the guilt aside. "How about we head next door? I could use a drink."

Charm's sharp gaze flicks between us, and I know she's not buying my nonchalance.

But she simply nods, giving Meghan a quick hug. "You kids have fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

---