Page 80 of Shades of Mercy
Where could she go?
Chapter Twenty-Six
The plume of smoke could be seen a half mile away.
Jag checked the GPS tracker, wanting to make sure he was seeing the location correctly. “She’s there.”
“Fuck!” Mateo was already taking the back road like a race-car driver. The tires hit the potholes, nearly sending them into the ditch, but he didn’t slow down.
They reached the farm and Jag gave the GPS one last glance. Mercy’s location was behind the house. The truck had barely stopped moving before he jumped out, drawing his gun from his waistband. “Take the house,” he told Mateo.
Jag ran around the house, pointing his gun, unsure of what he might find.
In the distance, he saw Mercy, who was facing a giant of a man walking toward her.
He’d learned a long time ago. Don’t carry a gun unless it will be used. Without hesitation, Jag shot the man in the leg. He went down like a stack of bricks.
Running across the field, Jag came upon Cross, lying flat on his back with a stream of blood coming from the corner of his mouth. His eyes were wide open, and he was dead.
Mercy stumbled toward Jag and he pulled her into his arms. “Are you okay?” He looked her up and down.
“I-I’m fine. Just a bit dizzy from the explosion.”
Mateo came running up, his breath labored. “Looks like the house went up like a bale of straw. No one could have survived.”
“It doesn’t appear that Cross did either,” Jag said.
Mateo looked at Mercy. “You okay?”
“I am.”
The bodyguard moaned, and Mateo went to handle him.
Jag felt his own internal explosion. When he saw the fire, he’d imagined the worst. His life with Mercy had flickered before him. He saw himself as an old man, lonely, because the only woman he’d ever loved wasn’t in his life.
He couldn’t let that happen. He’d fight every internal demon he needed to if he had her in his life.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Two months later
“I’ll be there for Uncle Joe’s trial,” Mercy told Mateo on the phone. “I’m still in shock that he was involved with Cross, but glad that he’s pleaded guilty. This will be much easier on the family.” She spotted Jag standing in the doorway to the bedroom. “I have to go. Love you.” She clicked off.
“Are you ready?” Jag asked.
Mercy looked at herself one final time in the mirror, added lip gloss, and stood. “I’m ready.”
After the events at the farmhouse, Mercy had handed over the chip and told Mateo everything that Howie told her. With Cross dead and many other individuals being investigated, Mercy didn’t regret the risks she took that day.
She and Jag had grown close. She’d never been happier. She’d come to stay at Storm Pass recently, after Bryar and Puma had their baby. Mercy couldn't wait to meet the little girl.
“Do I look okay?” she asked, shimmying to show off her sundress.
“You look beautiful, but you do know the baby doesn’t care what you’re wearing.” Jag kissed her on the forehead.
“I disagree. Every first impression is important,” she said, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning into him.
“I was wondering…”
