Page 29 of Property of Mercy
“You do not fucking belong here,” she bites out.
“You are not wrong,” I agree before pouring the last of my drink down the front of her body.
I finish and set my glass on the edge of the pool table before stepping around her, then I make my way down the hallway to Mercy’s room.I am done with all the bullshit.My body tenses when I realize I have a shadow.I look over my shoulder to find the same guy that’s been around every time Mercy has had something to take care of.
“How did you get stuck as my shadow and guard?”I ask him, slowing my steps so he can catch up to me.
“I wouldn’t say watching over a pretty woman is being stuck.”He shrugs and gives me a boyish smile.
I make it to the door, eyeing it when I see it’s still hanging a little off and not closing all the way.Looking back up the hallway, I do not want to go back out there, so it looks like this is my only option.Stepping into the room, I sigh at being alone.Grabbing one of Mercy’s shirts, I wonder into the bathroom to get comfortable.When I flip on the light, I take in the very large tub and get an idea, knowing the only way I’m going to relax is if I’m behind a closed and locked door.
When I’m finished changing, I go back into the bedroom and strip the top sheet, comforter, throw blanket, and all the pillows off the bed, then take them back into the bathroom.Once I have them settled into the large tub, I go back out and grab my book and a bottle of water.Climbing into the tub, I settle in and get lost in a world that is so much like my own but drastically different.At some point, I must fall asleep because the next thing I hear is Mercy losing his shit.
“Where the fuck is she and where the fuck is all the shit from my bed?”he bellows.
“She went into the room and hasn’t come out.Did you check the bathroom?”my shadow murmurs.
There is a hard set of knocks on the bathroom door.“Little Lamb, you in there?”
Stretching out my aching muscles before I crawl from the tub seems to take too long for Mercy’s liking.
“Open the fucking door or I’ll kick it in,” he states flatly.
I pad across the bathroom and pull the door open.Eyes mirroring a raging storm meet mine.“Sorry, I passed out reading.”
I don’t know why I’m trying to soothe the monster, except my brain hasn’t fully come back online.Mercy’s eyes race up and down my body, heating when he sees I’m in his shirt.He looks in the bathroom and takes in the tub full of pillows and blankets.
“Why the fuck are you sleeping the bathtub?”he asks me, sounding confused.
“The door to the bedroom is broken.I felt safe in here and people couldn’t bother me,” I tell him honestly.
Mercy looks back at the door.“Get that door fixed now.”
The man nods, turning to leave and do exactly as he was told.
“Why does he do what you tell him, when you tell him, without question?”I inquire.
“He is a prospect.It’s his job to do anything a patched member tells him without question, no matter the job.That is, if he wants his patch in the future,” Mercy tells me, moving away from the bathroom door and over to the closet to pull out a bookbag.
“Are you leaving?”
He doesn’t say anything at first, just shoves shit into the bookbag.Sitting on the edge of the bed, I just watch him silently as he packs.He finally seems to finish the job and sits on the edge of the bed beside me with his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands.He takes in a long breath before slowly letting it out.
“It’s not supposed to be like this,” he starts, seeming to talk to himself.
Opening my mouth to say something, I stop when he stands suddenly and begins pacing while he talks.
“You’re an assignment.It’s my job to get the answers and protect the club.To make sure all the rules and commands are followed,” he starts, running his hands up into his hair.“We all know you are hiding stuff from the club, but we can’t seem to find what it is.That makes this all so much worse.I need to be who I am—detached, emotionless, a goddamn monster with no fucks to give.Somehow with you, I cannot do that.I want to be near you to make sure you’re okay and safe.”
He stops the pacing and drops to his knees in front of me, shocking me.I pull my legs up, crossing them in front of me.Mercy lays his scarred and tattooed hands on my thighs.He looks at me and his gaze resembles that of a confused child trying to make sense of his thoughts.
“Mercy, you’re not making any sense right now,” I murmur and cup his cheek.
“I know.I have to go take care of a job.I’ll be gone for several days to a week.Pres, Hermes, and Pope will be staying behind to watch over things while we’re all gone,” he tells me and the storm that’s usually turning in his eyes returns.
“Does that mean I’ll be stuck in here the entire time you're gone?”I feel panic building at the thought of being locked in here and forgotten for a week.
Mercy shakes his head.“No, you can come and go from my room as you please.All I’m telling you is make sure a prospect is always with you, and only spend time with Charlie.She is decent people.”
