Page 19 of Property of Mercy
Now he has my attention and curiosity.“Is this something we should take to a more private area?”
“Not right this second.Just take a seat and I’ll be over when I’m done here,” Raider states, letting me go and turning back to Hermes.
Something about his demeanor causes my internal monster to perk up.I swallow the words that want to come out of my mouth and do as my VP has asked me to do.Turning, I find my favorite table.It sits in the corner slightly behind the stages where the entertainment entertains.It’s truly the only table that has a corner and I can see all the exits from, not to mention there isn’t a way for someone to walk up on me without me knowing it.Nursing my beer, I lean back into the chair and watch as the bunnies dance.Just as I throw back the last of my Scotch, Roxy drops between my knees and runs her hands up my thighs.
Placing the glass in my hand on the table to her left, I grab hold of the hair at the back of her head.“I do not recall giving you fucking permission to fucking touch me.”Using my hold on her hair, I pull her head back to the point she cries out.“I’ve already told you fucking once.Do not fucking touch me without permission.”
I let her go abruptly, causing her to fall back onto her ass just as Raider walks over.He steps over her to take a seat next to me.Roxy glares at me before turning her pout to Raider.
“Do you see what he does to me?”She is trying to play innocent, only looking like an overgrown child throwing a tantrum.
Raider sneers down at her.“Exactly what do you expect me to fucking do?We all know that Mercy doesn’t play well with others.Fuck, we all know he and Blender barely tolerate any of us.Be happy that all you got from this little interaction was you sitting on your ass.Run the fuck along and find a prospect that doesn’t know any better.”
Sitting in silence, we watch as Roxy bounces around the room, finally landing on Pres’s lap.Sneering at the two of them my gut is screaming there is something more going on here.
“That bitch needs to go,” Raider complains while scrolling through something on his phone.
“That’s a fucking fact,” I agree with him, still watching the two of them trying to work out if Pres is that fucking drunk or if I’m missing something.
“Careful brother, your disdain is showing.”Raider smirks when my head snaps up to look at him.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”I wave a prospect down, telling him to grab us some more drinks.
“It is no secret to anyone that pays attention that the only reason you and that ticking time bomb of a brother of yours haven’t taken that man out is because you respect me.”Raider’s tone is matter of fact, not at all portraying what he truly thinks about the situation.
I tip my head slightly at Raider.“He’s Pres at the moment, and I respect you.That’s what we have to offer.”
“Fucking hell,” Raider groans, dropping his head onto the back of the couch we’re sitting on.“Something is going on in the club and it’s not good.”
Eyeing the men in the room, I try to pinpoint what he could mean.My mind's eye always comes back to Pres and his very small group ofclosebrothers.
Deciding to see what he’s willing to tell me, I do what I do best.“Shit Raider, we’re a one-percenter motorcycle club.We run drugs for assholes, cleanup and frame dumb asses, and send people on a once in a lifetime boat ride they never seem to come back from.Nothing we do is good.”
Raider glares at me, waiting for the prospect to leave before continuing.“What I mean is there are holes in the club and we’re letting things slip out and allowing others to slip in.”
Understanding lands like a blow to the chest.“We have future fertilizer close?”
“I would say so.I’ve got a couple of brothers I trust working on things,” Raider starts, but I cut him off.
“Why the fuck are you telling me?We all know that the only reason Blender and I are Enforcers and officers is because our willingness to cross that line society has put in the sand is easy.Hell, we don’t even fucking see it.”Throwing a hand toward the room.“None of these fuckheads truly trust us not to fucking lose it.”
Chuckling, Raider takes a pull off his fresh drink.“In a lot of ways, you’re not wrong about that.More brothers trust you and Blender than you realize because even though you’re morally black and have a hair trigger, you’re loyal to those who show you they deserve it.Now, for the reason I’m telling you.”All the humor leaves his face when our eyes meet.“I’m giving you a heads-up because I believe it has something to do with our mysterious sex ring and your little lamb.Stay vigilant and stay you.”
I don’t get the chance to reply before Sunny slides onto Raider’s lap.He instantly places a kiss on her shoulder before settling her into his chest.I take another pull of my beer, looking out over the clubhouse as the brothers get drunker and the music gets louder.We may be dysfunctional and hard on each other, but in some fucked up way we’re family and having someone harm the family, well, they better make sure to get us all in one fail swoop.
I’ve never believed in revenge being best served cold.I serve it on fucking fire and swiftly.
“Let me know what and who,” I say before standing and making my way out of the clubhouse to my bike.
I need some space and time to fucking think.Between the shit with Jenny, the sex ring, the bomb Raider just dropped on me, and our little lamb … I feel as if things are starting to close in around me.I need a good long ride and maybe even a good fucking fight to clear the static building in my head.As I pull out of the parking lot, I turn my bike for the shitty part of town, deciding that a fight is exactly what I need.Riding through Savanah, taking in how things go from modern to old world, then feeding into the gritty shack housing and run-down manufacturing buildings revitalized after the last hurricane, I find the one dive that will give me the fight I need.
Dropping my kickstand, I stand stretching my back before pulling the keys from the engine.I slide them into the pocket of my cut as I make my way toward the warehouse.The man standing at the door gives me a narrowed look before turning to the man beside him.
“You got here fast for a man that is supposed to be on the other side of the port,” he sneers as he pushes the door open for me to enter.
“The fuck is that supposed to mean?”I snap back, not in the mood for these assholes.
“That monster you call a brother has nearly killed every fighter we put up against him.”He shakes his head.“Boss is fucking pissed because we’ve lost several of our best fighters and a shit ton of money.”
