Page 24 of Property of Mercy
And if this asshole needs to remember anything in this moment, it’s that I always get my man and the answer.
“Now that you boys have yourselves under control, here is the plan.Starting after this meeting, Mercy, you’re going to bring your little lamb out for everyone to meet.Introduce her to Charlie and let’s see what happens.We need answers, and we need them yesterday.”Pres’s slimy grin just adds fuel to the growing inferno in my gut.
“Yes sir,” I grit out through teeth so tightly clinched I’m shocked I haven’t cracked a molar.
Pres dismisses us, asking Hermes to stay behind for a private meeting.Standing, I make my way into the hallway and wait for Raider to make his way out.He tilts his head down the hall toward his office.I follow him with Blender on my heels.As soon as we make it into the room, he pulls out several beers, passing them around as I pull out a smoke.
“Really fucker?In my office?”he gripes, kicking his feet up on his desk.
“Honestly habit more than anything,” I state, sticking the unlit smoke behind my ear.“What the fuck is going on here, Raider?”
Raider grunts, spinning the bottle around in his hands.“To be honest, I thought I knew, but at this rate, I have no fucking idea.I know we have one, maybe even two fucking rats in-house and, to be completely upfront, I fucking believe that it starts at the damn top.I don’t know who all is involved, if anyone, but him.All I know is shit ain’t adding up.”
“Fuck me, brother.Why do you suspect the top?”Raider’s gaze snaps to mine with a raised eyebrow.Holding up my hands in surrender, I continue, “Don’t get me wrong.I’ve never liked or respected that man.The only reason we’re here and Jenny was allowed to be was because of you and your momma.Suspecting not only the top of this club, but your own blood is not something anyone wants to confront.Don’t get it twisted though, when the time comes and you need it dealt with—no matter who or what—just let me know and we’ll take care of it.”
“That’s all I ask,” Raider states, taking a long pull from his beer.“Until that time comes, or we have more answers, it’s operating as normal.Just keep your eyes and ears open and steady.Now go find Terro and get your assignments.”
“Yes, Sir,” Blender and I state simultaneously as we stand heading for the door.
Cracking some skulls and space from all my current problems is exactly what I need right now.
14
AINSLEY
I’m so lost in the book in my hand that I don’t even react to the door being opened.Suddenly, the book is snatched out of my hands as I’m in the middle of a really great sex scene.I feel the heat rising in my checks as Mercy reads the page I was on.I don’t even try to hide the chuckle when I watch his eyebrow pop up before his eyes shoot to me.
“Do women really read this?”The tone of pure bewilderment causes me to actually laugh.
Nodding because I can’t get the words out, he looks back down at the book and, to my complete horror, starts reading it out loud.I jump to my feet on the bed, reaching for the book so he will stop reading it.He fends me off until he gets to the really good part of the sex scene.
His eyes snap back to me.“No!There is no motherfucking way my sweet baby sister was reading this.She did not know anything about this kind of shit!”
“Oh yes she did, and I know she knew all about what just happened in that scene right there.”I grin as a memory hits me.
In a split second, the wind is knocked out of me as I’m slammed against the wall, fighting to breathe as a hand squeezes the life out of me.
“What the fuck did you say?How the fuck do you know any goddamn thing about Jenny?”He growls in my face.“You’re going to fucking tell me your secrets.You just get to decide how you want to do that.”
Gasping, I claw at the arm attached to the hand that’s about to end my life.
“I knew you were involved with those assholes that stole the only good thing in this world.”His words are so full of anger and devastation, truly scaring me.
As the dots close in, he releases me, stepping away to pull a pistol from the waistband of his jeans and letting hang loosely at this side.The sight of the gun unleashes a fear that I’ve felt before and never wanted to again.Coughing, I climb to my knees, trying desperately to drag the much-needed oxygen into my burning lungs.When I can finally hold my head up, I watch as he paces the room mumbling to himself.Suddenly he jerks to a stop, pulling out the desk chair and sitting in it heavily.He levels his fiery gaze on me as the pistol lies on his thigh.
“You have about thirty seconds to explain yourself before I do something neither one of us wants me to do.Though I might just enjoy it.”Mercy’s tone is dead.The man that I’ve seen over the last couple of days is completely gone.
When I feel like I’m not going to pass out, I try to find a fast answer that will be believable to him.
“You don’t have a woman staying in here.The only woman you’ve spoken of has been your sister, so I assumed you were talking about your sister.Second, if she spent any time in a place like this, there is no way she didn’t get an eyeful at some point.That’s all I meant by that.”I fight the sob building in my chest.“I swear Mercy, that’s all it was.”
He watches me very closely before lifting his chin.“Come here, Little Lamb,” he barely speaks over a whisper.
My body starts to shake with terror more at the fact that I want to obey him for far more than just to save my life.
“Little Lamb, I will not repeat myself,” his icy tone lets me know I will not like it if he repeats himself.
Slowly, I pick myself up off the floor and make my way over to him.
