Page 30 of Property of Mercy
I give him a stiff nod, not liking that he is leaving me here alone.Who would’ve ever thought that the monster in my story would become the one place I feel safe?
17
MERCY
Paisley looks down at me, not saying a word.I wait for her to say something about the shit I just rambled on about like a fucking dumbass.
“I’ll be cautious and only talk with Charlie.When are you leaving?”Her voice is soft, even a touch afraid.
“As soon as Rhino gets the trip mapped out, approval from other business associate for us to pass through their towns, and the shipment is ready.Could be an hour or it could be several,” I tell her honestly.
She nods and looks away.“I’m going to go get all the bedding and then I’m going to lie down while you’re here.Wake me when you go to leave so I can move back to the tub.Until the door is fixed, I won’t sleep in here.”
Smirking at the fact she just admitted to feeling safe with me causes the two parts of my soul to war.The monster that likes her and is starting to respect her is happy that we’re finding a way past her defenses and earning her trust.The other side of me that is new and I’m not sure I like a whole lot, is satisfied and content with her being happy.Shaking my head, I stand and go into the bathroom to grab the bedding from the tub and toss it on the bed, then I head to the door.
“Get some rest.No one will come in here and bother you while I’m here.I’ll check in when I go to leave,” I tell her.
“Mercy,” she calls out, and I glance back at her with a raised brow in question.“Be careful out there,” she finishes softly.
Her words are like a balm to my tattered soul.I rub at the ache that is once again in the center of my chest and give her a nod in acknowledgment.I think over her words, trying to remember the last time someone seemed to genuinely care if I was safe or not.I make it back into the great room to find Blitz talking quietly with Charlie, who does not look happy at all.Raider and Terro are sitting at Raider’s usual spot, heads close together and not looking happy.
Taking a seat across from them, I immediately start talking.“I don’t like this.Something fucking stinks like a setup.”
Terro smiles, shaking his head.“I was just telling Raider the same thing.It’s a little too convenient that a club blows up, a survivor is left, and Pres gets a call for an emergency load that needs all but three of us to escort it to fucking Bumb-fuck-nowhere.”
“Definitely makes me itchy,” Raider states.“Just know I called our brothers that have clubs across all the states we’ll be passing through.I also had Rhino reach out to Bull in South Dakota to see if we can stay a couple of nights there before we head back.”
I sit up straight.“We’re fucking going to fucking South Dakota?Raider, this is a setup.We’re not meant to make it back.”
“I know Mercy.I have a plan.Let’s get on the road and at the first stop to pick up the load I’ll explain everything.Too many eyes and ears here.”
I give him a nod, standing to go get some shut-eye before we make this fucking trip.Fucking hell, two fucking weeks I’ll be gone.I’m leaving my little lamb here with the man I believe more and more is, in fact, a rat.I find the prospects nearly done with hanging the new door.I look at my watch, then back at them.
“That was fast for this time of night,” I state.
Twitch looks up from where he is attaching the new doorhandle.“I grew up in construction.The frame and hinges weren’t in terrible shape, so I just pulled a door from an unused room to have one sooner rather than later.Figured at some point in the next few days, I’ll grab one from the warehouse and fix the trim.”
I give him a nod and lean against the wall, allowing them to finish their job while I scroll through my phone.When they finish up, I dismiss them for the night.As they make their way past me, I grab Twitch’s arm.He stops, tensing and eyeing me closely.
“We’re about to clear out for a minute.I want you to be her shadow.Report anything you hear or see.”I step into his space.“Nothing better happen to her while I’m gone.”
I watch as Twitch processes my words.“Yes, sir,” he finally answers.
As he moves past me, I go into my room, closing the door and making sure it’s locked.Sliding my cut from my shoulders, I lay it on the dresser and toe my boots off.I pull my shirt over my head and toss it on the floor.Before I drop my jeans, I remove my pistol and phone, placing them both on the bedside table.I slide into bed behind my little lamb and pull her onto my chest.She sighs in her sleep, burrowing deeper into me.
It usually takes me a good hour to shut all the shit off in my head and get some sleep.Even that is usually sporadic since the chaos inside of me never seems to calm.That was before now, before this woman threw up on my boots and burrowed into my soul.
The question now is, will it all blow up?Will she be like everyone else in my life or will I finally get to hold on to the light forever?
* * *
We’retwo and a half days into the longest fucking ride when it all hits the fucking fan.Out of nowhere, we’re ambushed by the fucking Cartel and nearly lose Terro and Blitz in the altercation.They are alive only because we were expecting something like this to happen.We’re able to hold on to the load of guns we were transporting across country for the Italians.Raider reached out to the Italians and had them send back up so we could send the two injured and Remedy to our brother’s club house about five hours from us in South Dakota to get patched up.
When we all pull into the delivery spot and see the Italian’s number two leaning against the blacked-out SUV, we know something isn’t right.We pull in and park next to the SUV, dismounting to take stance behind our VP.
“To be honest, we thought when your Pres called and said you had been ambushed that this was a wash,” Giaco’s bored tone gives nothing away to his annoyance at being given false information.
The fuck?We haven’t even contacted Pres about the ambush.Even if Bull from the South Dakota chapter called Pres with an update, it wouldn’t have given Giaco enough time to get here from Atlanta.Blender and I both tense, ready to cover Raider if shit goes sideways.
