Page 20 of The Echo of Violence

Mercy cocks her brow, Ginger’s voice not nearly as quiet as she thinks.

I remove her hand and take a step away from her. She pouts, which makes me frown. Does she think that shit makes her look attractive? It makes me think of a kid ready to throw a tantrum after not getting their way.

“Not tonight, Ginger. Go play with one of the other brothers.”

“But, Eightball. I miss your big cock.”

“Ginger!” Mercy snaps. “No means no. I don’t give a shit who says it. Now, back off and find someone who wants to play with you.”

Ginger backs down immediately, knowing better than to mess with Mercy. She mutters an apology before heading over to another group of brothers.

“That is exactly what I’m talking about,” Mercy huffs.

“What?”

She glares at me.

“Not a mind reader, Mercy. Whatever you want to say, just spit it out.”

“Look, it’s not just you. Look around and tell me what you see.”

I humor her and do as she asks, taking in the room. Brothers are spread out in clusters of smaller groups, with club girls hanging off at least one person in each group, except for Scope and Wizz’s table.

The two girls who were making out are now lying on one of the sofas on the far side of the room, eating each other out, with a couple of brothers watching and cheering them on. Near the bar are a few hangers-on looking to get a feel for the place. Some will go on to prospect. Some just came to party. Menace drags Daisy over to the bar and bends her over it, right next to two new hangers-on, flipping her skirt up before thrusting inside her.

“I don’t see anything out of the norm, Mercy.”

“That’s the problem. When did this place become a fucking sex club?” she snaps.

Taking in her tone, Kaz lifts his head and looks around the room himself.

“None of you see it because it’s become the norm, like you said. Hell, if you’d given Ginger the green light before, she would have dropped to her knees and sucked you off while we were mid-conversation.”

“It’s an MC—”

She cuts me off, her arms folding against her chest.

“When we first came here, before all the others joined us, it was about family. Yes, we had the bunnies, and yes, there was an element of public sex. But not like this, and definitely not on days when we open the doors to the public. Imagine if someone was recording this shit. As the only old lady, I’m outnumbered by bunnies. And as good as our relationship is, it’s not perfect. I might be the queen bee, as you guys like to joke, but they outnumber me. And judging from the state of things, they’re more important than I am. I’ve tried keeping my mouth shut and going with the flow, but I’m done. This is my home, too, but this is all I see day in, day out. Hell, I’m more intimately acquainted with the bunnies’ vaginas than I am with my own.”

“We can’t make our brothers take old ladies, so you don’t feel outnumbered,” Kaz tells her gently.

She closes her eyes as if seeking patience before opening them to look at us. “I never asked for that, though I’d love it if a few settled down. Mostly because I’d like to see the men I’ve come to think of as my family happy.”

She shakes her head, her shoulders dropping. “It doesn’t matter. Go do whatever you want, Eightball. As long as this is what you all want, you’re right. It has nothing to do with me. I’m going to go to my room. I’m not in the mood.”

“Mercy.” Kaz wraps his hand around her forearm, halting her movements.

“What do you want me to say, Kaz? I love you. I love all three of you, never doubt that, but I gave up a life I loved… for this?” She waves to the room at large. “I fought for women’s rights. I was a Candy girl, however brief that might have been. I believed in equality and pushed hard for it, even though I was raised in an MC where women were constantly reminded that they were less because they didn’t have dicks. I stood up for myself and others who felt they didn’t have a voice, and I was proud of that. And look at me now.” She shakes her head and pulls free from Kaz. “Right now, the only difference between this and a frat house is the leather on your backs.”

She walks away, heading downstairs to the bunker she shares with Kaz, Scope, and Wizz.

“I feel like I stepped into a minefield, Kaz. Thanks for the fucking heads up.”

Kaz runs his hands through his hair in frustration. “I didn’t realize it was going to take that turn. She’s made a few comments, but she’s right. We have brushed them off. It’s an MC, after all, like you said.”

He looks toward the door that Mercy disappeared through and sighs. “Except this is her home. I mean, she literally lives here and can’t get away from seeing this daily. We haven’t talked about kids yet, but when we’re ready, is this what we’ll bring our baby home to?”

I concede his point. “I think maybe what Mercy was trying to say is that the balance is off. Friday and Saturday nights have spilled over into the rest of the week. I don’t think a couple of nights would be an issue, but this all day, every day… Yeah, I get it, and I’m not here half as much as she is.”

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