“Mercy, we can’t just go around wiping people out.Especially an entire club.People would start to ask questions,” Anvil states evenly.
Mercy spins around slowly, making his way over to the table.He plants both hands on the surface and leans close to Anvil, and the shadows dancing across his face reveal the monster he barely controls.
“Here’s the thing.You and this club may not be able to, but don’t get it fucking twisted.I will make sure there is nothing left to dig up of those assholes for what they did to my Little Lamb when I’m done.”His takes on a chilling tone that leaves no doubt that bodies will be dropping.“And I’ll put down anyone who tries to stand in my way.”
No one moves or even seems to breathe.The silence stretches thin and dangerous, as if we’re all balancing on a razor’s edge.After a long, silent moment, Mercy straightens with his eyes still hard and icy.A throwing star slams into the center of the table, quivering.Then Mercy and Blender explode through the doors of church.
“Fuck, church is over.You assholes get out.Rhino, Token, and Blitz, I want you on a flight in the next couple of hours.”
One by one, we all slowly stand and make our way out of the room.It takes me a moment to get my bearings because if I make it out of this situation with Lucifer’s Knights unscathedand with my patch on my back, then I might just believe I’ve got a guardian angel watching over me after all.
I stalk through the club to my room.My frustration rising with the situation I’ve found myself in—all because I owed a man for saving my life and a pretty fucking face.The night I got a call from a voice so broken and barely able to speak, something pulled at me to go and save her.That was all before she dropped the bomb about where she got my number.I tore out of the club that night and headed north for just over two hours until I was in some shithole town on the south side of Charleston.What I found in that shitty little hotel made my stomach turn, and the anger that washed over me was like nothing I’ve ever known.
It took me about five days for her to even be close to being able to ride.The ride back to the club took about triple the time it had to get to her.I was thankful when we got there and no one thought twice about who, what, or how.It wasn’t long after that all business with the Lucifer’s Knights came to a halt, and Relic forbade us from ever speaking about, talking to, or even being in the same area as the other MC.I still didn’t have a fucking clue who or what she was until one night while she was working at the bar in the club.The memory of that night sucks me in as I step through the door of my room, slamming the door behind me.
“Eight ball, center pocket,” Rhino calls just before he leans forward to take the shot.
He makes the shot, causing everyone to groan as he pulls the stack of bills off the edge of the table.I’m leaning on the wall, pool stick in hand, smirking because the two shits that challenged us never had a chance to win.They and all their pieces of shit wanna be hangers-on thought they had.Fucking dumbasses.
“Nice try, boys.Next time, make sure you know who you're fucking challenging,” I smirk, taking a pull off my beer.
The hangers-on all grumble as they slink to the bar to get more drinks.
“Why the fuck are we having this open house party again?”Rhino snaps.
“Because we need new blood and Relic and the bitch he’s seeing think this is the best way to make it happen.”Shrugging, I set my beer down so I can start setting the pool table for another game.
Stepping back from the table, I run into the new bartender, Charlie, knocking the stack of cups she was carrying out of her hands.Just barely, I’m able to catch her before she hits the floor.
“Fuck, Charlie, are you okay?”I snipe.
Charlie instantly starts shaking and goes tense as if she is bracing for something.I make sure she's secure on her feet before letting her go and stepping back, giving her the space that I know she needs.She has come a long way in the last nine months, to be able to move around the clubhouse and serve drinks.She still shies away from most of the guys.Her big chocolate brown eyes look up at me, and my heart stutters in my chest.
“Sorry, Blitz.I wasn’t paying attention.I am so sorry,” her voice is a whisper as she drops to the floor to clean up the mess.
Her fear and anxiety are coming off her in waves as she hastily works to clean while continuing to ramble a long string of apologies.I watch her, and the longer she's on her knees cleaning up broken glass, the more my anger rises until red rims my vision.She shouldn’t be on the floor cleaning up a mess I caused while shaking so hard her teeth are chattering from fear.Slowly I squat down beside her, placing my hand on her trembling one.Charlie jumps before going unnaturally still.
“I’ll get a prospect to take care of that for you,” I murmur close to her ear.
“I can do it.It’s my fault that there is a mess,” her words tumble out, laced with so much fear and anxiety that my chest goes tight.
As softly as I can manage, I lay my hand on her back, gritting my teeth against the need to hunt down every man that has made her feel this way, and speak softly.“It was an accident, and if I’m not mistaken, I ran into you.Now let me get a prospect to clean this up as it is their job to do what I tell them.”
Charlie finally turns her head, her gaze scanning my face, looking for deception.“If you’re sure, then fine.”
The nervousness in the way she moves is so unnatural.When I finally get her to stand, Relic bursts through his office door shouting.“I don’t give a flying goddamn fuck what you think.We’re going to see the Lucier’s Knights tomorrow.”
Charlie’s entire body goes tight, and before I can speak, I watch her eyes roll up and her body go limp.Reaching out, I barely catch her before she hits the floor.I swing her up in my arms, cradling her close, looking around for Remedy.Finding him leaning against the bar, I holler for him as I rush to my room.He follows me without a word and checks her, telling me she just passed out and if she doesn’t wake up soon, we’ll have to take her in.Breathing out a sigh of relief, I brush Charlie’s hair away from her face.
“I don’t know what happened to you, Charlie girl, but I promise you that you are safe and cared for here,” I whisper, kissing her on the forehead.
Charlie stirs, whispering something before turning over on her side and pulling my pillow tight to her chest, sighing.For the thousandth time since this woman called that faithful night, my chest squeezes so tight that my head spins.Silently I take a seat in the chair by the side of the bed, watching her rest and vowing to always take care of her.
If only I had known that I would turn out to be the one to truly hurt her.
A knock on my door brings me out of my memory.Growing, I turn and pull the door open, prepared to yell at whoever is standing there.I barely stop my words when I find Charlie standing there smiling at me sweetly.Dropping my chin to my chest, I close my eyes and squeeze the bridge of my nose, taking a moment to center myself.
“Hi,” she says softly.
