Page 33 of Property of Mercury

“Finley, you can ask or tell me anything except that you’re leaving me. What’s on your mind?”

Taking a deep breath I do what I do best, I just blurt it out. “Are you waiting on me to be ready before we go any further in our relationship?”

I can tell that I’ve stunned him because he stops dead in his tracks, turns and pulls me into his embrace. Long moments pass while I wait for his answer, but the wait doesn’t scare me. He always acts with a bit of caution and I presume it comes from what he’s done as a tracker. He never rushes into a situation and I can almost hear his brain whirring as he thinks about what to say.

“Where’s this coming from?” he finally asks. “Because, every part of me wants you, Finley, in any way, shape or form that comes. But to answer your question, yes, I’ve been waiting. Not for you to be sure since you said you wanted the same thing, but for you to feel like yourself again. For weeks now, you’ve hobbled around, wincing when you thought nobody was paying attention, and did what you were supposed to do, heal. I’ve seen over the past few days that you’re moving a lot easier, and while I hadn’t planned to throw you against a wall and fuck you, I’m not the kind of man who doesn’t have a wealth of patience. It’s something ingrained in me, wildcat, and while I’ve been ready, I’ve been waiting for you to get better.”

I slowly release the breath I was holding at his words and hug him closer. Our height difference means that my head is against his chest and I can hear his heart beating. It’s steady and sure, just like the man whose hands are lightly rubbing my back.

I’ve come home.

That thought saturates my brain then courses through my body. No matter what happens in the future, hell if the zombie apocalypse occurred, I know he’s got me, in every way he can.

“Then can we go to bed?” I ask, my inner cheerleader nearly falling off her self-made pyramid. I’d snicker because she’s equal parts angry that she was caught off guard and ecstatic that I took the bull by the horns.

“I thought you were never gonna ask,” he replies, grinning down at me. “For the record, I wanna say that while there are those out there who would say we’re moving fast, I’m the kind of man who knows what he wants. I love you, Finley, and want you to hear that before we’re naked in my bed while I pull orgasm after orgasm out of your sweet, delectable body.

I’m glad he’s holding me up because I’m officially a pile of warm, squishy goo. “Well, I did, so now what?” I tease, lightly kissing that spot I can’t stay away from.

If his shudder is any indication, he likes it, and I vow to put on the brightest lipstick I can find and kiss him there again so everyone knows how I feel. I don’t believe he’ll really tattoo his neck since it’s a permanent marking, but I can do it with something that is easily removed.

“We go back inside, clean up since I still want to get our earlier adventures off my body, then we learn about each other biblically,” he retorts, a smirk riding on his delicious lips. “And as for what I just said, you don’t have to say it until you’re ready, wildcat. I’m just showing you all my cards.”

Feeling a boldness sweep through me, I reach down and cup his impressive bulge that’s been steadily growing against my lower abdomen and state, “Not all of them.”

As he practically rushes us back toward the house, I hear him murmur, “Wildcat is the perfect name for you.”

CHAPTER

TWENTY-ONE

Mercury

To say I’m shocked by her revelation would be an understatement of the century. I don’t startle easily; the training my dad and uncles put us through coupled with what I’ve done as a tracker means that I’m a relatively laidback person.

But Finley’s words have shaken the ground I walk on. A sense of pride rolls through me. After everything she’s been through, she’s not hiding out somewhere, afraid of every little noise or action by others.

She’s the perfect person for you, my dad whispers. I’m not one who necessarily believes in spirits and other woo-woo shit, but with us living so close to the reservation, it could be possible. My head moves in acknowledgement but I don’t utter a word.

Can’t have her thinking she attached herself to a crazy man, after all.

By the time we get back inside, most of the guys have gone their separate ways. I see Pisces and Aries playing cards and drinking their beer, but other than a chin lift, they don’t say a word.

While she’s got a room of her own, I head to mine. One of the nice things about this farmhouse that Rocco had is that there are several bedrooms that could be considered master suites. Gemini and Sutton have one, and I have the other since we’re at the top of the heap of this motley crew we’re building a life with as Kings of Anarchy brothers.

After unlocking the door, I usher her in and watch her look around in amazement. I’m a big man, so I have a California king and while it takes up a lot of room, there’s still a fireplace and sitting area, as well as an en suite. I’ve painted the room a soft gray and the bedding is complementary. Thanks to my mom and aunts, I’ve also got those useless pillows they called shams but those are currently piled up in the corner on a chair that I use when I’m putting on my boots.

“You have… you have shams?” she asks through her giggles which have her body shaking with mirth.

“Doesn’t every well-mannered man?” I parry, grinning at her. “Actually, those are courtesy of my mom and aunts who said we weren’t allowed to live like savages.”

“How… how did they manage to do that to a bunch of badass bikers? I presume the other guys also have similar items in their room.”

“Well, one day we were sitting around drinking when the UPS driver showed up and started pulling out box after box. Kind of like what happened at the shop earlier today, only none of us had placed an order for anything.”

“Awww, they were just taking care of their boys,” she teases, still giggling.

Since I love it when she cuts loose and her personality shines through, I take her teasing with a grain of salt. Orion is right about one thing but I’ll cut out my own tongue before I ever admit that out loud.