Page 49 of Ghost (Iron Thunder MC 4)
I decided to walk over to the girls and put an end to this one way or another. If Mercy had changed her mind about working here and about being with me, then it would be best if she just walked away now. I didn’t want to drag this out. I had work to do.
“Hey, we need to talk,” I said, walking up to them and interrupting their conversation.
Mary-Beth smiled at me politely and then she walked away. It was like she knew there was something going on between us. Mercy turned to me, her cheeks flushed, but that could have been because of something Mary-Beth said to her, or because of the drink in her hand.
It was strange seeing her still wearing my clothes. Maybe I should have asked for them back. It suddenly made me mad that she made me weak. Fuck!
“Look, Mercy, I don’t play games. I don’t have the time for it,” I said quickly before I could change my mind.
Her brows furrowed and she licked her lips, then nodded.
“Yes, I agree. Neither of us have time for playing games.”
What I wanted to say was that I was claiming her. She was my woman. She should move in with me and we would live in my cabin in the woods together.
But I drew in a breath and looked around the bar. The others were drinking. The place was rowdy. The music was too loud. The prospects slapped asses of any girl within arm’s reach. The remaining strippers from Teasers were walking around in their fishnet stockings, trying to get the prospects to take them home.
This wasn’t where Mercy belonged. She’d already been through too much. She’d been kidnapped and threatened and physically assaulted. If she stayed with me, how much more danger would her life be in?
“You don’t have to stay in my cabin. I’m on Eagle’s trail. We’re going to find him soon. I’m not going to let him get anywhere near you. So you are free to live your life the way you want to. You don’t owe me anything.”
I spoke firmly, holding her gaze. I wanted her to see that I meant it. She gulped and nodded. She understood.
“Okay, thank you. I appreciate it. I think I should move in with my grandma. She needs me.”
“Okay.”
Mercy looked up at me and it seemed like she was going to force herself to smile, but in the end, she didn’t.
“I guess I should get out of here. Get out of your hair.”
I didn’t want her to go. It was like a physical knife stabbing into my gut as I saw her walking away. Fuck. I should have run after her, held her back, thrown her over my shoulder and taken her back to my place. But if this was what she wanted to do, I wasn’t going to force her to stay.
She waited a few moments as if expecting me to say something. I didn’t, so she started walking away. She got as far as the door and I ran after her.
She pushed through the doors and was walking toward the car park. I went up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder, whipping her around to face me. She turned and fell into my arms.
I lifted her up by her hips and swung her around while our mouths met with a sizzle. In that moment, all I wanted to do was kiss her. That was it. I just wanted to push my tongue into her mouth and make sure she knew how much I wanted her.
She tasted of beer and sweetness. When her feet touched the ground, I pushed myself into her, kissing her harder. I’d never kissed anyone like this before. I would never have stopped at just this, but I pulled away from her.
This wasn’t just about fucking her. I felt more for her. Maybe she didn’t get it.
Mercy clung on to my arms for a few moments and then took in a sharp breath. She was searching my eyes.
“I’ll make sure one of our guys always has an eye on you so you’re not in danger.”
She nodded.
“And if you ever need anything, you know where we are.”
She nodded again.
“Ghost…it’s just that I…I need some time to figure it all out, I guess. I want to work here, I’m grateful for the opportunity…”
“But you don’t know if this life is for you,” I said. She didn’t have to nod. I knew I’d hit the nail on the head.
I took a few steps away from her and waved.
“Get a cab. Go home. Be with your grandma,” I said.
“What are you going to do?”
I pushed my hands into the pockets of my jeans and shrugged.
“The usual.”
I couldn’t admit to her that my life had changed since I’d met her. I didn’t want to hang out at the clubhouse without her. I wanted to be back at my cabin, alone with Mercy. I couldn’t say any of those things to her and maybe I’d regret it later, I thought.
