Page 20 of Property of Mercury

“We’ll figure it out. I mean, I’m the club VP, so I’ve got responsibilities to the club and they come first, but my brothers knew it wasn’t something I was willing to give up,” he replies.

“What if, down the road, you established your own search and rescue company? Is that even a thing?” I question.

“It’s something I’ll bring to the table,” he says. “Never hurts to find another revenue stream, that’s for sure.”

We’ve gotten so off track because of my inherent curiosity, so I decide to try and bring us back around. “What do you foresee for us, Mercury? I mean, long term.”

Fear is now coursing through me. I’m not a virgin, but I was in a committed relationship both times, and the last one, I thought it might be ‘the one’ until he showed his true colors. However, my time with Sutton taught me that bikers are a different breed altogether. They may spread themselves around with almost reckless abandon, but when they set their sights on one particular woman, that’s it for them.

That’s what I’m shooting for; to be his everything. The reason he gets up in the morning, does what he has to do for the club, and how he views future cases he accepts. Maybe that’s selfish wanting to be the center of someone’s universe, but after a lifetime of being less than and second best and even unwanted, considering I was a foster kid, I think I deserve the right to be a bit one-minded.

“I think the more accurate question here is what do you want, Finley?” he counters. “Like I’ve mentioned before, I’m a man of few words, but I think I’ve made my intentions clear.”

I throw my hands up in exasperation because he absolutely has not. I will never understand the way a man’s mind works if he thinks he’s made his intentions known to me. “Words, Mercury. I need to hear words because what you think you’ve done to make things clear may not be clear to me.”

Leaning into me, his breath hitting my skin, causing goosebumps to erupt, he says, “Then let’s do something about that.”

Before I get a chance to decipher those words, his lips slam down onto mine and a zap of electricity thrums throughout my entire system. My body responds in kind, my hands involuntarily lifting up and grabbing the lapels of his leather and dragging him closer to me.

When our lips part ways, we stare into each other’s eyes, our hearts erratically beating. “Does that clear things up for you, Finley?”

Licking my lips, I answer, “Yeah, Mercury. That clears things up.”

CHAPTER

TWELVE

Mercury

We make out like a couple of teenagers for a little longer before Finley’s eyes begin to droop, forcing us to call it a night. After all, I want all of her cognitive thinking fully functioning when I lay my claim on her. I’ve already possessed her lips, now my goal is to own her heart and eventually, seize her body and make sure she never craves a man that’s not me.

I walk her to her door, her fingers laced with mine as we climb the stairs on the way, with a smile steadily on her face. As we reach her room, I lean down and give her a quick kiss, making sure to keep it from becoming overly passionate. Otherwise, I won’t walk away and since we’re not ready for that next step because she’s still physically recovering, I keep it calm.

“Night,” she says as her hand lays on the doorknob, twisting it in short movements.

“Night, wildcat,” I reply, reaching over and twisting the handle to keep from prolonging our encounter. There’s only so much restraint a man has before his common sense takes a back seat. “Sweet dreams.”

“Same to you, Mercury. See you in the morning,” she says.

I like the hazy look she has in her eyes and have to focus to keep my cock from hardening at the thought of how she’s going to look after she’s fallen apart for me. I foresee a hand workout in my future and groan, knowing I’m caught in her snare.

But what a place to be, my mind whispers.

Turning, I head down the hall to my room, only to bump into Orion who has apparently been standing there creeping. Smacking his shoulder, I hiss, “Fucker, what are you doing stalking around here?”

“Was coming out to go grab a beer when I saw y’all stop at her door. I didn’t wanna interrupt, cuz,” he teases. “But on a more serious note, I got an email saying that several things we ordered for the shop are being delivered, so I need to take her there tomorrow. Do you think it’s gonna be a problem?”

“I know that it’s gonna get out that she survived, but y’all were right. We can’t keep her caged, and she doesn’t deserve to be punished like that because some fuckers think it’s a good idea to hunt people,” I growl out. “Let me know what time and I’ll ride over there with you. That way, y’all can focus on checking the orders in and not worry about protection.”

“Appreciate it, Merc,” he remarks. “Wanna join me for a beer?”

“Why not,” I mutter as I follow him back downstairs.

Seems that Gemini, Aries, and Pisces must have had the same idea because they’re sitting around the kitchen table talking when the two of us walk in. I grab two beers and sit down before I ask, “What’s up?”

“Aries has been checking into who throws ink,” Gemini replies. “Were y’all aware that Draco is an experienced artist?”

“Why isn’t he doing it, then?” I ask.