7. Mercy
I paced around Dre’s bedroom, my anger simmering below the surface. I didn’t like how easy it was for him to get under my skin, and I was pissed at him for storming out the way he did. Maybe I shouldn’t have yelled at him like that. But he was so damn infuriating sometimes it was hard to breathe. Why couldn’t he see I wasn’t some fragile baby bird that needed protecting? I wasn’t his forever problem. Our situation was temporary, wasn’t it?
Despite my anger, I couldn’t ignore the pull I felt toward Dre. The intensity of our arguments, not to mention the finger-lickin’ good sex, only seemed to make me want him more. Emotionally, I was a crumpled-up mess of confusion and frustration. I didn’t know why I felt anything for him. He was stubborn as a mule, overbearing as hell, and he didn’t listen for shit. But he was also gallant and strong, and he looked at me like I was the only person in the world that mattered to him. Just picturing his warm gaze made my heart stutter. I’d fallen for a few wrong men in the past, but I’d never felt this way about anyone before, especially not so quickly.
As the hours ticked by, Dre hadn’t returned, and my thoughts began to shift. I sat on the edge of the bed, replaying our argument in my head. Maybe I overreacted. Most women would’ve killed to have a man who was as fiercely overprotective of them as Dre was of me.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized my aggravation with him was rooted in uneasiness—the fear of my heart being unguarded, having to rely on someone other than myself, and the depth of my own adoration for him.
After what happened to me in high school, I always thought a part of me would never be whole again. But when I met Dre, he started to fill it. Before him, I thought it wasn’t possible for anyone, including myself, to keep me safe. He’d proven that to be false.
I needed to talk to him. I had to apologize and explain how I felt. Maybe then we’d be able to find a level playing field. Determined to find him and settle the smoke between us, I showered, dressed, and headed toward the door. Admitting my feelings for Dre wouldn’t be easy, but it was a step I had to take.
I searched the clubhouse, asking a few members if they’d seen him—no one had. I grew even more concerned when I headed outside and saw his black pickup truck was gone. My anxiety heightened as I headed to Dre’s father’s office, hoping he might’ve had some answers. I knocked on the heavy office door and heard him mumble for me to come in.
“Hi. I don’t mean to bother you. I was wondering if you’ve seen Dre. We… uh, we argued earlier, and he stormed off. No one has seen him, and I’m getting worried about him.”
He looked at me with a knowing expression before stroking his trimmed salt-and-pepper beard. “Give him some time to clear his head, Mercy. I’m sure he’ll turn up soon. In the meantime, close the door. I can tell there’s something else on your mind.”
I nodded, gave him a once-over, and took my seat. He had to have been in his mid-to-late fifties and still had a commanding presence—the kind that demanded respect. He was tall and solidly built. It was easy for me to see where Dre got his brawny physique from. That, and his love for tattoos. His father’s arms were covered in them too.
His salt-and-pepper hair was cut short, and his beard was freshly groomed. Despite the signs of aging around the corners, his eyes were still a sharp, penetrating brown that seemed to see right through me.
He sat behind his large desk wearing a leather vest adorned with the Hell’s Savages’ crest, over a simple black T-shirt that hugged his broad shoulders and muscular frame. I was sure he had on a pair of worn jeans and the heavy biker boots he always wore whenever I ran into him.
I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts and emotions.
“Thank you for your hospitality, but I can’t keep staying here. Blaze told me my car is fixed, and with Dre running off… I don’t know. It feels like a sign that I should go.”
He listened carefully before responding. “I appreciate your honesty. And I can see that you care about my son. But Dre’s… complicated.”
I sighed, a wave of frustration mingling with my anxiety.
“I’ve gathered that over the past few days. It’s wild because I feel a pull toward Dre that I’ve never felt before. He’s different, and despite all the chaos, I feel a strong connection to him. But maybe things aren’t as meant to be as my head leads me to believe,” I confessed, spilling my guts. “I wanna find him, but I don’t know where to start. And if he’s run off, maybe it’s better if I leave too.”
A sadness flickered in his eyes before he looked away, mentally wrestling with his decision on what to say next.
“My son isn’t running from you, Mercy. He’s running from his feelings. His mother left us when he was just two years old. She abandoned him and went to be with another man to live another life and even had another son. That son is now the head of the Outlaws MC,” he revealed.
My eyes ballooned in shock. “Wait. You’re telling me that the president of your rivals is his half-brother?”
I recalled our initial conversation when I asked him to give me information. Fuck. That’s why he didn’t want to snitch. Their rivalry went beyond the typical MC turf wars; it was deeply fucking personal. He probably saw his half-brother as a walking, breathing symbol of his mother’s betrayal. But still, they were family.
“Yes,” he confirmed. “Dre has always had a hard time forming attachments with women. He’s afraid of being abandoned, of being hurt again. But I can see that he cares about you. It’s why he’s so protective. The fact that he’s gone out of his way to take care of you means something. I don’t think he wants to lose you. But if you want to leave, I won’t stop you. But know that you’ve made an impression on him and all of us here.”
A rush of emotions consumed me. I sympathized with Dre and better understood what made him tick. I cared about him more than I realized. But I didn’t know how to save him if he couldn't face his feelings.
“Thank you. I do like him a lot. I know it’s fast, but he makes me feel safer than I’ve ever felt before. I was scared to admit it at first, but now… I don’t know what I’d do without him.”
His father leaned forward. His brown-eyed gaze was reassuring.
“You’ve got spunk, Mercy. I’ll give you that. I can see why my son is drawn to you. I’ll try calling him. Maybe he just needs to hear your voice to set his ass straight.”
I nodded hopefully as he picked up his phone and dialed Dre’s number. After a few rings, someone answered, but from the sound of their voice, it wasn’t Dre.
The harsh voice on the other line belonged to his half-brother, Cannon, the president of the Outlaws and the monster from my nightmare.
“Well, well. Looks like you’re just in time for our family reunion,” he taunted through the receiver. “We got your boy.”
Fear clawed at my throat as anxiety burned a trail to my heart.
His father’s grip on the phone tightened. “Where the fuck is my son, Cannon?”
“You know what we want. Hand over the reporter bitch, and we can talk terms.”
“We both know that’s not going to happen. I won’t trade an innocent woman for my son.”
Cannon laughed coldly. “Innocent? I found that bitch’s badge the night she wandered into my bar. The bitch is a fuckin’ journalist, poking her nose where it doesn’t belong. She’s a threat that needs to be eliminated one way or another. This is the deal, mothafucka. Take it or leave it.”
My heart jerked against its tethers. Oh shit. He knows I’m onto them.
“If you harm my son, there will be hell to pay. You’re already down men, Cannon. Let’s be diplomatic and find another way to settle this.”
His baritone voice deepened, taking on an even more menacing tone. “You’ve got twenty-four fuckin’ hours to change your mind. After that, your baby boy won’t be in one piece when you get him back,” he warned.
The call ended abruptly—those three beeps before the line went dead. His father slammed the phone down, and I looked at him with fear dancing in my eyes.
“Oh my God. I… I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. W-what do we do now?”
His father’s face was hardened with rage, but his expression softened slightly when he looked at me.
“It’s not your fault,” he assured me.“We’ll find a way to get him back, but I won’t let him lose you in the process.”
The word of Dre’s kidnapping swept through the Savages like a tornado. The clubhouse was in a frenzy as the members scurried to gather their weapons and mount their bikes to come to his aid. A knot of anxiety tightened in my throat. I knew the Outlaws were ruthless monsters, and the thought of them having Dre in their clutches made me nauseous.
Dre’s father barked orders, his voice echoing through the clubhouse. His expression and tone remained stern when his eyes landed back on me.
“Mercy, you need to stay here. We can’t risk you being out in the open.”
Before I could protest, two prospects stepped forward, ready to escort me back to Dre’s bedroom.
“But I want to help! I can’t just sit here and do nothing while he’s out there enduring God knows what.”
One of the prospects shook his head, his expression sympathetic but firm. “Boss’s orders. Let’s go.”
My heart dropped as they led me back to Dre’s room. A wave of helplessness washed over me when I heard the door close behind me. I wanted to be out there, helping them find Dre, but instead, I was confined to his bedroom like a princess locked away in a tall tower.
I paced back and forth, every thought in my mind dashing with worry. The thought of Dre—the man I’d fallen for—enduring pain and suffering on my account was hard to swallow.
This is all my fault. If I hadn’t gone into that fucking bar, Dre wouldn’t be in this mess.
I flopped down on the edge of the bed, my hands quivering with worry. I’d never felt so tiny and powerless, and I couldn’t stand it. I heard the muffled voices of the prospects standing guard outside the door. Their intimidating presence was a constant reminder of my quarantine.
I buried my face in my hands, trying to hide my tears. The fear and guilt gnawing at my gut were overwhelming, but I knew I had no choice but to keep my thoughts positive and believe that Dre would make it back to me in one piece.