Chapter 10
Ripley
Mercy hurried forward to do her duties with the big sheet cake. A few of the catering staff were there to help her pass out cake to those who wanted it. Plenty took a piece as well as one of the mouthwatering tart cups that were on display.
My mom was patiently waiting for her cheesecake.
She’d been teary eyed for the whole of the ceremony and speeches. I went over to her and gave her a hug. “Hanging in, Ma?”
She leaned into me. “Yes. That’s two down, four to go.”
“Don’t go there. Enjoy this one first, huh?”
She patted my chest. “I saw you talking to Mercy...”
“We’re just talking.”
“Doesn’t look like just talking.”
I laughed. “Ever the matchmaker. Can’t be happy that five of us are linked up?”
“I want all my boys happy.”
I glanced at Mercy who was hustling around the table with a smile as she held out plates to anyone in front of her. It didn’t feel like such a far off thought for the first time in my life.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
Was it just lust?
Maybe.
But I had enough one-night stands to know the difference. Would I lose interest if I actually got her in my bed? I really wasn’t all that sure I’d get the sound of her voice out of my head anytime soon. The mixture of exasperation and capitulation was addictive.
And someone as driven as Mercy would understand the ridiculous demands of my job.
Hell.
A commotion towards the bar, dragged me out of my thoughts. My mother’s worried frown had me craning my neck to get a better look.
When it came to an open bar and my brothers things could get dicey. Especially when most of the Murdock Brothers company was made up of construction guys who got a little heavy handed with their drink.
“I’ll just check it out.”
“Don’t get in a fight, Ripley.”
“I’ll just go see what’s up. Someone probably just overindulged.”
My mother sighed. “All right but be careful.”
I kissed the top of her head and waded into the crush of people around the bar.
“It’s an open bar. You can’t say no!” The rough voice rose, making my radar go on full alert.
“Sir. I’m sorry, but I’ll have to cut you off.”
“Why? I’m fine!” The belligerent tone raised my hackles.
I spotted Cameron and waved him over.
“C’mon, baby. Let’s just go sit down.” A blond tugged at the troublemaker’s arm.
“No. I’m here to have a good time and this asshole thinks I can’t handle my drink.”
With the volume of his voice, I’d say he was at least two drinks past a comfortable limit.
“Is there a problem?” I shifted around one of the guys on the crew. I patted Jonas’s shoulder. “I got this.”
The man looked relieved and made way for me.
“No problem if I can get a whiskey,” the man at the bar said without turning around.
I recognized the girl vaguely but couldn’t place her name. She was trying to get him to step back. “C’mon, baby. People are staring.”
“Let them. I just want a damn drink.”
“I think the bartender was clear.” I kept back a few feet just in case the guy swung on me. I could feel the belligerence in the air. “Let’s keep it fun, huh?”
The guy turned. His eyes were mean and a familiar arctic blue. “It’ll stay fun if the bartender prick refills my whiskey. Mind your business, Rip.”
“I didn’t know you were back in town, Luther.”
“Yeah, well it’s hard to get a job in this town if you aren’t a Murdock. I found work in Saratoga.”
Considering we tried to give him a job in the past, that wasn’t exactly the truth. Problem was the Hart brothers didn’t exactly have their sister’s work ethic. “Why don’t we go over here and talk about it.” I nodded to the bartender. “Can I get a water for my friend?”
The bartender nodded and pulled out a bottle of water from the cooler and set it on the bar. “Here you go.”
Luther knocked it away. “I don’t want any fucking water.”
His girlfriend tried again to soothe him and he pushed her away. She stumbled on her heels and almost fell.
“All right, that’s it. You’re out of here.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” He rushed me and got a swing in. His fist was a fucking hammer and snapped my head back.
“Dammit.” I felt my lip swell and tasted blood.
His self-satisfied smile heated my blood.
It had been a damn long time since I’d had a good brawl.
“Rip.” Cam’s voice held warning behind me.
“Yeah, yeah.” I unclenched my fists at my sides.
Luther swung again, this time really wide. I ducked, and heard it connect, this time with Cam.
“Son of a bitch,” he muttered.
I glanced over my shoulder. “You good?”
“What’s he got in his hand, rocks?” Cam wiggled his jaw.
“I know, right?”
Luther swayed a little but held his fists up for another swing.
“Don’t make Parker come over here, man,” Cam said with a sigh.
“Gotta make a girl fight for you?” Luther said with a squint. “Pussy.”
“Great.” Cam bunched his fists beside me. “Ma is gonna kick my ass,” he said just before he gave Luther a little love tap on his chin.
I whistled. “Nice.”
Luther staggered back into the bar. His girlfriend tried to help him again and he shrugged her off. “Get off me.”
“Can we just go? I don’t want any trouble. Sully is my boss, Luther.”
“That asshole is everyone’s boss. He thinks he owns this town.”
“Luther!” I turned as Mercy pushed through the crowd. “What are you doing?”
“Back off, Mercy. This doesn’t have anything to do with you!” Her brother weaved a little but then planted his feet.
She spared me a glance, then her eyes widened as she hurried over to me. “Oh, my God, are you okay?”
“I’m good. He got a lucky shot in.”
“Lucky—” she spluttered. “I can’t believe this.” She turned back to her brother. “Stop embarrassing me. And yourself,” she whispered furiously. When she got closer to him, she wrinkled her nose. “God, you’re drunk.”
“So? We’re all having a good time. Don’t act so all high and mighty, Mercy. You’re not better than me.”
“Right now, I am.” She turned to the girl. “Gigi, can you get him out of here?”
“I tried.” The blond girl turned big, tear-filled eyes on her.
“Mercy, it’s okay we’ll handle it.” I moved behind her, shifting her out of her brother’s reach.
“No.” She whirled on me. “It’s my brother, I’ll handle it.” She pushed me back to get to Luther. This time, he shut up. “Give me your keys. Now.” Mercy shoved her hand into his jacket pocket.
“Hey!”
She slapped his hand away and dug into his jacket again, coming out with a flask. “And this.”
“That’s mine.”
“And now it’s Gigi’s for the night.” She tossed it to the girlfriend. “Move!”
Luther wiped blood from his lip. Cam’s uppercut was damn sneaky. “C’mon, Mercy. I’ll go sit down.”
“Too little, too late.” She glanced at me. “I’m sorry for my brother.”
“Don’t go apologizing to your new boyfriend for me.”
“Someone has to.” She grabbed his arm and shoved him forward.
He lost his balance and crashed into Cam. “Watch it.”
Cam righted him, then stood back.
Mercy’s eyes fired hot like the center of a flame. “I’ll be back after I drop him. I still have to figure out my truck.”
“I got it. Don’t worry about it.” Annoyed, I dabbed at my lip.
She shook her head. “It’s not your responsibility.”
“You don’t need to do it all alone.” I dropped my voice so no one could hear but the two of us. “Let me help.”
She huffed out a growl. “Ripley.”
“Don’t growl at me like that without backing it up, darlin’.”
The anger burning in her eyes flickered into something else for a second before she banked it.
I gentled my voice. “I’ll take care of your truck. Just get him home.”
Her gaze dipped to the floor. “Thanks.”
I tipped her chin back up. “Text me when you’ve got him settled. I’ll come get you.”
She shook her head. “You’ve got your family—”
I kissed her firmly. “Text me.”
Her eyes were wide as they darted around, but then she finally nodded.
I glanced over at Luther with his mutinous scowl. “Give her any more trouble and it’ll be more than your lip that’s bloodied, Lu.”
“Fuck you, Murdock.”
But the heat had burned off and now he was sagging with the amount of alcohol running through his veins. Gigi had her arm around his lower back, leading him away.
I didn’t want to let Mercy handle it alone, but I knew how touchy family could be.
Her brother was a prick, but he was deferential enough to Mercy that I wasn’t worried he’d get physical with her at least.
I turned to my brother. “How’s the jaw?”
“My wife has a better swing.”
I laughed. “Do I want to know why Maxie has gotten one over on you?”
“She wanted to learn some self-defense.” He waggled his brows. “Was worth it to see the satisfaction in her eyes when she connected.”
I shook my head. “You’re a sick man.”
“Nah, just stupid in love.” He slapped me on the arm. “So, Mercy, huh?”
“Shut up.”
“Her brother is a jackass, but I like her.”
“Me too.”
“Don’t let Ma know.”
“Too late.”
“Oh, you’re toast then.” Cam cackled and dragged me over to our parents. “C’mon, we have to play nice for a bit longer.”
I sighed. “Yeah.” My pants buzzed and I took out my phone.
Mercy:
Got him in the car. Tell everyone I’m so sorry.
Nothing to be sorry about. Drive safe. Text me when you’ve got him settled.
I stuffed my phone back in my pocket.
The party was winding down. A few were still going strong on the dance floor but starting a wedding just before midnight when half the guest list started their day before dawn meant we had a bunch of lightweights.
I kept checking my phone as the guests slowly dispersed.
Nora and Sully were slow dancing, but I had a feeling they were both holding one another up at that point. Danny was settled on a pile of blankets near my mother and the caterers were starting to break everything down.
Mercy’s dessert table was a success and there were only a handful of tarts left. I had the caterers box up the cheesecake for my parents, as well as the tiered cake for my brother thanks to a head’s up from my mother.
Evidently there was some tradition with keeping part of the cake for the future.
All in all, the wedding was a helluva success.
Cam, Cash, and Gus got our parents bundled up to go home. Danny who would be staying with my parents while Sully and Nora went on their honeymoon.
It took some convincing to get the newlyweds to take some time off, but the five of us pooled our money and bought them tickets for a cruise around Europe.
Winter was our only semi-slow season. Sully had been working since he was old enough to drive and I wasn’t sure he’d ever taken a vacation in his life.
The only way it was going to happen was if we forced his hand.
I was pretty sure he was even more excited about it than Nora once we gave him the pile of tourist books to go with it.
I texted Mercy to check in on her, but she didn’t answer.
Worry rode me, but I knew it was probably pride holding her back from replying.
Especially when I had Parker and Cash do a drive-by of Luther’s house. Cash let me know that Luther’s car was parked in front. At least that meant they got home.
I imagined Mercy would sack out on his couch until morning, but I still wanted to check it out for myself.
But first, I had to deal with her van.
After I packed the newlyweds into the limo, I drove back to Hope Street.
The boot was off my tow truck, so at least I could start with that.
I parked my Caddy in front of Mercy’s bakery and hopped into the tow truck. I went back toward the venue and hauled Mercy’s van to my shop.
Exhaustion rode me, but I had to know what was wrong with her van. I hooked it up for a diagnostic scan. Not only did she need a new alternator, but the connectors to her battery were fucked.
“New van, my ass,” I muttered.
I put an order in for her parts and hopefully they’d come in the following day. I crashed on my office couch for a few hours. When dawn rolled around, I took my motorcycle out to find my woman.