“I’m a little confused too.” She glanced toward the window, maybe thinking about whatever she’d witnessed out there. “There’s one group that says they support ‘the Storm,’ which seems to be a code word for their leader. Maybe that’s Xavier. I’ve seen guys who look like the ones we figured were his in that group as well as some former Steel Knights. I’d guess the remaining Steel Knights threw in their lot with the guy who was backing Colt after Colt died. It’d make sense.”
I nodded. “Nowhere else to go. We sure as hell wouldn’t welcome them if they knocked on our door.”
Mercy smirked and then went on. “Then there’s a bunch I haven’t recognized at all that are working for someone they call ‘the Red Shark.’ Another code name, I’m guessing.”
“The Storm and the Red Shark,” I repeated. “Never heard of either of them.”
Mercy sighed. “It’s very weird. Anyway, the Storm people I’ve seen so far look more confident and experienced, but the Red Shark people have been hitting them hard and quick wherever they can. There’ve been a few run-ins already with bodies dropped on both sides.”
I raised my eyebrows, impressed all over again. “You’ve really been putting the puzzle together.” But then, I shouldn’t be surprised. This was the woman who’d exposed a murderer none of us had even suspected. When Mercy put her mind to something, she got it done.
That was one of the reasons I liked her so much.
“It’s important to me,” she said. “There are people here, families who are afraid to step outside after dark. The violence that Colt sparked isn’t over yet. I want to see it finished.” She paused, giving me a pointed look. “While the Storm people and the Red Shark guys are busy fighting with each other, it seems like it’d be a good time for the Nobles to sweep in and take care of both.”
I held up my hands. “Hey, I agree with you. But you know it’s not up to me. Dad is pretty pissed off that we didn’t realize this Xavier psycho was a factor beforehand. Now he wants to be sure of exactly what and who we’re dealing with before he takes any major action. He won’t admit it, but I think that whole exploding lackey thing unnerved even him.” My own stomach still turned, remembering that bloody scene.
“How long is he going to procrastinate?” Mercy muttered. “What if things take a turn for the worse?”
Seeing the worry etched all over her gorgeous face, something in me softened. “You care about these people.”
“This is my home. Of course I care about them.”
Caring could be dangerous, though. I knew that, and I made a point of caring about as few people as possible because of it. The fact that Mercy had worked her way into becoming one of that small number still kind of amazed me.
“Do they care about you?” I asked.
“They don’t know me. Not yet,” Mercy said more to herself than me. “But I don’t need them to. I just want all of them to have more choice about their lives than I did.”
She got up, stepping toward the window. The afternoon sunlight glinted off her dark hair in a sort of halo, and right then, I couldn’t tear my eyes off of her. My determined, vengeful princess. She sure hadn’t lost her spark with Colt’s death. If anything, her fire was burning even hotter.
And damn, did I want to burn right with her in all the best ways.
We couldn’t get anything else done for the Bend right now, but there were plenty of other things I’d like to do when she looked like that. When it’d been five days since I’d so much as touched her.
I got up and walked over to her, setting my hands on her waist and bowing my head close to hers. “So tell me, Kitty Cat, in between all this prowling, did you ever get lonely here all by yourself?”
Mercy didn’t step away. The mood in the air changed, almost crackling with anticipation. I could see the shift as her eyes darkened and her tongue came out to flick across her lower lip.
“I wasn’t totally alone,” she retorted in a teasing tone. “Anthea managed to come by and keep me company.”
I dropped my voice lower. “I certainly hope you didn’t do with her all the things I’d like to do with you.”
Mercy cocked her head. “I guess you’re lucky I don’t swing that way then, because otherwise she could totally get some.”
I let out a little growl and tugged her closer so her breasts brushed my chest. Even with the layers of fabric between us, the sensation sent a flare of heat straight to my groin. “Keep talking like that, and I’ll have to find some way to remind you how good you have it with me.” I guided her around and eased her backward toward the bedroom door.
Mercy let me direct her steps, but she gazed up at me with mischief as well as desire in her eyes. “Was it good? It’s been so long, I can’t quite—”
I’d been kind of hoping she’d make the first move, but one of us had greater patience, and it sure as hell wasn’t me. I grasped her ponytail and yanked her toward me, and our mouths crashed together. It was all heat and teeth and tongues, some kind of battle for dominance I wasn’t sure I wanted to win.
I tugged her hips against mine, letting her feel the hard press of my cock. Her breath hitched against my lips. I kissed her harder, walking her farther backward at the same time, pausing on the threshold of the bedroom when I couldn’t resist grinding into her. She curled her fingers into my shirt and arched against me. Her needy gasp mingled with my groan.
The bedroom was bare except for a queen-sized bed and a narrow dresser next to it. I lifted her and tossed her onto the bed, climbing over her as she settled onto the covers. Then we were kissing again. Her fingers dug into my hair, tugging gently and then insistently enough to send a prickle of pain through my scalp. I chuckled. “Easy, Kitten.”
When she grumbled impatiently, I kissed a trail down her jaw to her collarbone, swirling my tongue around it, tracing the shape of the bone under her warm sun-kissed skin.
She hooked her thighs around my hips and pulled me to her. I had no choice but to oblige. I pinned her hands above her and brought my mouth back to hers, thrusting my hard cock against her pussy through our jeans at the same time.