Mercy

by Debra Anastasia

  His eyes were heavy lidded then. He gave me a small nod. “I thought you’d never ask.”

  I stopped and grabbed his hand. “What happened?”

  He ignored my fingers on his bandage. “Nothing. It’s nothing.”

  I kissed him three more times while giving Clarissa the middle finger. I heard her sputter and stomp off. I led Nix behind me all the way to the bar. I saw Hat and Spiky hurrying out the door.

  There was a stack of orders waiting for me. My bathroom break had taken far longer than anticipated. Nix found a stool at the end of the bar and sat. Henry was at my side quickly.

  “I think you need to meet Sexy Skull outside of work hours. You’re killing me back here.” Henry started helping me make drinks.

  “I’m sorry. There was an altercation. And then some kissing.” I double-timed my process and added a little extra booze to the last rounds to make up for the lapse in service.

  Henry slapped my ass three times before she went out on the floor again and I deserved every one of them.

  Nix wasn’t drinking anymore. He scanned the club and then stared at me again, and I wasn’t completely happy until I knew his eyes were on me.

  The whole thing was vivid. Powerful. Probably slightly unhealthy.

  The lights must have flashed while I was in the hallway because Henry started the process of grabbing empties. I waited for them and began closing out tabs for her.

  It was another twenty minutes before we were securing the doors behind the last customer. Animal was gone, but Nix was still at the end of the bar.

  Henry kept elbowing me and making faces when her back was turned to Nix.

  I rolled my eyes at her. When the register was cashed out and the tips were accounted for, it was time to go. Nix said nothing, just followed Henry and me to her car.

  I gave her a hug and she fed Nix a few warnings about treating me right. He bowed at her and gave her a little salute.

  I was grateful for my ridiculous heels because it was nice to be dressed up for him. He walked with me, his arm lightly under my elbow, and led me to the passenger side of my Focus.

  “Animal has my car. Do you want me to drive yours?” He was too close. If I looked up at him, we would be almost kissing. I nodded without taking the chance. I dug in my purse and handed him my keys. He hit the unlock button and put his hands on my hips, moving me over just enough so he could open the door for me. I slid into my passenger seat.

  I waited for a second for the door to close. When it didn’t, I did go ahead and look at him.

  He was watching me like I was the dangerous one. He put his index finger under my chin and licked his lips.

  Looking up at him, I couldn’t hide how much I wanted to see what he could do to me.

  I heard him mumble, “God damn it all to hell,” before closing my door carefully.

  I turned in my passenger seat and watched as he navigated the driver’s side. Seeing him start my car like it was one he’d driven a million times was hot.

  He backed up by putting his arm around my seat. I kissed his hand and he hit the brakes.

  “Careful.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him.

  “Put your seat belt on,” he commanded.

  I touched my lips. “Drive safe so I won’t need one.”

  The standoff lasted a few heartbeats before a full smile broke out on his face, dimple and all. “Becca, Becca, Becca. So damn feisty.”

  I kicked my heels off and put my feet on the dashboard, knowing my skirt was falling away from my legs.

  “That’s a great way to get your legs blown off in an accident.” He tapped the dashboard.

  I leaned forward and turned on my radio. One of my favorite songs was on so I started to sing along.

  The streetlights were a lightening effect inside the car. He leaned away from me, one elbow on the armrest, the other hand on the top of the steering wheel.

  I wanted more kisses. The paint was sexy. His hands shadowed with the bones that would be below the skin. The skull harsh in the flashes of light.

  He was so different than everyone else. This feeling in my chest looking at him was profound. It was changing how my lust was wired.

  He looked over and locked eyes with me while I watched him. Every few seconds he would glance at the road. I watched him mouth, “So beautiful.”

  My gaze dropped. “Beautiful” was a tough word around me. I looked out my window.

  We pulled into my apartment’s parking lot. After Nix shut off the engine, when it occurred to me what had just happened, I had the chills.

  “I never told you where I lived.” I turned my head to see what the hell he would say.

  He looked at the dashboard. “Yeah, I know.”

  “You know where I live?”

  He turned his attention to his hands.

  “Answer me, Nix. How did you know where I live?” The buzz I had when he looked back at my face didn’t fade.

  He got out of the car and came around to my side. He held the door open for me.

  I put my heels back on and got out of the car, ignoring his open hand that was offered for help. The heels got me closer to his mouth. I crossed my arms in front of me.

  He shuffled and put his hands into his pockets while looking at his feet.

  I leaned back into my car and grabbed my purse. “Can I have my keys?”

  I was pissed. It didn’t make sense. He had no reasonable excuse for knowing where I lived. And I really wanted him to have an excuse.

  He took the keys out of his pocket and put them behind his back. Then he put his other hand behind his back as well.

  “What are you doing?”

  He looked at my face and then my eyes. “I thought it was beautiful that you would stand up for an old drunk guy. That’s why I said you were so beautiful.”

  I blinked. Then I shook my head. “It’s my job.”

  “No, it’s not. Your job is to pour drinks, not save people.” He was looking at me in a way that seemed like it should be reserved for heroes.

  “I don’t like to see people hurt.” I shrugged.

  “Can you forget that I knew where you lived? Can you just let tonight be about everything but that?” He stepped closer to me.

  He smelled good. I bet his fingers knew exactly what to do.

  I stepped forward and turned the tables on him. “What would you tell me to do right now, if you were a different guy? Like if you were another guy that took me home like this, what would your advice to me be?”

  He looked like I’d slapped him. “I would tell you to run. That that guy was shady as fuck.”

  He stepped even closer and spoke against my lips, “And then I would probably kill him for looking at you.”

  Goose bumps went racing down my body.

  “I’ll tell you everything I am. Someday. But tonight…” He pulled my keys out from behind his back and picked up my hands. When I opened them, he put the keys on my palm. “I’ll wait here until you’re inside. Lock the doors.”

  I waited with him as my common sense warred with this indescribable feeling in my chest I got when he looked at me.

  “How are you going to get home?” I looked over my shoulder into the dark woods. He had no vehicle here.

  “I’ll walk.” He leaned even closer, whispering against my neck, “Or I’ll stay right here and watch your door all night to make sure you’re safe.”

  I put my hand on his chest and leaned my head against his. The pull from him to me was something I could almost touch.

  “Are you going to hurt me?” I put my words against his neck.

  He put one arm around my back. “Never.”

  I put my keys in his hand. “Take me home.”

  19

  ARMOR

  Fenix

  I wrapped my fingers around her keys. Wildest dreams. Greatest hopes. Dirtiest plans. All of it in a stunning second. In a moment of trust that nearly took me to my knees.

  I told her I was a killer. Damned near told
her I stalked her. But still.

  Keys.

  I wanted to ravage her against her car, but the assassin part of me knew it was best to get her inside.

  I closed the car door, then took her hand and pulled her behind me. I knew the way. No secrets anymore about that. I hit the lock button on her Focus and it made a corresponding honk.

  She said nothing as I went to her apartment door and opened it. I hung her keys on the hook she had by the door.

  I closed and locked the door behind me. She tossed her purse on the floor. I turned and faced her. Despite how badly I wanted her, I would give her all the choices in the world. She could change her mind and I’d let her.

  Instead of fear I saw determination. She pulled on my shirt, untucking it first and then pushing it over my head. My arms were trapped behind me after she freed my head.

  In the light she left on in the kitchen, she could see me. I watched as puzzlement changed her gorgeous face to confusion. She spread her hands on my chest. I didn’t have to look down. I knew what she saw. The hyoid bone on my throat trailed down to my chest plate and ribcage. It was wildly intricate. Just underneath the ribs, the remnants of a broken anatomically correct heart could be seen. In the veins there were words. My mother’s name. Ember’s name. And if she looked closely, she would see the name Rebecca.

  “This is real. This isn’t paint. This is ink.”

  I watched as the truth filtered through. I looked away. I couldn’t see the change in her. The perfect night was going sour quickly.

  “Nix, this is ink.” She still had her hands on me. I nodded once. “Who are you?”

  Great question. I had a million answers, and none of them were flattering.

  “Look at me.” She kept one hand on my chest and used the other to make me turn my face. Finally I manned up and looked into her eyes.

  Not judgment.

  Wonderment.

  I almost staggered.

  “Who are you?” It was a question, but she didn’t mean it that way. Her lips on mine stunned me stupid.

  She was kissing me. I shimmied my arms the rest of the way out of my shirt.

  She wanted me.

  Me.

  I held her close because she was so incredibly important. Her skin was soft and her curves were meant for my hands. Touching her was much better than watching her. I felt my heart taking off its armor.

  I put my hands in her hair. She was pushing me toward her bedroom. I didn’t need directions, so I reached down and got two handfuls of her ass. She hopped just like I needed her to. With her legs around my waist, I walked her to her bedroom.

  I placed her onto the bed and crawled on top of her. I didn’t want to rush, but my blood was pounding in my ears and my dick.

  “Why so much ink?” She ran her hands up my biceps, which I flexed out of reflex. The light on her bedside table offered it all to her.

  “It hides me.” I gave her my best answer.

  “It’s beautiful.”

  She was using the words I used to describe her. To describe me. Impossible. And yet.

  I kissed her jawline, then nibbled her ear with her caged in my arms. Safe in my arms. No one could hurt her now because I was here.

  She was mapping my skin with her fingertips. I checked her eyes. There wasn’t the glazed fetish I normally saw. She was with me. She was present.

  Her heels hit the floor. She must have kicked them off. She pushed up further on the bed with her feet. I was face to cleavage with her gorgeous rack.

  I placed a kiss in the center.

  She had a plan to get on top of me and I didn’t fight her, letting her ease out from under and helping her straddle my hips.

  I wished I wasn’t wearing them. Her eyes cleared a bit more. She traced the heart on my chest. “Names.”

  I looked at her red painted fingernail as she touched my mother’s name.

  “My mom.”

  And then she found Ember’s.

  “My sister.”

  And then she covered her mouth and touched the Rebecca.

  I waited.

  “It can’t be?”

  I picked her hand up and kissed her finger.

  “You have my name tattooed on your chest? That’s impossible. We just met. This isn’t fresh ink.”

  There had to be a way to explain to her that it was from a genuine place. That I never imagined we’d be here like this. That she’d ever see her name.

  I bit my lip. What words would make it normal for her, when it was so far from that?

  “My heart has always been yours.” I swallowed. She’d known me for two nights. Even Becca couldn’t make this okay in her head.

  The explosion through her window made my mind scream a primal wail. Glass shattered like glittering shards of confetti. Before all of it had hit the floor, I had flipped so she was under me.

  We were under attack.

  ~Becca~

  I knew I had glass in my shoulder because it was instantly painful. Well, I didn’t know it was glass until I saw the gaping hole in my bedroom window. Then it was common sense.

  Nix was on top of me, but he was looking at the window.

  “Let’s get on the floor.”

  He pointed to the spot next to my bed. I scooted over and he came with me. When we were low, he put his index finger to his lips.

  I knew I was about to cry because my nose and throat started burning. Crying wouldn’t help now.

  Another explosion made me jump. I cuddled into Nix and he covered me as best he could. He had a phone in his hand when I looked again. The screen read “Animal.”

  Becca’s house. Three bricks through the window. Ongoing.

  He slid the phone back into his pocket.

  “We need to get somewhere else.”

  “Okay.” I moved and it took a second for him to realize I was going to show him.

  We crawled through the open door as another brick must have hit near the window. The loud thwack made me jump. I felt Nix’s hand on my back. “Keep going.”

  I did as he said and opened my second bedroom. It was the place I kept all my claw prize winnings and I would have probably been embarrassed if my heart wasn’t pounding in my chest.

  Once we were in the room, he found the closet and opened it. “Okay. Stay in here. I’m going to see who that is.”

  Panic raced through me. “No. Don’t leave me here. Please.”

  I could barely get the words out. He put his fist to his lips and seemed to be thinking things through. I held his hand tight. I was scared.

  “Okay. Okay. I’ll stay.”

  He scoured the room and found a pair of scissors I kept in the desk for opening stubborn packages.

  Once he was armed with the scissors, he joined me in the closet. He slid the dresses and winter coats to the side. I stepped into him until I could put my face on his chest.

  I was shaking. He tenderly rubbed my lower back as he juggled the scissors and his cell phone. “Animal’s almost here. Hold these.”

  He handed me the scissors and started typing. The cell phone light revealed the heart with my name on it. Right this very second that tattoo was giving me comfort.

  After he typed he took the scissors back. “Shh.”

  I tried to stop moving. He was listening. People in the apartment building had to have heard the bricks going through the window. Someone for sure would call the cops.

  We both jumped when Nix’s cell phone vibrated. He answered the call. I could hear both sides.

  “It’s clear out here.” Animal’s voice was calm.

  “Yeah?” Nix replied.

  “You want me to come up?” Animal asked.

  “No, we’re cool.” Nix tilted his head.

  “You coming out, baby?” Animal was getting the lay of the land.

  “In five.” Nix offered.

  “The cops are on their way.” Animal told him.

  “I know.” Nix cursed softly as he ended the call.

  He opened the closet. We both
stepped into the prize room. He pointed at all my stuffed animals.

  “I have a problem.” I waved at them.

  He nodded.

  “Who was it? Does Animal know?” I clasped my arms.

  ~Nix~

  I wanted to hug her and tell her it was going to be okay. That she should stay with me. But then I watched her eyes fall on my heart tattoo again. Worry brought her eyebrows together.

  I’d ruined everything with her before it even got started.

  “We have suspicions.”

  My father.

  “Do you have to go?” The sirens were in the distance.

  I nodded.

  “Okay.” She took the scissors from me. “I’ll just wait here for the cops with these.”

  I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to explain more, but I could sense it would likely make things even worse.

  I checked her bedroom and then closed it so she didn’t have to see the glass in there.

  I found my shirt on the floor and put it on. She followed me to the living room with the scissors facing me, taking on everything.

  Even me.

  “I’ll watch your place from outside until the cops show up.”

  Her hair was a mess. She turned a little and I saw a cut on her shoulder. It was bleeding.

  “You’re hurt.” I reached my hand out to her.

  “I’m fine. It’s just glass.” She waved me off. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.”

  The sirens were louder.

  “Why do you have to leave before the cops get here?” Her eyes got shiny with the tears she refused to shed.

  I lifted my eyebrows. There was a lot to that answer.

  “Just go.” She looked at the living room window where the blinds were open.

  I let myself out and waited until I heard her click the lock behind me. I stepped into the dark to wait for the police to show up.

  The best night of my life just turned into the worst. I put my hand on my heart and let my fingers dig into the skin there.

  ~Becca~

  I held the scissors pointed at the door after he left. I felt ambushed. The whole night with Nix had been surreal. And now I had a bedroom full of glass with bricks in it. I closed my eyes and looked at the ceiling. I felt the tears seeping from the corners of my eyes.