No Mercy Read online

  “Good riddance.” I heard Mandy grumble under her breath.

  “Let me go motherfucker.” Bec was trying to squirm away from King’s grasp. He looked to Batey, who nodded, so he let her go. Once she was free from him she too, turned around and marched her skanky ass out of my bar.

  “Good riddance.” I heard Mandy, yet again, grumble under her breath.

  At that, Franky burst out laughing.

  Hash, whose mouth was still hanging open, turned his wide eyes from me to her, “You bitches are crazy,” he remarked.

  At that, Franky laughed harder.

  I looked him in the eyes and told him, “Buddy, you have no idea.”

  Just then the door opened and a shit load of tattooed men wearing their leather vests that sported Mercy MC patches, poured into my bar. And right behind them was a smug looking Avery.

  Oh fucking goodie.

  Chapter Two

  I was surrounded. Surrounded by burly, pissed off looking, tatted up men, two very smug looking skanks and two whores. Oh how I wished in that moment I had not left my gun upstairs in my room. This was going to go bad, very bad, I just knew it.

  Avery took a step in my direction and pointed a red, manicured finger at me.

  “She’s the bitch that choked me.” I didn’t realize before how high pitched her voice was.

  Ugh. She got worse and worse.

  “Let’s just all calm the fuck down here. Avery, did you bother to tell them that you put your hands on her first?” Batey said, clearly trying to be the voice of reason. He was standing in front of me. Almost…. Protectively. It was a nice gesture but I didn’t need him to protect me. Gun or no gun, I could take care of myself. It was not the time to share that with him though.

  Avery waved him off. “I touched her fuckin’ arm then she turned into a psycho.”

  This was, unfortunately, true. She touched my arm and I totally turned into a psycho. I had a habit of attacking people when they touched me uninvited.

  A man stepped away from the group and I couldn’t tear my eyes off of him. Holy shit. He had to be the sexiest man I had ever laid my eyes on. And I’d laid my eyes on a lot of men. A lot of men. He was tall, so tall he had to be at least six four, maybe six five. And he had the most striking green eyes I had ever seen. His hair was dark and long, so long that it hung down past his shoulders. He sported a thick beard that gave him a rugged, wild look. He had black and white ink that slithered up both of his arms and disappeared under his t-shirt. He had this look to him that screamed DANGER. And he was looking at me, standing behind Batey, with a strange mix of anger and curiosity in his eyes.

  “What the fuck is going on here? Batey, you better start talking right fuckin’ now.” His voice was low and gravelly. And completely fucking sexy. It fit perfect with the whole dangerous, rugged, wild man thing he had going on.

  I needed to get my head checked. This dude was pissed, probably pissed at me, and there I was practically drooling over him.

  Fuck.

  “Alright Captain, just chill.” Batey made that stupid hand gesture again that was meant to calm people down. I’m pretty sure it was an epic fail when the beautiful man growled at him. “So, we came over here to check the place out, ya know, get a feel for it. Plus Avery, Bec and Hash were looking for jobs. Duchess here, offered Hash a job. She said she didn’t have positions for the girls and I think that pissed Avery off. Avery being Avery, decided it was a good Idea to grab Duchess and that’s when-“

  “That’s when she fucking grabbed me by the throat and started choking me!” Avery screamed, completely cutting Batey off.

  “She doesn’t like to be touched… Obviously.” Franky, of course, had to put in her two cents, her very unhelpful two cents. “You should consider yourself lucky that that’s all that happened to you. You walked in here with an attitude and then you pulled that shit. Um… no. Just sayin’. That shit is not cool.”

  “Fuck You!” Avery screeched.

  “Avery, shut the fuck up and stop screaming.” Captain growled at her. Seriously, he just growled. Again. “You failed to mention that you grabbed her. You flew into the clubhouse screaming at the top of your lungs about some bitch from next door choking you. And now, come to find out, that you grabbed her first. If you were an old lady that would mean something, but you’re not. I know you think you’re somethin’ special but you’re not. You are nothing but a piece of ass to this club. My boys do not need to be dragged over here on some bullshit, bullshit that you fucking created for yourself. This ain’t even the first time you’ve pulled this shit. I’m fucking tired of it, and now I’m done with it. Fucking done. You need to get your dirty ass back to the clubhouse, get your shit and then get the fuck gone.”

  “Cap, please don’t do this. I love you!” Avery cried.

  “Bitch, please. You do not love me, you love my cock. And I sure as fuck don’t love a nasty ass bitch like you. Dime a dozen.” He let out a humorless laugh at that. “Now get your shit. And. Get. The. Fuck. Gone.”

  He turned his back to her at that and looked to me. Poor Avery stood there and tears streamed down her face. Ha, not so smug now are ya bitch? He completely ignored her and took a step in my direction. Batey, who was still in front of me, tensed.

  I stepped to the side of Batey and stuck out my hand.

  “Hey. I’m Duchess.”

  He took the hand I had offered to him and shook it. “Captain.”

  “I’d say it’s nice to me you but…… It’s kind of not.” After I said that, he tipped his head back and burst out laughing.

  I didn’t think it was wise at that point in time to tell him I wasn’t being funny. I was being serious. I could so do without these assholes. Except for Hash and Batey, I kind of liked them. Hash had a weird, kind of innocent, vibe to him and Batey, well, he acted like he wanted to protect me. Even Stanley never tried to protect me. Except for the one time with Jim on my birthday no one had ever protected me. How could I not like Batey after that? I didn’t need it, but still, I liked that he wanted to do it.

  “This is bullshit.” Avery snarled at me. Gone were the tears. She was back to being the pissed off, haughty skank. Thank God for that. She took my attention off of the sexy Captain.

  “What’s bullshit is you still being here. I told you to get the fuck out and trust me when I say this, you do not want me to have to tell you again.” Captain warned.

  “This isn’t over bitch!” She declared, then turned and practically ran out of my bar.

  “Bring it on.” Franky taunted.

  “Oh my God, Franky, please just shut up.”

  “Whatever.” She shook her head at me. “Can we get back to drinking, now that the drama just walked out the door?”

  “I could use a drink.” Came from one of the guys who had yet to be named. Which was followed by “me too” and “hell yeah.”

  “We got shit to do. Don’t have time for that.” Captain said. Then he looked at me and asked, “You give Hash a job?”

  “Yeah. He’s supposed to come in tomorrow and my girls are going to show him around. Hopefully, that will be drama free.”

  “Thank you for that. Kid’s got mouths to feed and could use the money. Sorry about the drama. We’ll let you get back to your business.” And just like that, he was gone, taking the unknown bikers with him. All that remained were Hash and Batey.

  “Thanks for the job, Duchess. I appreciate it.” Hash told me before he turned to Franky and Mandy and told them, “See you girls tomorrow.” Then, he too, turned and walked out.

  Only one left to go.

  Batey turned around and faced me. He was still standing right in front of me. He tipped his head to the side, studying me. “Girl, you’re somethin’ else.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.

  “Just that you got some big ass balls, that’s all. I didn’t mean anything bad by it.” He shook his head, still looking at me like he was studying me. “I gotta go, but I look forward to seeing you again. Maybe next time, I’ll be the lucky one and you’ll put your hands on me.” He winked at me before he turned and left.

  “Did he just… flirt with me?” I asked, stupidly.

  “Yeah, he did. Probably because you’re hot. Totally fucking crazy, but still, shit hot.” Mandy answered, giving me a duh look.

  “Men don’t flirt with me.”

  “She’s right. They don’t. Probably because you’re right and she’s totally fucking crazy. It also doesn’t help that she’s prone to acts of violence.” After she said that, Franky snickered.

  “Fuck you both.” I flipped them off. “I’m thinking that I’m done with this interview business. I’m all out of friendly. I’m going to head upstairs for a while, I’ve got some stuff to do. You think you guys can handle things if someone else shows up?”

  “Yeah, Duch, no worries. We can handle it.” Franky said, as she plopped her ass back on her stool. “Go on up. Oh, and don’t forget, I’ve got some clients tonight. You gotta be here for that.”

  “Shit. I forgot about that. Just give me a heads up before they’re supposed to get here, okay Franky?”

  “Sure thing Duch. You want me to break Mandy in tonight?

  I looked at her, surprised she would ask me that, and also kind of pissed. “That’s up to Mandy, Franky. That’s not up to you and it sure as fuck isn’t up to me. When she’s ready I’m sure she will let me know. In the meantime, you will not put pressure on her to try and make her do anything before she’s ready to. You get what I’m sayin’ to you?”

  “Yeah, Yeah. Relax. I get you.”

  I looked at her for a couple of seconds, then I leaned forward with my fists at my sides, clenched. I pushed, “Franky…”

  “Seriously, I will leave her alone until she’s
ready. I promise.”

  I took a deep breath and nodded. “Don’t forget to let me know before they get here.”

  I didn’t wait for a response, I turned on my heel, climbed the stairs and walked straight to my bedroom door. Once inside I turned the lock on the door. I walked to my dresser, pulled open the top drawer, reached inside, grabbed my gun and pulled it out.

  I let out a sigh of relief. Just holding it in my hands calmed my nerves. That whole scene was intense. More shit I did not need.

  Well, there was nothing for it now.

  I walked over to my bed, pulled the covers back and crawled in. I curled up in my bed, with my head on my pillow. I put my hands on my pillow, in front of my face. I still had a hold of my gun. It too, rested in front of my face.

  That’s how I fell asleep.

  Chapter Three

  I opened my eyes and sat up with a start. I looked around my room and was submerged into complete darkness. My breathing was heavy. I hated waking up surrounded in darkness, it brought my demons out to the surface and I couldn’t face my demons in the dark.

  There was banging on my door, which is what must have woken me up.

  “Duchess… Franky says that you have to come down soon. It’s almost time.” Mandy yelled at me through the door.

  I got up off of the bed. I kept my gun in my hand and I walked to the door. I turned the lock and opened the door a couple of inches. I could see Mandy standing there with her fist raised, ready to knock again.

  “Hey,” I said, my voice coming out rough from sleep.

  “Oh,” she lowered her hand and took a step back. “Franky wanted me to come up here and get you, she says it’s almost time.” She looked at me nervously then quickly looked down at the floor. “Do you…. do you want me to-”

  I cut her off, “No Mandy. Not until you’re ready. It’s only been a week since your bruises have faded. I want you to go out to the main room, get something to drink and then make yourself comfortable. When the men come upstairs I want you to be nice to them. I want you to flirt with them. I want you to get them drinks if they want it, only offer them alcohol or water though, nothing else. Can you do that for me?” She nodded. “Good girl. Now, if you feel like doing more than that, all you have to do is tell me. But, you do not do more until you are ready. You put yourself out there before you’re ready, there’s a chance things could go very wrong and I do not like being put into a situation like that because if things go wrong for you, they go wrong for me and I’m not down with that. If I’m not down with it, you really won’t be down with it. I don’t know your story, but I do know you knew what you were signing yourself up for when you moved in here. So, you take your time, when you’re ready just let me know… Yeah?”

  “I get you Duchess. I can do what you want me to but that’s all I want to do this time. I just, I don’t know… I guess I want to feel comfortable in my surroundings first. Is that okay?”

  “Yeah, that’s fine. I want you to be comfortable here. It’s your home now too, for as long as you want it to be. Go change your clothes and wait in the main room up here.”

  I didn’t wait for a response, I just shut the door in her face. I don’t have a whole lot of patience for green girls. You have to hold their hands and I am not a hand holder. I know Franky and Franky knows me, so I know she wouldn’t bring a green girl into my home, which really made me wonder about Mandy. It’s not that I wanted to know her story, because I didn’t. I don’t care where she’s been or what kind of things she’s done, or better yet, who she’s done. I could care less about all that shit. What I cared about though, was having a whore under my roof who’s afraid of spreading her legs, which wouldn’t really make her much of a whore at all. And if she’s not much of a whore than she’s really not going to be much of anything to me other than a waste of space and food.

  I sighed. Something to worry about for later, right then I didn’t have the time for it.

  ***

  After changing my clothes and throwing my hair up into a pony tail I turned and stared at myself in the bathroom mirror. I saw a woman. She was tall and slim, not a whole lot going for her in the curves department, pale, long dark hair with eyes so dark brown they could almost pass as black. She was dressed in all black. Plain black, long sleeved, thermal shirt and black jeans. She wore no smile. Some would call this woman beautiful, gorgeous even, they would say she looked like a model. To me, she looked fierce, she looked dark and she looked dangerous.

  At that thought, I smiled.

  My reflection smiled back at me.

  Before I left my room I slid my gun into the back waistband of my jeans. Then I picked two shiny, silver knives up off of the top of my dresser. I palmed them, feeling their weight in my hands. They were light, not weighing much. After I rolled them around in my palms, I slid them, point first, up into my shirt sleeves. Only then was I ready.

  I left my room, locked my door on my way out, and headed to the stairs. As I passed through the main room I could see Mandy seated on the arm of a chair, fiddling with the hem of her dress. She looked beautiful, beautiful but nervous, in a short black dress that clung to her body like a second skin. She had left her long, dark hair down to flow around her shoulders and down her back.

  She looked up as I walked past. I gave her a reassuring smile which she tried, but failed, to return. I kept on walking without saying anything to her. At least she’d dressed the part.

  When I reached the bottom of the stairs I headed right, towards the bar. I knew that’s where Franky would be and I was right. She sat on a stool with her elbows propped up on the bar, a glass filled with dark liquor hung loosely between her hands.

  She looked up at the sound of my approach.

  Franky I did not offer a reassuring smile, she didn’t need one.

  “Please, tell me she’s not a fucking green girl.”

  She shook her head at me. “She’s not, Duch. I’d never bring a Greeny to you, you have to know that. Besides, what would be the point? Girl like that wouldn’t last half a day with you. However, her story, which I don’t know all of and even if I did, still wouldn’t be for me to tell you.” She turned away and mumbled, “Not that you’d want to hear it anyway.”

  “You’re right, I wouldn’t want to hear it. I’ve got enough of my own demons in my head, I don’t need to fill it with some whores too.”

  She saluted me with her drink. “Nice.”

  “Drink up now, cupcake, while you can. Pretty soon the only thing that will be going into that pretty mouth of yours will be some douchebags cock.” I winked at her while I walked to the front door so I could unlock it.

  “Remind me, why are we friends again?”

  I asked myself this question all the time. I didn’t answer her though.

  After I unlocked the door I made her take her drink upstairs to wait with Mandy. I walked around the bar and got myself a beer out of the cooler then headed back around and sat in Frankys seat. I didn’t sit how she had though. I sat up straight, facing the door, with my feet on the floor.

  I sipped from my beer and I waited.

  Fifteen minutes and another beer later the door slowly swung open. Three men walked in. Oh how nice, they must have carpooled for their trip to the whore house. Save on gas so you can spend more on ass.

  They were all in their late thirties to early forties. One of them was balding and the other two sported pooches. I knew these men well. Although, not as well as Franky, thank God for that. I think they were in love with her. Married and in love with a whore. Or, maybe they were just in love with the things that she let them do with her and to her….and according to Franky, the things that they liked to do to each other.

  The three of them wore small smiles on their faces as they walked right up to me. The balding one tipped his head at me, his way of saying hello.

  “Hello Duchess. How are you this evening?” One of the pooches said to me.

  “I’m good Jeremy. How are things with you?”