Merrick: Harlequins MC (29 page)

“That’s your story?” Officer Tiller asked, the disbelief clear in his voice.

“It’s the truth,” Merrick said, holding the officer’s eyes. This was the fifth time he’d told the story, each time to a different officer.

His house had been crawling with cops for hours. He’d told the story straight, exactly as it went down, each time. The only change was he claimed to not know why Saul Mendel thought they had killed his club. He knew the shoot was clean. Saw’s pistol had the serial number removed, and the fact he was wearing a balletic vest, added credence he broke into the house with nefarious intentions. The only wild card was what Poppy would say. If she told them he’d called out Abana as the killer, he was going to have some explaining to do. He probably wouldn’t go to jail over it, but if it came out he had knowledge of what Abana was doing, that was going to put the Harlequins on the radar, which would seriously compromise their ability to conduct their off books business.

He hadn’t coached her on what to say, the cops often could see through that, but he’d suggested if she kept Abana’s name out of it, it would be helpful for him.

The cops had already taken their photos, bagged the guns, and hauled the body out, now only Tiller and the cop interviewing Poppy remained.

“We’ll be in touch,” Tiller said before giving him a curt nod and stepped out of the office. Merrick moved across the hall to the bedroom. She was alone. “You okay?” he asked.

“Yes. But I can’t stay here tonight.”

He nodded in understanding. The bedroom was a horror show with blood smears and a bullet hole. “Me neither. I’ll take you back to your hotel.”

She nodded and rose, walking past him without a glance. He pursed his lips and quickly gathered her a change of clothes and underwear, retrieved his backup weapon from the closet, and carried them with him as he followed her to the garage.

He drove her to the La Palacio Hotel in his truck, her clothes sitting between them untouched. “Who is Abana?” she asked, the first words she’d spoken since they left his house.

He wanted to ask her if she mentioned him to the cops but held his tongue. “Someone I do business with.”

“What kind of business?”

“Don’t ask me questions you don’t want to know the answers to.”

She looked at him. “I want to know.”

He swallowed hard. “He’s the leader of a drug cartel in Nuevo Laredo.”

“You sell drugs?” she asked, her voice flat.

“No.” When she didn’t say anything he glanced at her. She was staring at him, obviously not believing him. He pursed his lips in annoyance and pulled into the parking lot of a H-E-B and stopped. “It’s the truth.”

“Did you kill Saw’s men like he said?”

“No.”

“You had nothing to do with it? You expect me to believe that?”

“We didn’t start this, the Corpse Killers did. We have nothing to do with drugs. The only men we killed were in self-defense, like tonight.”

She watched his eyes. “What do you do for Abana?”

“He provides…merchandise.”

“What kind of merchandise.”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Guns? Women? Are you killers for hire?”

“No!” He looked down. “I never killed anyone until a few days ago. Saw sent his men to kill us. They ambushed us. They tried to kill us. We killed them instead.”

“What about the other two, whatever their names were?”

“They attacked us. We gave them the chance to walk away, just like I did with Saw. They didn’t take it.”

“Why is Abana trying to kill them?”

“They stole something from him.”

“What?”

He stared at her. “Guns.”

“Guns you provide?” When he said nothing she nodded. “That’s what I thought. Take me to the hotel.”

He slipped the truck into gear and pulled back out onto the road. “I’m sorry you got mixed up in all of this.”

“Yeah. Me too. I hate fucking guns.”

“A gun may have saved your life tonight.”

She looked at him. “I can’t believe you’re trying to justify what you do.”

“I’m not trying to justify shit. The fact is, if we didn’t supply him, somebody else would. But because we do, we have some control over what happens. We have a gentleman’s agreement with him that he keeps the violence on his side of the river.”

“So you’re the good guys now?”

“We’re damn sure not the bad guys. Most of the club doesn’t even know about the Abana deal. My dad started this before I was born. This is the first time anything like has happened. Why? Because those fucking Killers tried to fuck Abana, that’s why. They weren’t happy getting just a piece of the pie, they wanted the whole thing, and they paid for it with their lives. Worse, they tried to drag us into it. More than
thirty
years without one person being injured, then they got greedy and fuck it all up.”

“You’re regular Boy Scouts.”

“What would you have me do, Poppy? I gave him the chance to walk away. He didn’t take it. Should I have let him kill or injure you? Would that have made you happy? He came there to
kill
me, and he would have killed you, too, without a second thought.”

“I should have never become involved with you.”

“No, I guess you shouldn’t have.” He paused and softened. “I never intended for this to happen, I never expected this to happen, but I couldn’t let him hurt you.”

She glared at him. “You sell fucking guns to the fucking drug cartel! How could you think this wouldn’t happen?”

“Thirty years of history. Thirty
years,
longer than we’ve been alive. That’s why. And it wasn’t us or Abana who started it.”

They pulled up to the La Palacio and stopped. She sat for a moment then opened the door. “Thank you for the ride.”

He grabbed her arm as she began to slide out. “I’m sorry for what happened, but I’m glad I got to know you.” He smiled softly at her. “You’re a hell of a woman, Perty. I’m glad I was wrong about you.”

“Where are you going?”

He smiled, but she could see sadness in it as he shrugged. “Don’t know. There are plenty of places around.” He watched her a moment. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

She picked up her clothes and slid out of the truck, but stood there, door open, watching him as the truck idled. She was so confused. She was shocked and dismayed he sold guns, even more so he sold them to a drug cartel. But as she looked at him, she felt a sinking feeling in her stomach.

“You’re just going to let me leave? No threats? No warnings to not go to the cops and tell them everything you told me?”

“I would rather you didn’t, but I’m not going to threaten you, Poppy. It’s not my style. If you go to the cops I’ll deny everything. You have no proof, so it will be your word against mine.” He shrugged. “I want you to stay, but I would rather you leave than to stay because you’re afraid of me.”

“Should I be afraid of you?”

She watched as his melancholy smile faded. “If you have to ask the question, you don’t know me at all. Goodbye, Poppy,” he said as he put the truck in gear.

She took a step back and slammed the door. “Merrick! Wait!” she called as the truck began to roll. She opened the door again when he stopped. “Why did you tell me to cover my ears?”

“To protect your hearing. When he threatened you, he wasn’t leaving the room alive.”

“Why? You said he could walk away.”

“That was before he threatened you.”

“You killed him because he threatened me?”

“I killed him because he showed he was willing to hurt you. He wasn’t getting another chance.”

She stood there, watching him, her emotions in turmoil. She’d been terrified when Saw grabbed her neck, but Merrick had once again saved her. And he
had
given Saw a chance to walk away. Twice. It was only after he grabbed her that Merrick had gone diamond hard.

He sat in the truck, letting her work it through. He’d meant every word he’d said. She was a hell of a woman and he was glad he’d had the chance to get to know her, but not because she was Poppy Landrieu.

She started to close the door again and let him drive out of her life, but she couldn’t. “I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

“You don’t have to worry. You’re safe.”

“I don’t feel safe.”

“Do you want me to stay with you?”

She wanted to say no, but nodded. “Yes.”

He watched her for a moment. “I’ll park the truck.”

***

The hotel had blocked out two more weeks on the initial reservation so her room was still available. He swiped the door and entered first then held the door for her. She walked past him and he allowed the door to shut.

She showered, trying to wash off what she knew she couldn’t, then wept, the shower washing away her tears. She’d been so scared when Saw broke into Merrick’s house, when he rose from the floor after Merrick shot him, but most especially, when he’d threatened to kill her. Her heart had nearly stopped the moment his hand closed over her neck, but Merrick had been calm, cool…and deadly. There had been no hesitation and she’d escaped without a scratch.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, he’d already slid one of the chairs to in front of the door. “What’s that for?” she asked.

“Me.”

“You’re not coming to bed with me?”

“Is that what you want? I got the impression you were done with me.”

She pursed her lips together. “I don’t approve of what you do.” He shrugged. “You’re not going to stop, are you?”

“No.” He settled into the chair, then grimaced as he pulled his weapon out of the small of his back. He scrunched down low and placed his holstered weapon on his chest, covering it with his interlaced fingers, as he leaning his head against the back of the chair.

“Why are you here?”

“You said you didn’t want to be alone.”

“Why do you care?”

He shrugged. “Just do. I want you to feel safe. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you, Poppy, not while I can prevent it. Before they can get to you, they’ll have to go through me.”

She watched as he closed his eyes. For all the world it appeared he was going to sleep in the chair in front of the door. To protect her and make her feel safe…and not ask for anything in return.

“I would feel safer if you were holding me,” she said softly.

He opened his eyes. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

He watched her a moment. “I can’t change who I am.”

She gave him a flicker of a smile. “I don’t want you to.”

He didn’t move. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I don’t approve, will never approve, of what you do.” She smiled at him again. “But I don’t want you to change.”

He watched for a moment then rose from the chair, placing the weapon close at hand beside the table. She plucked at his shirt and he undressed. She smiled, and began to disrobe with him. She slid into the bed and snuggled in close, recoiling as he hissed and gasped, his face twisting in pain as his back arched.