Page 23 of Mercy

Maybe I've been overthinking things, trying too hard to unravel every mystery.

I take a long pull from my beer, the cold liquid doing little to ease the tension in my shoulders.

Kraken takes a sip and looks right in my eyes, “Whatever it is, it’s really fuckin’ with ya. I can see that clear as day, so you might as well spill.”

I might as well get it off my chest. "There was this thing a couple of weeks back," I start, my voice low. "Meghan and I were at that diner just down the road, you know the one."

Kraken nods, leaning in closer.

"We ran into her cousin there. Meghan got all weird, man. Like, shut down completely." I can still see the way her face had drained of color, how her hand had trembled slightly around her coffee mug.

"She immediately got defensive, acted like a completely different person. When I asked her about it, she just muttered something about her family being bad news. As soon as we were done eating she practically dragged me out of there."

I pause, running a hand through my hair. "I've never seen her like that before. It was like... like she was scared, you know?"

Kraken's brow furrows, his expression thoughtful.

He takes a swig of his own beer before responding. "Look, Tor, when Meghan first came to us as ahora, we knew she had a rough go of it. But the details? That shit's always been hazy."

I nod, remembering how guarded Meghan had been when we first met.

How long it took for her to even crack a genuine smile around me.

"Thing is," Kraken continues, his voice gruff but not unkind, "a lot of these women, they don't want to dig up the past. It's like picking at a scab—sometimes it's best to just let it heal over."

His words hit me hard, making me think of the pain I've seen in Meghan's eyes when she thinks no one's looking.

"Take Starla, for instance," Kraken says, gesturing vaguely toward the other end of the clubhouse. "You ever hear her going on about her childhood? Fuck no. Some shit's just too dark to drag into the light."

I let out a heavy sigh, conflicted. "I get that, I do. But I care about her, man. I want to help, to understand..."

Kraken cuts me off with a gentle shake of his head. "Sometimes understanding ain't about knowing every gorydetail, brother. It's about being there, letting her know she's safe now."

I grip my beer bottle tighter, feeling the cold glass against my palm. Kraken's words resonate deep within me, stirring up memories I'd rather forget.

"Yeah," I say, my voice low. "I know a thing or two about that. I just need to fuckin’ drop it."

The weight of my past settles on my shoulders, heavy and suffocating.

I can still feel the ghost of hands on me, hear the voices of those sick fucks who saw me as nothing more than a breeding tool.

My stomach churns, and I take a long pull from my beer to wash away the bitter taste in my mouth.

"When I was a kid," I start, surprised to hear myself speaking, "I went through some seriously fucked up shit. Sex trafficking, being used as a... as a breeder." The words taste like ash on my tongue. "You know all about it. Hell, you were there. It's not something I like talking about either. I just hope whatever she went through wasn’t nearly as horrific."

Kraken's eyes widen, a flicker of understanding passing between us.

He just nods, a silent acknowledgment of shared pain.

"Guess that's why I get it with Meghan," I continue, my voice barely above a whisper. "That need to keep some things buried."

Before Kraken can respond, the clubhouse door swings open with a bang.

My father, Runes, strides in, his presence commanding attention as always.

His eyes lock onto me, and I can tell by the set of his jaw that something's up.

"Tor," he calls out, his voice gruff. "Take a ride with me."

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