Page 4 of Mercy

I stare at her, stunned by the offer in itself.

Before I can respond, movement near the clubhouse catches my eye.

My breath catches in my throat as I spot a familiar figure emerging from the shadows.

Tor.

He stands there, hands shoved in the pockets of his leather jacket, his dark hair tousled by the breeze.

Even from this distance, I can see the intensity in his green eyes as they land on me.

I swallow hard, trying to calm the flutter in my chest at the sight of him.

His presence both comforts and unnerves me, stirring up a whirlwind of emotions I'm not ready to face.

Fern follows my gaze and a knowing smile crosses her face. "Why don't we head inside?" she suggests gently. "Everyone's eager to see you."

I nod, unable to find my voice.

As we exit the SUV, Fern touches my arm lightly. "How are you holding up, sweetie?" she asks, her eyes filled with genuine concern.

I take a deep breath, deciding to be honest. "I'm freaking out, Fern," I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. "Being back here, as a clubwhore, as ahóra... especially after what happened with LeAnn. I don't know if I can do this."

Fern's face softens with understanding. "Oh, honey," she says, pulling me into a warm embrace. "What LeAnn did to you was horrible, but it was a one-off thing. That's not how women in the club usually treat each other."

I pull back, searching her face for any sign of deception.

"Really?" I ask, hating how small and vulnerable I sound.

"Really," Fern affirms. "We look out for each other here. What LeAnn did... it goes against everything we stand for."

I want to believe her.

God, how I want to believe her.

But as I glance toward the clubhouse, memories of LeAnn's betrayal flood my mind.

"There was a time when I thought LeAnn was my friend," I say, my voice thick with emotion. "I never imagined she'd hurt me, let alone put me in a coma."

Fern squeezes my hand. "I know, sweetheart. Trust is hard to rebuild after something like that. But give us a chance to show you that not everyone here is like LeAnn."

I nod, but internally, I'm not so sure.

How can I trust anyone here when the person I considered a friend nearly killed me?

The weight of uncertainty settles heavily on my chest, making it hard to breathe.

"Let's just take it one step at a time," Fern says, gently guiding me toward the clubhouse. "You don't have to make any decisions right now."

As we approach, I can't help but notice how Tor's eyesneverleave me.

There's something in his gaze that makes my heart race, a mix of concern and something deeper that I'm afraid to name.

I force a smile, trying to project a confidence I don't feel.

One step at a time, I remind myself.

That's all I can handle right now.

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