Page 17 of Property of Mercury

When he goes to argue, Orion clears his throat, breaking the spell. “Right, soup. Because nothing says welcome home like broth and nerves. Come on, guys, let's give them a minute before the place burns down from all this friction.”

Mercury glares at him, but Orion just grins. He gestures toward the hallway, his face losing some of that jokester mask he wears so well.

“I'm serious, Finley,” Mercury says, his eyes searching mine. “Eat. You're too damn thin from lack of care thanks to those jackasses, and I need you strong for what comes next. Those assholes aren't going to give up once it’s reported that you survived.”

“I'm stronger than I look,” I reply, holding his gaze.

“I know you are,” he whispers. He turns to follow Orion but stops at the doorway. “Don't stray too far from the house if you decide to go out and stretch your legs. If you need something, you call for me. Don't make me come looking because you decided to play hero and show your ass by trying to be independent.”

“I'm not a hero,” I tell him, my tone snapping.

“No,” he agrees, that dark, intense look returning. “You're something else entirely.”

My head snaps up, “What’s that supposed to mean?” I quietly ask, but apparently, I’m talking to myself because nobody answers.

He disappears into the hall, leaving me standing there with the heat of his gaze still pressed against my skin. Sutton enters a moment later, holding a bowl, her expression knowing.

“He's a protective one,” Sutton says, handing me the soup.

“He's a handful,” I admit.

“They all are,” she says. “But at least he's on your side.”

I take a spoonful of soup. The warmth spreads through me, but it's nothing compared to the heat Mercury left behind. I have a feeling my life is about to get a whole lot more complicated, and for the first time in years, I'm okay with that. “I really am still full,” I complain. When did she have time to make this anyway? She’s been with me the entire day outside of the times I had to go to the bathroom.

“Just eat what you can,” she suggests. “These men are like rabid animals when they have their minds set on something.”

“Are we now?” Gemini asks as he comes up behind her, placing kisses along her collarbone.

“You know you’re all a bunch of savages,” Sutton teases him.

“Only for you, baby,” he murmurs into the crease of her neck.

“Where did you guys disappear to?” she asks him as she guides me toward the recliner, her hand resting gently on my shoulder, steering me with a grace that makes me feel incredibly clumsy. Before I can register the shift, she has me comfortably settled in the chair with the bowl placed in my hands. She’s slick; I hadn't even realized she was maneuvering me exactly where she wanted me until I was already sitting down.

“We went over to the bowling alley to connect with Midas,” he says. “We had to coordinate the logistics for our upcoming build, since keeping our revenue stream strong is the main focus right now.”

I watch them from my seat. It's surreal, seeing this side of them. They're brutal, hard men who protect this club with everything they've got, but here they are, soft and domestic in the quiet of the afternoon. It makes my head spin. I take another spoonful of the broth. The heat finally settles the nerves that've been clawing at my gut all day.

Sutton runs a hand through Gemini's hair, her thumb tracing the line of his jaw. It’s an intimate gesture, one that speaks volumes about what they have. “Did you get what you needed?” she asks.

“We've got a plan,” Gemini tells her. He glances my way, his gaze assessing, like he's measuring how much I'm keeping it together. “How are you holding up, Finley? That soup isn't just for show. You need the fuel.”

“I'm managing,” I say, my voice steady despite the persistent ache in my chest. “But I'm not a child. You don't have to hover.”

Gemini lets out a rough chuckle. “Hovering's part of the job description around here. You're in the fold now. That means you get the same care as the rest of us.”

Sutton hums in agreement. She leans into him, her head resting against his shoulder. It’s easy to see the strength they share. The way they move together, like two halves of a whole, makes me ache with a longing I don’t want to name. I know the danger they live in. I have felt the cold steel of a gun’s bullet pierce my skin. I still remember the sharp bite of an arrow as it penetrated my body. Watching them, I wonder if the risk is worth the reward. I look down at my soup. I am afraid that if I keep staring, they will see exactly how much I crave that kind of certainty. Knowing that the person I’m with is connected with me so intimately, without it just being about sex, is the sense of belonging I’ve always craved. Seeing Sutton and Gemini’s easy give and take fills me with longing as well as a hope that maybe, just maybe, it’s what I could build with Mercury.

Gemini glances my way. He doesn’t pull away from Sutton. Instead, he smiles at her, then his eyes flick back to me. He’s watching, studying me as if I am an engine he needs to tune.

“You’re quiet, Finley,” he accuses. His voice is deep and steady. He’s not judging me, he’s simply observing.

“Just thinking,” I reply. My hands tighten around the spoon. I try to sound casual but if the looks on their faces are any indication, that’s an epic fail.

“Thinking about what?” Sutton asks. Her voice is light and kind. She pulls back from Gemini just an inch so she can see my face.

“About how different this is,” I tell her. “I spent so long running from my life that it’s strange to sit still. It feels like a trap I can’t see.”