A Merciful Promise (Mercy Kilpatrick #6)(40)

When he’d been out of sight for a full sixty seconds, she continued her trek. It felt like hours before the big new garage came into sight. Holding her position behind the protection of the last trees, she scanned the area, looking for more guards, knowing she’d be fully exposed as she crossed the clearing.

Low gasps sounded from somewhere ahead of her. Mercy shuffled back deeper into the trees and listened.

More gasps. Then a moan reached her ears.

Someone is hurt. Maybe Ed?

After the whipping, he’d vanished.

A movement near the garage caught her attention, and she squinted in the poor light. It moved again, and she slapped a hand over her mouth, containing her exclamation.

Two people were having sex outside the structure.

Laughter welled up her throat, and she fought to hold it in, leaning against a trunk for support. For the last ten minutes, her every nerve had been on high alert, and the abrupt shift to absurdity had turned her muscles to mush.

The couple lay along one wall, their movements and coordinating moans now unmistakable to Mercy.

If they couldn’t get inside the building, I doubt I can.

Assuming the couple had tried to enter it to have sex. She doubted anyone would have chosen the outdoors over the privacy of the empty building.

Unless they like the thrill. The chance of being discovered.

Her plan to investigate evaporated into the night air. She exhaled, wondering if she’d have the guts to try again tomorrow.

“Enjoying that?” said a low male voice.

Her lungs stopped, and the question ricocheted inside her skull. She slowly turned toward the speaker.

“Lieutenant,” she whispered. Sean was three feet away, his rifle casually on his shoulder. The side of his face was lit by the lowering moon, and amusement quirked his mouth.

He jerked his head at the copulating couple. “They’re out here a few times a week.”

“Who are they?” Her voice didn’t give away the panic shooting through her veins. So far Sean didn’t seem angry or curious about her wandering at night.

“Hate to reveal their secret,” he answered.

“If they wanted to keep it a secret, they should have found a different place. Inside.”

He shrugged. No odor of smoke hovered around him, so he hadn’t been the guard she saw earlier.

“He told you to stay away, didn’t he?” Mercy guessed. “You knew full well they’d be out here. They didn’t even try to hide.”

“She thinks they’re a big secret,” Sean said. “If she found out we know about them, she’d put an end to it. So we stay away to let him have his fun.”

“Of course you do.”

“It’s consensual.”

Mercy could see and hear that for herself.

“But you aren’t to be out here at night,” he said in a hard tone. He straightened his back, appearing to grow four inches, and fingered the strap of his rifle.

“I couldn’t sleep. People snore, and it stinks in there,” she said calmly as her heart tried to pound through her ribs.

“Sounds like the men’s barracks.”

Mercy was silent, and the couple’s moans increased.

“They’re almost done,” Sean said casually.

“You watch often?”

“There’s not a lot of other entertainment here.”

The male made a sound as if he were being strangled, and the woman let out a series of high-pitched squeals.

She’s faking it.

“I’m always looking for entertainment.” Sean took a step closer to her, his face now completely in the dark, but she saw his intention as clear as if the sun were shining.

“Fuck off.” She held her ground.

Heel of my hand to his throat. Knee to his balls. Fingers into his eyes.

“I don’t mean now.” His bearing relaxed. “Later maybe. I should turn you in, but I don’t feel like it tonight. Consider it a favor you can repay in the future.”

“What kind of favor?” Mercy stayed on high alert. Every muscle ready to defend herself.

He didn’t answer.

“I’m with Chad,” she answered, hoping there was a sliver of integrity among the men.

“Chad’s not the type to stay with Pete’s organization. He’s always cracking jokes and grinning like he’s your best friend, but he’s actually hiding that he’s uncomfortable. I can always tell who will stick it out, and he’s not one of them. You, on the other hand, have the spine and mettle to make it work.”

“If he leaves, I’ll leave.”

“I think you’ll change your mind.” His answer was confident. Too confident.

“Like hell I will.”

“We’ll see.”

Unintelligible whispers from the couple floated across the clearing. They straightened their clothes and stood, their heads close as they talked. After a moment they left together, headed toward the barracks. Mercy noted they didn’t try to hide.

Mercy no longer cared about the couple. She had other concerns. Like whether Sean would turn her in and when he expected repayment for his favor.

“You need to go back now,” he told her. “If I catch you wandering at night again, I’ll report you.”

“There’s another guard on patrol.”