MERCS
The police are taking their sweet ass time as I sit in a cell wasting my fucking time. I gave my statement to them and told them everything that had happened—that Jett drugged Effa with the intention of raping her, and that he told his bandmate Liam all about his plans. So they could corroborate the story.
I know Luke didn’t want me to say anything, he wanted me to wait until he got here, but I needed them to know that Jett’s a dangerous man. He’s a liability, and he needs to be taken down. He needs to get what’s coming to him.
So I sit here, hoping like fuck that Effa’s okay and that nothing’s happening at the hospital.
I’ve been here for at least five hours, I swear. Maybe more.
I don’t know what the hell is going on. I’m getting antsy and wish I’d get that one phone call they always talk about. I need to speak to Luke. I just want to know what’s happening with Effa. I don’t give a fuck about what happens to me, I just want to know how she’s progressing.
Suddenly, a trooper appears at my cell door. “Mercury, you’re free to go.”
In surprise, I shake my head slightly. “I’m… sorry, what?”
“Jett Jones isn’t pressing assault charges. And the PA State Police Department isn’t taking your case further. So… you’re free to go. Just ahhh… let’s not see you back here with any violence related issues. Okay, Mercury?”
I stand and nod. “Yes. Thanks,” I answer grabbing my jacket and heading for the door.
“And Mercury…” I glance at the officer and raise my brow in answer. “Wash the blood from your knuckles.”
Glancing down at my hands, I see my knuckles are split and swollen covered in my own and probably Jett’s blood. I wince, nod, and then head for the door. “Thanks.”
He lets me walk past him as he leads me out the front to where Luke’s waiting for me. He nods as the officer hands me my belongings as I sign a piece of paper.
“Don’t come back, Mercury.”
Curtly, I nod once and turn walking with Luke out of the door to an awaiting car. Cooper opens the door, we slide in the back, and I take a long breath as Luke shakes his head. I decide to butt in before he can give me his long ass lecture about violence. “How is she? Is she okay?” I ask.
He relaxes his body slightly and shrugs. “No change as of yet.”
My body sags and a knot tightens in my stomach. I was hoping she’d improved somewhat. I know it’s only been a couple of hours, but I want her better. I guess it’s going to take time. “I need to be with her—”
“Well, you should have thought of that before committing assault in front of a hospital waiting room full of witnesses, Mercs.”
Swallowing hard, I nod. I deserved that. But so did Jett.
He deserved far worse.
What sort of scum sucking asshole does that to a woman?
“I’m not going to apologize for smashing Jett’s head in, Luke. I can’t. You honestly can’t tell me that little fucker didn’t deserve everything I dished out to him, or you would have stopped me sooner. What I will apologize for, is that I had to leave Effa because of it. I hate that I failed her like that.”
Luke exhales and shakes his head. “You’re right. Jett deserves it, and I didn’t step in. No one did. Because you did what all of us wanted to do when we found out what he was planning to do to Effa. You just had the balls to see it through.” He blinks, and his eyebrows snap together. “But Mercs, beating him like that in front of so many people… fuck! I had to pull some massive strings to stop you from being charged. Who knows what outcome they would have thrown at you.”
Swallowing hard, I look out the window of the car as it takes off and I exhale. “Thank you, Luke.” I turn back to look at him. “How did you do it?”
“I got to Jett first. Told him that if he doesn’t press charges, we won’t out him to the media about what he was planning to do to Effa, and how he drugged her. That Swift Division also has to pull out of their contract as the tour’s opening band without backlash, and we will remunerate the band for the remainder of the tour regardless. This is in exchange for him to keep you out of jail, and for him to go away quietly.”
Sniffing, I swallow hard. “So he’s gone then? Out of our lives? Away from Effa. For good?”
Luke nods. “Yeah. I think so. I certainly made it abundantly clear what I thought of his actions. If it makes you feel any better, Mercs, I was talking to the police, and I think Jett’s going to be in a whole heap of pain for drugging Effa with intentions of raping her. He won’t get away with that and will probably serve some sort of time.”
Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath, and my tight muscles relax slightly. “Good… thanks, Luke. Thanks for bailing me out of a tight spot.”
He tilts his head. “No problem. You’re a part of this family now, Mercs, and we look after our own.”
Weakly smiling, I take a steadying breath as I sink into the seat trying not to think about what would have been if Tank hadn’t stopped me from attacking Jett.
Would I have stopped on my own?
I honestly don’t fucking know.
As Cooper drives, I can’t help but notice Luke assessing me. He huffs and shakes his head. “Cooper, take us back to the hotel. We need to clean Mercs up before we go back to the hospital—”
“What! No. I want to get back to Effa, Luke. She needs me—”
“What she needs, Mercs, is a man who’s calm and looks decent. You, on the other hand, are a raging bull full of testosterone and covered in another man’s blood. I need you to clean yourself up and refocus, so you can be there for Effa. She isn’t going to wake up before we get back, we both know that, so take the time to gather yourself. This is not a request.”
I look down to my knuckles, they’re covered in fuckface’s blood, my pants stained as well. Yeah, he’s right. Going back into the hospital like this wouldn’t look good. As much as I want to spend every second next to Effa, I’ve already been away from her for a number of hours—what’s one more?
“Fine! This will only take a second, and then you take me straight back to her,” I warn him.
He nods in agreement. “Of course.”
Cooper pulls the car up in the parking garage of the hotel, and we file out making our way inside. I don’t miss the stray looks of concern from passersby as we walk through and they take in my bloodstained clothing, but I don’t care about that right now as we proceed to the elevator.
“Is Jett fucking rotting in a damn jail cell?” I ask as we step into the elevator, and Cooper hits the button for us to head up.
Luke exhales. “Honestly, I have no idea. I don’t know the judicial system here that well. He might have made bail… you have to prepare yourself for that, Mercs.”
Curling up my lip, my muscles tighten thinking that asshole might be back out on the streets. Fucker! “Well, all I know is he better not attempt to see Effa again, or so help me, I will—”
“Do nothing. I’m warning you, or you will end up behind bars yourself, Mercs, and that won’t help Effa… At. All. You need to think smarter, not with your fists.” The elevator doors open and I take a deep breath as we step out and head for my room.
Nodding my head, I know Luke’s right. The problem is Jett simply fires me up. Just thinking about him has my emotions wreaking havoc. I want to kill the fucker for hurting Effa. But I need to let the court system do their job for Effa’s sake.
We get to my door and I swipe the card, we all walk in, and Cooper and Luke make their way to the sofa as I grab a spare change of clothes and head for the bathroom. “I’ll be quick. Then we go straight back to her. Yes?” I ask pausing at the doorway of the bathroom.
Luke nods. “Yes, Mercs. Go. Get cleaned up, and we’ll head straight back to the hospital.”
Nodding, I turn and head for the shower. Ridding myself of my bloodstained clothes and getting under the belting hot shower, where a river of red runs down the drain washing the remnants of Jett’s and my blood from me like it’s nothing more than a fading fucking memory. But the memory is so strong that I tighten my sore fists and grit my teeth, wanting to have one more go at him. But I know that won’t happen. So I quickly wash that thought away, along with the remainder of the blood and rush to get out of the shower, so I can go and see my girl.
Dressing faster than I thought humanly possible, I step back out into the suite to see Luke and Cooper busy in conversation.
I can’t wait for them to finish.
I need to get back to Effa.
“I’m done. Can we go now?”
Luke looks at me and raises his brow with a small smirk. “Yes, okay. Let’s get you back to her. Cooper lead the way.”
Luke and Cooper stand up and walk with me toward the door of my suite, and we all head out into the hall. No one’s around as we walk, but as we get closer to the bank of elevators, a suite door opens and Jett walks out.
We all stop as he turns to look at us. His face bruised and swollen. His nose being held together by tape from the obvious break, and his cheek holding stitches as I tense up with an almighty rage flowing through me. Cooper steps in beside me as I try to keep my cool, but it’s not working. Jett stares right at me, his eyes black as onyx, raging with an intense hatred like the devil himself is staring at me, and he wishes for me to burn in a fiery hell.
Jett steps forward, pointing his finger at me. “You! You need to pay for ruining my career,” Jett sneers and I scoff, my body tensing even at hearing his fucking voice.
“I ruined your career? I think you fucking did that all by yourself when you drugged my girl, you mother fucking cockhead,” I say lunging forward, but Cooper grabs hold of my arm, yanking me back as Jett chuckles while shaking his head and licking his lips like the freak he is.
“So you think I’m to blame for what happened, Mercury? You think all of this…” he waves his hands around like some madman, “… is somehow my fault? No!” he yells the last word. “This is all on you. You kept her from me. This is entirely your fault.”
I lunge forward again, but Cooper keeps his hold tight on me yanking me back with force, looking into my eyes and shaking his head while mouthing ‘no’ to me.
“You’re insane, you know that? I guess they let you out on bail, but come trial they won’t hold back. You were going to rape Effa, you motherfucker. You can’t get away with that.”
He smirks maniacally shaking his head. “Oh, but Mercs, I will. I wasn’t going to rape her. Hell no. She wanted to be with me. That is a fact. You’re just too fucking blind to see it.”
“You’re absolutely delusional,” Luke blurts out before I can reply, and I grit my teeth wanting more than anything to fix Jett’s nose, so I can fucking rearrange it again.
“No, I’m going to get her. I’m going to be with her. That’s what I am going to do. There’s nothing surer in this world. And none of you will stop me. Especially not a fucking piece of money hungry trash like you, Mercury,” he sneers.
I can’t hold back any longer. So, I race forward out of Cooper’s grip and lunge at Jett. He smirks as I rush toward him, and thrust my forearm up into his neck slamming him back against the wall effectively choking him. He gasps for air as he reaches up grabbing at my arms. My eyes fog over with a red haze as I press hard on his windpipe, and Luke and Cooper quickly move in each side of me. One grabbing each arm, and pulling to pry me away from Jett. They both struggle, but Cooper eventually yanks hard enough, so I have to let go. Jett gasps for air, and Cooper and Luke hold me back as Jett hunches over, his hands on his knees gasping for air as he chuckles to himself.
“You’ll… pay… for… that… Mercury,” he says succinctly as he moves his hand into his pocket and then pulls out a pocket knife. Jett rushes forward thrusting it right at me. I tense up waiting for the imminent impact. Freezing on the spot, I watch as the silver metal flies straight at my chest and I’m helpless to stop it.
Suddenly, Cooper jumps in front of me. The knife slicing into his arm as Luke tackles Jett to the floor punching him in his already broken nose. Jett’s immediately immobilized and screams out in agony, as Cooper grabs the knife. I rush to hold Jett down on one side, as Luke puts pressure on the other. Cooper looks to me, and I breathe harshly out of my nose while shaking my head.
“Fuck! Cooper, your arm,” I say looking at the blood oozing from his bicep.
He shakes his head. “I’ll be fine. It’s just a scratch. We’re going to the hospital anyway after we call the cops here to collect Jett.”
“You fucking bastards. You’ll pay for this. I will find you, and I will make you suffer, Mercury. I swear it,” Jett murmurs as he lays on the floor, with Luke and me holding him, as Cooper dials the police.
“Yeah, well you’ll be doing it from a jail cell, for sure this time,” Luke claims.
Jett curls up his lip, dropping his head back down to the ground with a huff, as we wait for the police to come and take Jett away. There’s no way he’ll make bail now. He’s fucked up big time, and it was just what I needed. To know he’ll be behind bars for a long time, and away from Effa forever. Now, we can officially move on from Jett fucking Jones!
I’m back to sitting in the waiting room with all of the others. Cooper’s currently down in Emergency having his wound attended to. As it turns out, it’s reasonably shallow and only needs a few stitches. Everyone was shocked when Luke told them that Jett had pulled a knife on me and ended up slicing Cooper. There was general relief felt amongst everyone knowing that Jett will be finally out of our lives.
Now, we’re waiting again for any news of Effa’s recovery. No one has been able to see her yet. I was worried that with me being gone for so long, I would have missed it, but so far it seems the doctors are keeping her under observation for longer than I would have thought.
My anger seems to have ebbed, and the numbness is creeping back in again now that Jett is out of our lives. I just want to see Effa with my own eyes. To make sure she’s fighting as hard as she can to get back to me. I’m becoming anxious. Maybe the reason they haven’t let us see her for such an extended period of time, is because there’s actually a more significant problem than they first anticipated?
“Alana Scott-Carrington…” someone calls out, and I look up at the doctor which makes my nerves spike up a notch.
“Yes,” Alana replies.
“You can come through now if you like. I’m afraid I can only allow two at a time. So, you can bring whoever you would like with you.”
“Thank you,” she says.
I look to Alana, she smiles at me as I reach my hand out and she grabs it. Her tiny hand fitting into mine as we follow the doctor down the hall. Alana’s fingers lace between mine, obviously needing as much support as I can give her right now. So I squeeze her hand once, our interlocked fingers both shaking—with fear, or adrenaline—maybe both.
She leans into my side as we walk the sterile halls and up to a door. The doctor pushes the button and turns to us. “Please sterilize your hands,” he instructs.
We do as he says, the door swings open and we walk through the ICU. There’s a pile of isolated rooms, one person in each, and it’s eerily quiet in here. Sure there are people talking, but their voices aren’t raised. Instead, they’re low and calm. The persistent beeping of machines grates on my nerves as he walks us through to room seven.
“I’m scared, Mercs,” Alana whispers as she leans into my side even further.
I look at her and smile but say nothing.
The doctor turns to face us. “Now, I need you to be prepared. She’s doing well, but remember she is in an induced coma, so she’s sleeping. But it’s been said that she can hear you, so feel free to talk to her… it helps in recovery. She has a breathing tube attached, and there are a few cords and wires monitoring her heart and blood pressure but remember it looks worse than it is. She’s making good progress already. She’s tough.”
Alana grips onto my hand tightly as the doctor nods, and I take a deep breath preparing for what I’m about to see. But I guess you can never truly prepare yourself. He opens the door, and I take the lead. I need to be strong for Effa, and now for her sister too. I need to be a man, and as we walk through the sight before my eyes terrifies me. She’s pale, lying in bed, a tube protruding from her mouth and she’s hooked up to a machine. Wires coming from her linked into other devices monitoring everything you could possibly imagine, and it takes me a second to truly take it all in. Alana sags against me as I stand utterly breathless looking at my woman lying helpless on the bed.
Because of Jett.
He’s entirely to blame for this.
“Oh, God, Effa,” Alana whispers, her free hand moving to her mouth to try and cover her sobs.
I let out a breath as the doctor checks over something on Effa’s chart. “I’ll let you guys have some quiet time with her,” he announces while hooking the chart back on the end of the bed then he walks out.
The whooshing of the ventilator is the only noise in the room, and as it teams with the pulsating beat of my heart in my ears, I feel like I’ve stepped into another world. A world I want no part of. She looks so frail and lifeless. I have no damn idea what to do, what to say. I’m frozen to the spot, simply staring at her.
It’s Alana that makes the first move. She breaks free from me and walks over to Effa’s side looking down at her, but obviously too scared to touch her as she keeps her hands to herself. She lets out a loud sigh and shakes her head. “Oh, Effa. What did he do to you?” Her voice is so soft I almost can’t hear her as she looks Effa over, and I finally find the strength to walk to the other side of Effa’s bed opposite to Alana and look down at her. She looks almost peaceful under all the machinery.
Swallowing hard, I glance up at Alana, and she’s looking back at me, her eyes glistening as she shakes her head like she’s having trouble holding it together. So, I figure I need to take charge, show her that it’s okay and that Effa’s going to pull through. So I move my hand up and reach out for Effa’s as it lays on the bed. My fingers wrap around hers gently. They’re slightly cold to the touch, and it bugs me, so I wrap my hand around hers completely letting my hand warm hers as I take a deep breath.
“Effa,” I murmur. Alana looks at me like I’m losing my mind. “Baby, I know you can’t talk back, but I know you can hear me. So you lay back and rest. Take all the time you need to recover, and we will be here, every step of the way with you.” I stop and then continue, “Alana is here with me…” I look to her to gauge if by me talking to Effa, it’s helping Alana realize that we can still interact with her even though she can’t talk back to us. Alana reaches out for Effa’s other hand and takes a deep breath.
“Yes Eff, I’m here. I wouldn’t be anywhere else. What are sisters for, right? Oh, Eff, you would be so proud of Mercs. Jett showed up, obviously to try and see how you are, and Mercs went all bad boy protector on him. He kicked Jett’s ass for you. It was epic. You should have seen it. I’m pretty sure Jett has a broken nose…” Alana giggles slightly as Effa’s heart rate monitor increases beeping a little faster. We both look to the machine and raise our brows in shock.
“Did you see that?” Alana whispers, and I nod.
“Her heart rate went up. I wonder if it’s because she can hear us and she’s either happy I kicked his ass or annoyed?”
“My guess would be happy. I wonder if she knows what he did to her,” Alana asks, and I shrug.
“I have no idea. She was pretty out of it when I showed up. She was swaying all over the place, Alana… she could barely stand. I have no idea how much of that shit he gave her, but… fuck!” My chest constricts, and I clench my jaw shut not being able to finish my sentence.
Alana shakes her head and frowns. “She’s so lucky you got there when you did, Mercs. If you were five minutes later…” Her eyes well and she swallows hard looking up at the ceiling. “With Jett, who knows what he would have done when she overdosed. I don’t think his intention was for her to react the way she did to the drugs. He just wanted her so out of it she couldn’t function. Not for her heart to stop. I honestly don’t know if she was alone with him and her heart stopped, if he would have done anything to help her… that thought alone scares the hell out of me, Mercs.”
Swallowing hard, I take a deep breath. “We shouldn’t think about what-ifs, but it’s hard not to. As it is I’m angry enough at myself for not going to the fucking party with her. If I did, this would never have happened. Jett wouldn’t have had the chance to get near her. I’ve failed her. But what would have happened if I didn’t get there and she left with him? What the hell would have happened? Would he have done anything to help her? Personally, I think he would have left her wherever they were, and right now she’d be…” I look down at Effa. There’s a breathing tube coming out of her mouth mixed with the gentle whistle and hum of the ventilator breathing life into her. Effa’s chest rising and falling with the much-needed air that she requires, and I try not to let my glistening eyes water too much as I gather myself enough to keep going. “If she died… I would have never forgiven myself. Even now, even if she makes a complete recovery, which of course she will, I still don’t think I can forgive myself for my hand in this.”
Alana winces and steps closer to Effa’s bed, in turn, closer to me. “Mercs, the reason Effa’s fighting to stay alive, the reason she’s still breathing and making sure she’s pulling through this… is because of you.”
The heart monitor starts to beep, telling us Effa’s heart rate is increasing again and we look to the machine, my heart rate hitching a notch too until it steadies back to a normal rhythm. I squeeze Effa’s hand and link my fingers with hers looking back to Alana.
“And when she wakes up, I’m going to tell her just how much she truly means to me.”
Alana nods and smiles. “Perfect. Now let’s pull up a chair and spend some quality time with our favorite girl.”
“Sounds like the best idea I’ve heard all day.”
We spent a good couple of uninterrupted hours in the room with Effa, talking to her, and just watching her vitals. Then Alana and I thought we’d better let some of the others come in while we get some coffee.
We walk out of ICU and back down to the waiting area where everyone is located, and they all look up at us with tired eyes and hopeful stares.
Kristy stands walking toward us, her eyes red and puffy as she sniffs hard. “How is she?”
Alana takes her into an embrace as I glance to Luke who’s assessing us both. Casey stands there watching the interaction.
“She… she looks peaceful, but it’s a sad sight to see. She just… looks so helpless… it’s heartbreaking. Right, Mercs?” Alana’s voice breaks as she talks.
I nod and smooth my hand up and down her back for comfort as I try to remove the image of Effa with those damned tubes coming out of her mouth from my head. “I, ahh… need coffee, so if someone else wants to go in there for a while, please feel free,” I announce.
Kristy’s eyes light up. “Oh, do you think I can go?” she asks, and I nod.
She leans forward embracing me, and I hug her back as she sniffs again like she’s only just holding it together. “Thank you, Mercs.”
She rushes off as Alana winces and looks to Andi, who’s still sitting on the chair next to Tank, head in hands. “Andi, do you want to go in with Kristy?”
Andi looks up, hope in her eyes. “Really? Are you sure?”
“Yeah, hon… you go, I need a coffee and a break, too. Go! Be with Kristy, I think she’ll need you.”
Andi doesn’t say anything as she races off after Kristy.
I look to Luke who’s still pacing the waiting room floor.
Tank stands from the seat and clears his throat gaining all our attention. “Coffee everyone? My shout?” he asks.
I nod, along with Alana and Luke, as he smiles and walks off leaving just the three of us.
Sitting down on a plastic chair, I slump into the back feeling mentally and physically drained.
Luke turns to face Alana and takes a deep, steadying breath like he’s preparing himself. It’s strange, almost like he’s scared to tell her something. It’s odd seeing the stern, hard-faced Luke, falter slightly as he walks up to Alana and rests his hand on her lower back gaining her attention. She turns to face him, and she weakly smiles looking relieved to see him as she casually turns to look at me and then back to Luke.
“It’s a hard thing to look at Luke… she doesn’t look like our Effa.”
He nods with a frown and touches her arm in an unusual move of affection from him. He lets out a heavy sigh and shifts his weight from one foot to the other like he’s impatiently trying to find the right moment.
“Alana, I have to tell you something,” Luke croaks as he looks down to the floor and not directly at her making me sit up and pay more attention.
She faces him completely, her brows scrunching together in concern as her hand reaches out and gently squeezes his forearm. “Luke?”
He inhales sharply and looks up at her. “I called Donny and Livvy.”
Alana groans, spinning away from him and starts pacing the waiting room as I sit here confused. “Luke, why? Why would you do that? Why couldn’t you have waited until we know more?”
He rubs the back of his neck. “Because when I took you girls on tour, I made a promise to Donny that I would look after you… that if anything went wrong, I’d call him no matter what. I told him that I’d be the one taking care of you and nothing would happen to any of you. I’ve failed him, Alana. So, I had to tell him, in honor of my promise, and because out of everyone that it could have been, it was fucking Effa.”
Alana groans and gnaws on her bottom lip. “How’d he take it?”
I’m sitting here completely confused. I’ve heard the name Livvy before, but I can’t quite place where I’ve heard it. But Donny? I have no idea who they’re talking about.
“They’re on the first flight they could get. They should be here within forty-eight hours.”
Alana rubs at her face. “Great! Just great.”
I stand from my seat and walk over to them. They both look at me like they’d forgotten I was even in the room as I shake my head. “Sorry, I’m drawing a blank… Donny and Livvy?”
Alana exhales. “Livvy is my mum, also Effa’s step-mother and Donny, he’s Effa’s dad. And he’s going to be insane when he sees his little girl like this.”
I inhale sharply thinking about meeting Effa’s parents. Meeting them so soon had not entered my mind, let alone in a situation like this. Not only that, Effa will technically not be around for said meeting, she will be asleep through the whole thing.
Holy shit! This should be interesting.