Read Online Devin's Mercy [Shifters of Mystery 4] by Lynn Hagen - Free Book Online Page B

dressed.”
    Devin quickly grabbed a pair of pajama pants, the easiest thing to
    slide on, and then tied the strings tight to hold them up. He bent,
    cuffing the pants that were so long that by the time he was done, there
    was a heavy weight at his ankles.
    “I’m dressed.” His voice was unsteady, sounding a bit squeaky.
    Mercy turned, but kept his eyes averted. “You’re needed
    downstairs. I caught an intruder in the woods, and he isn’t talking.
    Sage wants to see if you can identify him.”
    Devin’s knees nearly buckled. He didn’t want to see any of
    Martin’s men. He didn’t want to be reminded of the nightmare he had
    survived. He took a step back, rubbing his hands up his arms. “Do I
    have to?”
    Mercy looked at him then, his eyes full of steel. “He won’t hurt
    you, Devin. He’s in the cage.”
    That wasn’t what scared Devin.
    “Could you take a picture of him and show me?” He was grabbing
    for straws and he knew it, but Devin wasn’t willing to face any of
    those men.
    Mercy’s face softened. “That bad?”
    All Devin could do was nod, turning away so Mercy couldn’t see
    the humiliation in his eyes. He didn’t want Mercy’s pity. It would
    destroy him if the man who he had cared about for so long treated him
    like a victim.
    “I’ll see what I can do.” Mercy left the room.
    Devin took in a shaky breath, praying Mercy would show him a
    picture instead, and dreading even seeing the face on a still frame. He
    wanted to put his abuse behind him, not be reminded of it.
    His head snapped up a few minutes later when Mercy walked
    back into the bedroom. He had a cell phone in his hand. Devin felt his

    60
    Lynn Hagen
    gut wrench into knots so tight that he felt as if his insides were going
    to tear him apart.
    “Whenever you’re ready.”
    Devin would do this. He would help the men he had once
    considered friends. Men he still considered friends even if they had
    turned their backs on him. Martin had to be stopped. Charles had to be
    killed.
    With that thought, anger rose to unyielding heights inside of him.
    “I’m ready.” His voice was steadier, determination helping him take a
    step toward Mercy.
    Hesitating, Mercy finally lifted the phone and showed Devin the
    man in the cage. Devin inhaled sharply and then took a step back. As
    brave as he had been, seeing the man who had held him down while
    Charles…
    Devin spun around, knocking the contents on the dresser to the
    floor, screaming as he tried to rip the room apart. Every emotion he
    had held inside, had tried to lock down, came flooding back to him.
    His skin crawled, his head hurt, and he was seconds away from
    vomiting.
    When two strong arms circled around him, Devin fought like a
    madman. “Don’t touch me! Never touch me again!”
    But Mercy held firm as Devin crashed through the memories,
    reliving them, fighting them, and feeling just as mortified as he had
    when it originally happened. He wanted blood. He wanted revenge.
    But most of all, he wanted to forget.
    He clawed at Mercy’s arms, shouting out his rage. But Mercy
    didn’t let him go. “Let it out, Devin.”
    Devin bucked, trying to physically fight the memories that
    wouldn’t let him rest. He wanted them gone, to no longer plague him,
    following him into his sleep.
    Finally, his strength dwindled, leaving Devin an open and raw
    wound as he slouched in Mercy’s arms. He didn’t want to appear
    weak in front of this strong man, but Devin had nothing left to give.

    Devin’s Mercy
    61
    “Let me be your anchor, Devin. Give me your demons so that I
    can slay them,” Mercy said softly, but gruffly in his ear. “I’m not your
    enemy.”
    “Everyone is my enemy,” he finally admitted out loud.

    * * * *

    Gods, this man was screwed up. Mercy wasn’t sure what he
    should do. He’d never been through anything like this and prayed he
    didn’t fuck it up. One wrong word and Devin would be lost to him.
    He didn’t want that.
    “If you don’t trust