Chapter 17
Sam
As Mercy approaches me after whatever the fuck that was with Zane, I have to calm down before I lash out at the wrong person. The blood roaring in my ears makes it damn near impossible, but I swallow as much of my anger as I can, because it’s not directed at her.
It’s for the piece of shit who just called her a whore.
Mercy pauses at the side of the bed. “Hi.”
I catch the unsteady tremble of her lip, and any residual anger in my body instantly fades away. “Hey.” Drawing a breath, I nod towards my lap. “C’mere, baby. Tell me what happened.”
She climbs onto the bed and straddles my lap before leaning her head against my chest. “I forgive you,” she murmurs, inhaling sharply.
“For what happened at the party. I wasn’t going to tell you at first because I wanted you to forgive yourself, but…
” With a shake of her head, she buries her face in my shirt.
“I don’t want you to hold onto any guilt. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Her words hit me square in the chest. I wish I could hold her, but more than that, I wish that I agreed with her. Swallowing, I choose my next words carefully. “I shouldn’t have left you alone.”
“You didn’t. We were pulled apart.”
I find it hard not to argue, so I change the subject.
“What did you ask Zane?” If I were running the interrogation, I would have beat the shit out of him before I asked any questions.
That was my half of the plan, anyway, before Kane intervened.
I understand his caution, especially now that I overheard Zane’s shouting.
I don’t know that I would have stopped myself from giving Zane a broken nose or cracked tooth.
Mercy pushes herself up and wraps her arms around my neck.
“That doesn’t matter right now. I also need to…
apologize.” Biting her lip, she meets my gaze.
“I realized while I was talking to Zane—no, before that, actually. For a while now.” She takes a quick breath.
“I… I haven’t been fair to you, and I’m sorry.
You’ve been trying to help me this entire time.
You didn’t even have to, you know? You could have walked away weeks ago.
” A tiny laugh floats past her lips. “Instead, you’re wrapped up in all this.
.. chaos. I wouldn’t blame you for leaving. ”
Does she not understand how I feel about her?
As gently as I can, I lean forward and brush my lips over her cheek.
“What kind of ideas did he put into your head?” Sighing, I press our foreheads together.
“Do you remember the first thing you ever said to me? The day we met. You were wearing this…” I smile at the memory.
“Frilly thing. Like a turtleneck. But see-through.”
“A lace halter top?”
I don’t know what it’s called. I just know what I saw—an angel shepherding lost souls.
My dad had just dropped me off for my first group counseling session, and as people wandered through the double-doors into the conference room, Mercy and her father were there greeting everyone.
“Before the session started, you were handing out flyers for the Christmas party. You said, ‘none of us want to be here, but sometimes, it’s better than going home.’ We’d only just met, and you pinged me on the spot.
I never wanted to go home again. I wanted to be next to you. ”
In fact, every chance I got to sit by her during our sessions, I did.
She didn’t say much, but whenever her neighbors would share a personal story or challenge they were facing, she’d whisper to them afterwords and offer what few words she could.
More than once, people cried. Mercy was a constant source of comfort for them, and she became a beacon of hope for me.
A light in the dark.
“So telling me that I should leave or that you haven’t been fair to me isn’t going to work. You can’t push me away. I’m in this with you, Mercy.” I brush my lips over hers, hoping that she’s listening. “Life isn’t fair, so why should we be?”
“Sam—”
I kissed Mercy in the shower this morning, but I wasn’t paying enough attention.
I should have been memorizing the taste of her lips.
Counting the heartbeats. Anticipating the flutter of her eyelashes.
Basking in the warmth of her skin. I can’t touch her like I want right now, but I can taste her, and it will have to be enough.
Catching her off guard has its perks. She jumps like I’ve startled her, but all that does is make me chase her lips.
The thrill of wanting and being unable to take is an unexpected rush.
All I have are the barest of touches as our lips brush again and again.
“Mercy,” I rasp, kissing the far edge of her lips, the curve of her chin, the tip of her nose.
“Mercy, baby, come here.” I twist my wrists in a desperate attempt to pull them free. “I need you.”
“You do?”
I smile against her cheek. She should know that by now.
“I’ve always needed you. Even when we grew apart, I thought of you every day.
” The bruise I left on her neck is still there, but I suck on it to ensure it stays.
Mercy gasps, trembling as she grinds down on my lap.
I don’t know if she realizes what she’s doing, but she starts rolling her hips like she does, capturing my cock right where we both need it.
“I need you too.” She cups my face and sighs against my lips.
“Sam, I—I’ve been so scared that I’m going to lose you.
” Shaking her head, she nearly laughs. “That you’ll realize I’m not worth the trouble.
I know I ask a lot of you. Even this morning, in the shower, I—” Her breath catches. “I know that it isn’t fair.”
I’ve reached a point in my life where fairness is overrated.
“Fuck being fair.” Finally, one of my wrists slips free.
I cup the back of Mercy’s head and crash against her lips.
She whimpers, and I greedily swallow the sound.
This kiss, I won’t forget. Her hands tug on my shirt until she pulls it over my head.
When it gets stuck on my arm, she lifts onto her knees and reaches up to untie my wrist. As soon as I’m free, I cup her face and bring her back down onto my lips.
She moans when I slip my tongue into her mouth and deepen our kiss.
I try to lift my knees and one of my legs snags on the tie around my ankle.
Shit, I’m still tied down. What’s worse: we have an audience.
I don’t sacrifice a single second of this moment to look at Kane or his psycho boyfriend, but I can feel the heat of their stares.
They’re going to see Mercy naked if we continue like this.
I’ve had sex in front of a few of my fraternity brothers once on a dare, so it’s not like I’m in completely foreign territory with two other men in the room—but for Mercy, all of this is new.
She deserves rose petals and romance, not a lecherous late night show.
Even what happened in the shower this morning, despite the experience being new for all of us, was a step too far in the wrong direction. She deserves better than what we’ve given her so far.
“Mercy—” Her hands find my belt and she fiddles with the clasp. I have to grab her wrists to stop her. “Wait. We’re not alone.”
“We’re not,” she agrees immediately, “but it’s okay, Sam.
” Abandoning my belt, she lifts onto her knees and climbs higher up my thighs, easily slotting her core against the length of my cock straining against my jeans.
Her breath ghosts across my cheek as she hooks her arms around my neck.
Our eyes meet, and the sweetest lie falls past her lips. “I’m all yours.”
Bittersweet agony claws at my heart, but I won’t deny her what she wants a second time. I already regret how things went down in her bedroom after she begged me to sleep with her. I can’t turn her down now. I’ll do my best to make her feel like this moment is perfect.
If wrapping her in my arms is second nature to me, kissing her becomes my new ritual.
I start at the hollow of her throat, taking my time as I pepper the barest of kisses along her collarbone, the tips of her breasts, the length of her jawline.
Her breath catches as I brush my thumb over her nipple, teasing it into a tight bud beneath her shirt.
This isn’t how I imagined our first night together, but if this is it—if she can’t wait anymore—I’ll make the most of what I’ve been given and drag out every second as long as possible.
…which is made much more difficult when Mercy squirms on top of me. I hold my breath as I squeeze her breast, and she shudders from head to toe, wiggling her hips unconsciously. Is she trying to speed things along? Does she need me to touch her elsewhere? Am I hurting her?
Pinching her nipple, I revel in the way she whines.
No, she’s not in pain. She’s a needy little thing.
I can’t help but smile as she winds her fingers in my hair and pulls. The pain is nothing compared to the heat of her lips on mine.
“Don’t tease me,” she pants, sucking my bottom lip into her mouth.
Fucking hell, that’s hot. I groan as her tongue slips between my lips and she takes control, devouring me before I have a chance to devour her.
Rocking my hips, I thrust into the cradle of her thighs.
Electricity sparks in my fingertips and shoots down my spine as she thrusts back, matching my strength with her enthusiasm.
She’s as tired of waiting as I am.
Tearing off our clothes becomes a matter of life or death. I rip her top down the middle and latch onto her breast the second it’s free, greedily sucking her nipple into my mouth. She makes the prettiest sound as she winds her fingers in my hair.
“Sam!”
Fuck yes.
I yank the scraps of fabric down her arms and flip her onto her back so that I can drag her leggings down her thighs.
Within seconds, she’s completely naked. I toss her clothes in Kane’s direction without watching where they land.
Let the fucker sniff her panties as a consolation prize, because I’m the one feasting.
Sliding between her thighs, I bury my face in her pussy.
She squeals and kicks her heels, so I grab her ass and haul her against my mouth to keep her still.
Grunting, I shove my tongue inside her molten core and drink her desire.
She’s even wetter than when I ate her out at the restaurant.
“I need you,” she whines, kicking her heels. “Sam!”
With one last kiss to her clit, I abandon her honey hole and rise onto my knees.
Tugging my belt, I undo my jeans and shove them down my thighs, taking my boxers with them.
My cock springs free and smacks my stomach, already turning an angry red at the tip.
I haven’t masturbated since Mercy touched me weeks ago, and as great as this morning’s blow job was, I’m still raring to go.
The evidence lies in how thick my cock is.
I grab my shaft and give it a squeeze, knowing that it’s girthier than usual. Shit.
I stare at Mercy’s glistening pussy. She’s soaking wet, but this is still gonna hurt. Maybe I should come first. Tame the beast, so to speak. Then I can clear my head, too, and take things slow. Make sure that she’s okay before I rut her senseless.
Good idea, Sam.
I’m almost smiling about my genius plan when Mercy suddenly sits up and pushes me.
I fall onto my ass and she climbs into my lap, not wasting any time.
Alarm bells ring in my head—not just because of how big my dick is, but because I’m not wearing a condom.
“Mercy, wai—ohhh fuck.” My eyes roll back as she drags her pussy over my cock with the sweetest cry on her lips.
Her eyes flutter closed as she does it a second time, then a third, driving me into a frenzy within seconds.
I’m drenched in her desire by the time she lifts her hips and bares down on the tip.
Anchoring herself to my shoulders, she drags her bottom lip between her teeth.
Yeah, fuck the condom. I’m taking my girl bare.
Kissing her hard, I plant one hand on her hip and one on the back of her neck to hold her steady. The heat of her core has me leaking precum all over her slit.
Shit. We’re really doing this.
No more games.
No more waiting.
She sinks down slowly, her breath hitching once the tip is in.
My body is on fire, screaming at me to thrust into her heat and take what’s mine, but I wait…
and then I watch, tilting my head to the side to catch a glimpse of the man who wanted this for himself.
I always knew that sex with Mercy would be sweet victory, but witnessing the burning envy in Kane’s eyes as she takes me into her body—willingly gifting me her virginity—is an unexpected rush.
I damn near come when she’s only halfway down my shaft, already throbbing as I slide even deeper.
“Take it slow if you need—” I choke on my words as she lifts her hips and suddenly slams back down, impaling herself with a shrill cry.
She quivers for only a moment before rolling her hips, her pussy squeezing me so tightly that I can hardly breathe.
Spots dance in my vision as I clench every muscle in my body and beg not to come.
Not when this is everything I’ve ever wanted.
Not until she’s satisfied. Not here, not now, not yet—
My mind scrambles to latch on to something, anything, to keep my orgasm at bay. God must hate me, because, my eyes lock with Kane’s at that precise moment.
At least it keeps me from coming.
Dragging my lips up the side of Mercy’s neck, I maintain eye contact with him as I whisper in her ear.
“Ready for more, baby?” She grabs my face and kisses me, putting my attention back where it belongs.
I moan into her mouth as I wrap my arms around her waist. “Hold on tight.” Pushing her down in time with my thrust, I bury my cock as deep inside of her as possible.
We moan in unison. A shockwave of sparks zings through my entire body.
And for the first time in weeks, I finally don’t give a damn about what happens next.