Mercy
I t had been two long weeks since Gram announced that she was getting married and that she would need to move out. The night that she was fired she went home to find her grandmother making out on her sofa with her boyfriend Joe. As soon as she walked through the door, Gram announced that she and Joe were engaged and that they were going to be married in a month. didn’t have the heart to burden her grandmother with the crappy news of being fired, not wanting to ruin her celebration.
Honestly, was happy for Gram, she deserved every good thing that came her way. Gram liked to tell everyone that was taking care of her by living in her house and helping with the bills. But the truth of the matter was that Gram was the one taking care of all those years. If it wasn’t for her grandmother, wouldn’t have had anywhere to go after her parents died. Her grandmother saved her, and she couldn’t bring herself to destroy Gram’s happiness with her bad news.
Joe was going to move into the house two weeks before the wedding, giving just fourteen days to find someplace to stay, and that had proven nearly impossible since she had no job and no money. She couldn’t ask Regan and Emily if she could stay with them, they both had such busy lives already. Regan was due with her second baby any minute now and Emily was newly married, pregnant, and about to open a free women’s clinic in town. packed her bags, telling Gram that she would get the rest later when she found a place to land and she left, promising to come home Sunday for dinner.
She drove around town for almost four hours and when her gas was just about gone, she parked in the lot at Manholes. wasn’t sure what else to do or even where to go. She knew that asking Cash or Callan for anything made her a huge hypocrite. Especially since the last time she saw the two of them, she insisted that they leave her alone and let her raise her child by herself. Now, here she sat in front of Cash’s bar about to go in and beg him to let her stay in his empty apartment. She’d laugh at the whole crazy mess, but she was just too tired and stressed to find anything funny.
took a deep breath and let it out. “It’s now or never,” she said rubbing her ever-expanding belly. She had to borrow some maternity clothes from Regan. Her friends found out that she lost her job since news traveled fast in small towns. When an ex-coworker called Emily to let her know that had been fired for basically the same reason as Em, her friend was livid. She called , pissed that she had to hear it from another person and the next morning Emily and Regan showed up at her grandmother’s house with bags of maternity clothes and things that she would need to get through the rest of her pregnancy.
finally came clean to her two best friends telling them about her night with Cash and Callan and admitting that she still wanted them both. She didn’t miss the knowing looks that her two friends shared but she also knew that jumping back into bed with Cash and Callan would be a huge mistake. They so easily let her go the first time she couldn’t bear having to walk away from them again, this time with a baby in tow. She needed to protect her heart and her baby if she was going to find her way forward. Having to go to them and grovel for a place to stay wasn’t exactly playing in her favor but she knew that they would help her and honestly, they were her only hope now.
As soon as she entered the bar she could feel both guys' eyes on her watching her every move. It had been two weeks since she saw them at the hospital, two of the longest weeks of her life. She couldn’t blame them; she told them both to get lost and leave her alone. There was a small part of her that wanted them to fight for her, but that kind of thing didn’t happen in real life, and it certainly didn’t happen for her. Needing their help now was like rubbing salt on their wounds but she had no other choice.
She strode up to the bar, not quite sure if she should sit on a bar stool in her condition or stand next to it until Cash acknowledged her. She settled for sitting, although hoisting herself up onto the stool was quite a feat and must have looked quite comical. Breathless from her exertions, she looked over to where Callan was on stage, his eyes still on her. The way that he was watching her and singing, it was almost like the two of them were completely alone and he was serenading only her. She shivered as he sang about loving a woman so much that he felt weak, and she almost wanted to be that woman for him but that too was just a fairy tale.
“Please tell me that you aren’t going to ask me for a beer, little one.” Cash was wiping down the bar and filling frosted mugs from the tap. He was trying for casual, but he looked at her just as intensely as Callan had.
“No,” she smoothed her hands over her belly accentuating how much it had grown in the past couple weeks. “I need a favor, and I didn’t know who else to ask.”
“Anything,” Cash breathed, not skipping a beat.
“Cash, you can’t say anything and not mean it. I need some help, and we have nowhere else to go.” She rubbed her belly again, not above using the baby to get what she needed. Sleeping in her car seven months pregnant would break her back and she didn’t have time or money for more doctors.
“I meant what I said, little one—anything.” Cash handed her a glass of water and she drank it down. She hadn’t had much to eat all day, and her stomach did a little flip-flop. closed her eyes trying to calm her empty tummy. The last thing she needed was to run to the bathroom to get sick.
“You okay?” Cash was around the bar standing by her side when her eyes opened to his question. She slowly nodded, suddenly feeling a little dizzy. Cash must have noticed, wrapping his big arm around her body. couldn’t help herself she leaned into him soaking up the comfort that he was offering. It felt like so many things were against her right now and having a literal shoulder to lean on felt like heaven.
“When was the last time you ate anything, little one?” Cash growled. knew that lying to him was of no use. Her traitorous body chose that moment for her stomach to growl so loudly, she was sure that Callan could hear it over his band.
“This morning. I’ve been—busy.” That wasn’t a lie. She had been busy packing her shit and loading it into her car. She had achy muscles to prove it. even had a few of those Braxton hick’s contractions but she was sure that they were just nature’s way of warning her to slow down. Her third trimester was kicking her ass, and her life hadn’t slowed down around her.
“I’m going to put an order in for you and then you, Callan, and I are going to go back to my office to talk. We need to get a few things straight.” Cash disappeared back to the kitchen as Callan finished up his song. He told the crowd that had gathered to hear him play that he and the band were going to take a little break, and knew that she was the cause of the groans of disappointment around the bar.
Callan crossed to where she sat and pulled her into his arms, almost lifting her from the barstool. “Hi baby,” he crooned. “I missed you,” he whispered into her ear, making her melt.
She wanted to tell Callan that she missed him too, but she was a chicken. Hell, she missed both of them so much, not just over the last two weeks but since their night together. But, telling them would be a mistake. It would give them both hope and wasn’t sure that she was willing to do that to them. It would be cruel to lead them on just to keep a roof over her head. She needed to get her, and the baby settled, figure out which one of the guys was her baby’s father, and then decide what she wanted. As of right now, her goals were food and a place to stay, in that order.
She reluctantly pulled free from Callan, righting herself on the barstool, and wanted to clap and cheer when she saw the plate of food that Cash was bringing her. He set it in front of her and she wanted to dig in, but she felt that she at least owed them the truth.
“I can’t pay for this,” she whispered. Cash growled and handed her the fork.
“I don’t want you to fucking pay for this, . I want to take care of you and our baby. We both do.” She looked between Callan and Cash, not missing the flash of anger on their handsome faces. Cash had his hair pulled back tonight and when he wore it like that, felt like she could see straight through to his soul by just staring into his green eyes. She knew that they wouldn’t allow any argument, she was going to let them feed her. was hungry and out of options.
Her grandmother and Joe had put their foot down and told her that they needed their privacy, and she couldn’t blame them. At their ages, they were lucky to find each other. Her grandmother deserved happiness and Joe seemed like a good person. Gram even suggested that she let Cash and Callan help her out until she could get back on her feet. She tried to explain to her grandmother that letting them help would give them both the wrong idea and that wouldn’t be fair to either of them. Gram just smirked and went about her cooking, dropping the subject.
hated that she had to turn to the guys and a part of her wondered if her grandmother might not be scheming to push them all together. wouldn’t put it past Gram, the woman could be relentless when she thought that should do something. She dragged her feet about declaring a major in college, but Gram pushed her into the nursing field, telling her that she’d be a natural. And she was right. was born to be a nurse, and she missed her job terribly.
“Eat up, baby. After you finish, Cash and I have a few things to discuss with you,” Callan said. Honestly, didn’t want to think about what they wanted to discuss. All she could think about was the food sitting in front of her and how hungry she was. She must have worked up more of an appetite than she imagined moving her things from her room.
Cash talked to a new waitress, her name tag said Ivy, and felt a pang of jealousy seeing the way the new girl shyly smiled at Cash. At one point she leaned in to laugh at something that Cash said, gently touching his arm and wanted to rip her arms from their sockets but she also knew that she had no right to feel that way. Cash wasn’t hers and she needed to remember that. The most he might ever be to her was the father of her baby.
“It’s not what you’re thinking, baby. She’s just a flirt but Cash doesn’t have eyes for anyone but you.” shot Cash a look and shrugged to let him know that she couldn’t care less about what Cash did with his time or whom he did it with.
“Cash can do whatever he wants with whomever he wants. It’s none of my business,” spat.
Callan chuckled, shaking his head at her. “See, that’s where you’re wrong, honey. Everything Cash and I do is your business and the sooner you accept that the smoother this transition will be for the three of us.” wasn’t quite sure what Callan was getting at. Sure, one of them was her baby’s father but that didn’t give her the right to keep tabs on them. At some point, they would both move on, and rightly so. She couldn’t expect them to remain celibate just because one of them was her baby’s dad. Still, the thought of either of them with another woman rubbed her the wrong way.
Cash finished talking to Ivy and walked back over to where she and Callan sat at the bar. “You feeling better, little one?” shrugged, trying for nonchalant. Callan barked out his laugh and poor Cash looked to be confused by the whole scene.
“I think our is a little jealous of your newly hired help.” Both guys looked over to where the curvy blond was clearing a table, smiling and chatting with customers as she worked.
Cash pulled from her bar stool and sealed his mouth over hers, dipping his tongue in at her surprised gasp. When he finished kissing her, Callan took his turn thoroughly kissing his way into her mouth and leaving everyone in the bar no room for doubt as to whether or not the three of them were an item.
“What the hell was that guys?” she whispered.
“That, little one, was to show you that I don’t care what anyone else in this fucking bar thinks about the three of us being together. That was to show you that no other woman means a fucking thing to me. That was to show you that we both want you even when you’re being a stubborn little brat.” Cash took her hand and led her back to his office, Callan followed behind her. needed to remember why she was there but the two of them together, kissing her, touching her, did strange things to her concentration.
“Cash, I came here to ask you a favor and while I appreciate the meal, I need to get a few things figured out.” Cash sat down on the black leather sofa that took up one wall in his office, pulling her down onto his lap. Callan sat next to him and pulled her legs across his own. With both guys touching her was pretty sure that she was going to lose the ability to form words. It was now or never.
“I need a place to stay. My grandmother is getting married, and I’ve been kicked out, so to speak. Can I stay at your apartment upstairs?” Cash looked at Callan and smiled.
“You can’t stay in my apartment, little one. Ivy is staying there now.” blew out a breath feeling defeated. She was sure that she couldn’t sink much lower—especially knowing now that Cash and the new girl were living together.
“That’s fine. I get it, you’ve moved on, and I can’t blame you. I told you both to forget about me.” tried to stand, and Cash’s arms banded around her holding her against his body.
“Let me explain, little one,” Cash insisted. nodded and waited for him to continue. “Ivy is my new employee. I hired her to help run the bar when I can’t be here. I’m going to be taking some extra time off, and I needed the help.” wanted to ask why he needed time off, but she knew that it was none of her business.
“Cash and I have moved into his house together, baby.” looked between the two of them confused. The night that they spent together, both guys told her that they were straight. What changed?
“You two are together now?” motioned between the two of them, “I thought you were both straight.” Both guys grimaced and feverishly shook their heads. She giggled at the show that both of them were putting on. “Okay, maybe I read this whole situation all wrong. So, if you two aren’t an item then why are you living in Cash’s house together?”
“Because little one, we’re waiting for you to stop being so stubborn and move in with us.” gasped at Cash’s offer. God, she wanted to take him up on it. For one, being under the same roof with the two of them would be a dream come true and an answer to her current homeless situation. But, she knew that sooner or later, she’d end up in bed with the two of them again and that wouldn’t end well for her and the baby. She knew the score, neither of them wanted to share her. It was asking the universe too much to give her both men—together. But that didn’t stop her from hoping.
“I don’t know guys. The three of us living together is a bad idea. You made it very clear that you don’t want to share a woman, and I haven’t changed my mind. I want you both or neither of you. You didn’t sign up for this.” She pointed to her belly. “We agreed to one night, no strings attached, and I won’t hold either of you to some old-fashioned notion that you have to do right by me or this baby.” Cash’s hand immediately reached for her belly, gently rubbing her.
“What if we changed our minds, little one?” Cash sighed, “Callan and I have come to an understanding. You see, we let you walk away seven months ago. Hell, we were both awake when you left but we were cowards and let you go. We both agree that it wasn’t what we wanted, we still don’t want to let you go, either of you.” Cash palmed her belly, and the baby kicked his big hand. Watching his face light up was sheer joy and couldn’t help her smile.
“Was that?” The baby kicked his hand again as if answering for her. nodded, and Cash laughed. He slid his hand over her belly, making room for Callan to feel the baby move.
“He’s going to be a football linebacker,” Cash boasted.
“Or a soccer player,” Callan chimed in.
“Or—she will be a ballerina,” offered, smiling at the two of them. Their reaction to the baby was magical and for just one moment, she let herself hope again.
“Are we going to find out the sex of the baby?” Callan asked. shrugged. She denied that there even was a baby for almost six months. Finding out the sex would have meant that she would have had to admit that she was pregnant and that wasn’t something she was willing to do. Emily had offered to do a sonogram, but wasn’t sure that she wanted to know. She always liked surprises, especially good ones. Besides, it wasn’t like she had any way of going shopping for the baby, not without a job. She was worried that she might not find another job until after the baby was born. Not many hospitals wanted to hire a nurse who couldn’t be on her feet, helping patients for eight to twelve-hour shifts. Once the baby came, she could apply to hospitals within a five-hour radius of her grandmother. That way she could be within a day’s drive if her gram needed her to come home.
“I’m not sure that I want to know. I think I’d like to be surprised.” Both men nodded, and she felt some relief that they wouldn’t push her to find out the baby’s sex.
“ say you’ll come and live with us. We just want to take care of the two of you. Give Cash and me a chance to prove that we can get along, to make this relationship work.” Callan looked so hopeful. knew what her answer should have been, but she couldn’t help herself, she said yes. She wanted to be with them and even though it felt wrong, she wanted their help. It would be nice to lean on someone else and let them help take care of her. She wouldn’t trade one moment of taking care of her grandmother, but she had to admit that having someone care for her was going to be a treat.
“Yes,” Cash whispered. “You mean it little one?” shyly nodded.
“I do have one condition,” she said. “I want my own bedroom. I’ll move in with the two of you, but I won’t jump into your bed. Just because I’m pregnant, doesn’t mean that we need to make any more bad decisions.” watched as Cash shot Callan a disgruntled look. She braced herself, ready for an argument but they gave her none.
“Fine, you can have your own room—for now.” shivered at the promise in Cash’s voice. Her head was on board the no-guy train but her traitorous body didn’t get the memo that she needed to keep her hormones in check.
tried to squirm out of their laps suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. As she stood, she doubled over with the worst pain she had ever felt in her belly. She was sure that it was a contraction but this time the pain seemed to take forever to ease. Both guys stood and Cash wrapped his arms around her.
“What’s wrong, ?” Callan barked. She couldn’t talk past the contraction, trying to use some of the Lamaze breathing she had learned. When the pain started to subside, she realized that she had been crying.
“I think I might be in labor, guys. I need to call Emily and get checked.” Before she could even finish her statement, Cash had Jackson on the phone and barked orders that Emily would need to meet them at his house. Cash handed his cell to Callan and lifted into his arms as if she weighed nothing.
“We’ll figure this out, little one. Emily is going to meet us at the house.” Cash crooned, and a part of foolishly felt better. She protectively held her belly and silently prayed that her baby would be okay. She had denied her baby’s existence for so long that she worried the universe was about to pay her back.