12. Hammer
HAMMER
We’d been up long enough to handle our hygiene and climb back into bed.
Even with me knowing I needed to leave and go home to get dressed for work, it was hard for me to pull myself away from Merci.
With her in my arms, I had the best sleep of my life that wasn’t drug-induced.
That was fucked up to say, but it was my truth.
The only time I slept through the night without waking up or tossing and turning was if I smoked or drank enough to pass out.
Last night, neither was the case. Having Merci in my arms was like my drug; I slept the whole night through.
At the sound of beating on her door, I climbed out of bed, but Merci took her time opening the camera app on her phone. “It’s my brothers. Please stay in here. I don’t want them knowing about you yet.”
That was cool with me because I didn’t want them to know about me either.
I was curious about why she didn’t want them to know about me, but since that would open the door for a conversation I wasn’t ready to have, I let her secrecy ride for now.
As quickly as she could, Merci wrapped her robe around herself and headed out of the door, closing it behind her.
Last night, we slept skin-to-skin. Somewhere along the way, the towel came off, and I was cool with that.
After I showered this morning, I put my boxers back on, and all she had on was a red bra and panty set that I desperately wanted to take off.
Merci’s body was truly a work of art. A fucking masterpiece.
It took every ounce of discipline I had this morning not to try and have my way with her, but I knew the wait would be worth it.
Sleeping with her and being skin-to-skin was a form of intimacy that was satisfying enough on its own.
As soon as her brothers came in the house, they went in on her ass, and it amused me. It explained why she was trying her hardest to call them last night because it was clear they didn’t play about her. I shouldn’t have expected anything less, though.
“I’m tryna figure out why we had to hear through the grapevine that some shit went down at your location last night,” one of them said.
Merci groaned, and I sat up in bed and rested against the headboard. “What did y’all hear, Marz?”
“Lamar had a team run down on Aaron at his event. Apparently, Lamar and his cousin tried to rob the host last night, too, but that shit ain’t work.
There’s a video circulating of them getting worked, but no one can see who it is because it was so dark outside.
You hosted that shit last night, right? So you were in that truck?
The truck that’s parked in your driveway? ”
“I didn’t know Lamar sent someone after Aaron too, but yes, he did try to rob me. Unsuccessfully.”
“Why you ain’t call us?” her other brother asked.
“I didn’t have to,” she replied casually. “My man and his brother handled it, Neptune. Clearly.”
Her response made me smile, and the dead silence that filled the room had me holding back my laugh. I could only imagine how they were looking at her.
“Yo’ man?” Marz replied. “Who the fuck is yo’ man?”
Merci laughed. “We just started dating, and it’s new, so no. Y’all can’t meet him. But as you can see in the video, I’m safe with him.”
One of them sucked their teeth.
“Nah, big sis. That don’t really sit too well with me. We need to meet him. At least to know who he is and thank him for looking out for you,” Neptune said.
“When I’m sure the relationship is going to progress, y’all can meet him. And please don’t try to take a picture of his tag and get his information. I’m begging y’all to behave.”
“Fine,” Marz said. “Tell him we said thank you for taking care of you, but don’t get so caught up in the newness of your relationship that you forget who we are.
Don’t ever let no shit like that happen and not make us aware.
It’s our responsibility to protect you on all sides, and we can’t do that if we don’t know what’s going on.
Pops’ gon’ have a fit when he finds out about this shit. ”
“He doesn’t have to know,” Merci whined. “I’m safe. No harm came to me. Y’all saw the damage my man and his brother did. Please don’t tell Daddy.”
“Yeah, I can’t lie, they did some major damage. Lamar and his cousin at the hospital. We gon’ walk ’im down still because of the principle. I’m finna go up there and work his ass right now.”
I damn near choked holding back my laughter. I could tell Marz was serious by the tone of his voice.
“Marz, please,” Merci said with a chuckle. “Don’t go up there and beat that man up. He’s had enough.”
“Nah. I’ma let you slide with this my man, my man, my man shit, but it ain’t nothing you can say that will stop me from going up to that hospital and having Lamar go from a regular room to the ICU.”
Merci released a hard breath. “Fine. I’ll take what I can get. Don’t call me if y’all crazy asses get arrested.”
“Aw, you know that ain’t nothing to worry about,” Neptune said.
A few seconds passed of them saying their goodbyes and making brief plans for their next family day before her brothers left. I walked over to the window and looked out, and surprisingly, they didn’t take a picture of my tag to try and run my registration.
When Merci made her way back into her bedroom, I saw her visibly relax before she said, “Thank you for staying in here. I’m not trying to hide you necessarily. I just never put my people in my relationships until I feel confident they are going to last.”
“It’s all good, Ms. Merci. There’s no rush to meet the family. I’m tryna get to know you.”
Her smile was soft as she loosened the belt on her robe, but instead of letting it fall, she said, “I’m sure you heard them, but they said thank you for looking out.”
“I did.” Slowly, I crossed the room and made my way over to her. “I also heard you call me ya man too.”
Her smile widened as she relaxed in my embrace. “I did. It came out naturally. I didn’t really mean—”
“Nah. I’m ya man. You had that shit right. And you my woman too.”
As her hands slid down my chest she said, “You really need to go, Mr. Freeman, or we won’t be leaving this room for a while.”
“I hate to, but I agree.” Leaning down slightly, I gave her a quick kiss before grabbing my clothes off the edge of her bed. “I really should’ve left like an hour ago, but thankfully I don’t have my first meeting until this afternoon.”
“Good, and same. I can’t wait for our date. Will you tell me what you have planned?”
“No, but you’re going to enjoy it.”
“I’m sure I will.”
Merci disappeared in her closet, and by the time she came out, she was dressed.
After another thirty minutes or so, we left out together to start our days.
I hated hearing there was a video of what happened last night, but I was glad our faces couldn’t be seen.
To be safe, I was going to put my truck up for a while, though I didn’t think there would be an investigation into what happened.
Even if the police did try to pick it up, I was sure Lamar wouldn’t cooperate.
He’d have to explain that he was trying to rob someone and got his ass beat in exchange, and not too many men would be willing to do that.