13. Mercy

I ranpast the bus stop, shouting for Charlie to stop. This was our regular routine—me running late and Charlie teasing me by slowly pulling away. The doors opened as he shot me a taunting smile.

"I nearly made it today," I huffed out an exhausted breath as I got onto the bus.

"You nearly make it every day," he chuckled. I leaned down and pressed a kiss to Charlie's crinkly old face. He was the sweetest man, but only to me.

I sat behind him as he pulled the doors closed and continued on the route. "Thanks for letting me on."

"I would never leave you out there."

"Sure you would," I laughed.

"You're looking better," he said, eyeing me in the mirror.

"Don't start," I said, holding back a smile.

Charlie liked to act like the grandfather I never had, always keeping tabs on me. When I returned from the jungle three weeks ago, the first words out of his mouth were that I looked like shit. Since then, he continued to tell me what he thought.

"Did your parents leave yet?"

"Yesterday. They're off on another mission, leaving me blissfully alone."

"And the doctor friend?"

Elijah. Yes, Charlie met him one time and wasn't impressed. Then again, Elijah acted like getting on the bus was the most horrible thing in the world. But I liked it. I didn't have to fight traffic on the way home from work when I was already exhausted, and I could read on the way to and from work, clearing my mind from the realities around me.

"Don't worry, Charlie. You can be certain Elijah will never ride the bus again."

"Is he still hanging around?"

"He's a doctor at the same hospital."

"That didn't answer my question," he laughed.

"It wasn't meant to."

"Alright, alright. Tell an old man to butt out."

"If I did that, it wouldn't make any difference."

He grinned at me. "You're probably right."

I pulled out my book like I always did and Charlie went back to driving and listening to whatever game was playing on the radio. I tuned it out for the rest of the route and lost myself in a world of gods and demons. I was so engrossed that I nearly missed my stop.

Waving to Charlie, I hopped off and headed up to my apartment. It was in the historic district, where the architecture still had beauty and the insides were outdated. But I loved it with all my heart. With so much cold steel around me every day at the hospital, I liked to come home and feel like I was in another world. It was yet another thing Elijah didn't like—and another reason we didn't work out.

Not that I was ever expecting to have anything but a fling with him. When we returned, I broke things off with him. He had a few choice words for me, which I promptly ignored.

I grabbed my mail out of the old, gold mailboxes, then headed up the stairs to my apartment on the seventh floor. Waving to Mrs. Randle across the hall as she was chasing her cat back into her apartment, I unlocked my door and walked inside, smiling at the cozy feel of the early 1900s architecture. With built-in bookcases and thick, wood molding, I was one of the few to snag these luxurious apartments. Getting into the building was difficult, only because tenants refused to move out once they saw the inside.

I flicked off my shoes and walked directly to the built-in bar, pulling out a bottle of red. I wasn't supposed to drink a lot of alcohol, but once a week, I indulged in my favorite red wine. I curled up on my sofa and grabbed the remote, turning on some soothing classical music. After a long day, I just wanted to relax and forget about everything that happened.

That wasn't likely to happen tonight. The buzzer rang, dragging me away from my comfortable couch. Groaning, I walked over to the door and answered the incessant ringing. "Yes?"

"It's me," a high-pitched voice squealed. "Let me up! I need to pee!"

Of course, she did. I pressed the buzzer and waited for her to run upstairs. Lucy was my favorite surgical nurse—not just because she was my best friend—but because she was amazing at her job. At this point, she could predict what I wanted and always had everything set up just the way I needed. However, she wasn't on my rotation today.

I opened the door and stepped back, waiting for her to plow her way inside.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she chanted as she rushed inside, struggled to kick off her shoes, then tossed her jacket on the floor as she rushed for the guest bathroom.

I shut the door and locked it, then walked over to the bar and poured her a glass of red wine. By the time I was sitting on the couch again, she was out of the bathroom and walking like normal. She picked up her jacket and draped it on the wooden coat rack by the door.

"Ugh, thank you," she smiled as she walked over and snatched the glass I held out for her. "You have no idea how much I need this."

"You worked with Friedman today?"

"How did you know?" she asked sarcastically.

"Well, the scowl on your face pretty much said it all."

"I hate working with him so much. He's so condescending."

"Well, he's old. You can't tell him anything."

She took a long swallow of her wine, then grinned at me. "So, I saw Elijah today."

"Please, let's not go there."

"He's so heartbroken over you."

"He is not. He's pouting because he didn't get his way."

"Well, he's telling everyone that you came back a different person. He said the time in the jungle really messed with your perception."

My jaw dropped at that. "He did not."

She nodded sagely. "I mean, I didn't let him get away with it. I went to the locker room and replaced his talcum powder with itching powder," she smirked. "He's going to be very uncomfortable the next time he dumps that in his boxers."

I slapped my hand over my mouth, shaking my head at her. "Lucy!"

"What? He deserved it. Besides, from what I hear, this isn't the first time he's done something like that."

"Oh my God," I groaned. "I was so stupid to get involved with him."

She shrugged. "You're not the only woman to sleep with a narcissistic prick. So, you were charmed by his good looks. I might have been too."

"But you weren't."

"No, but that's only because I'm one hundred percent celibate."

"Since when?" I asked, not believing a word she said.

"Since the new year. I told you about that!"

"Um…we were together on New Year's Eve. I don't remember this resolution."

"Well, I made it after I slept with Darren two days after New Year's."

I frowned at that. "Did you date a man on a motorcycle for most of the spring?"

"Yes," she snapped defensively.

"And you mean to tell me that you didn't sleep with him at all during that time?"

"Okay, so I may have broken my resolution for him, but other than that, I've been very good."

I pursed my lips to hold back my smile. She'd also slept with at least two other men that she brought home from the bar when we went out before my jungle fiasco. But I didn't mention that.

"I'm sure you have," I said just as the buzzer rang for the second time tonight. "Did you bring Elijah with you?"

"No, but if he walks through that door, I'll junk punch him for you."

"Thanks, but I think I can handle it," I laughed. I pressed the button for the intercom. "Yes?"

There was a pause, and then I heard a voice I never thought I'd hear again. "Mercy?"

Sweat broke out all over my skin as his deep voice vibrated through my chest. I had pushed him out of my mind the past few weeks, refusing to dwell on what might have been. But now he was here. At my apartment. I hadn't even told him where I lived.

"Uh…yes?" I rolled my eyes at the idiocy of my decision. Pretending not to know who was there wouldn't make this any easier.

"It's me, Chase."

My throat went suddenly dry at the confirmation. Not that I needed it. And to make matters worse, Lucy was by my side in a second, listening intently with a grin on her face. I smacked her as she started making kissy faces.

"Mercy?"

"Yeah, I'm here. Just dealing with a pest issue," I said, smacking Lucy one last time.

"I'm sorry I didn't call. Can I come up?"

"Oh, Chase," Lucy said, pressing the back of her hand to her forehead. "I need you!"

I slapped my hand over her mouth before pressing the button again. "Uh, sure. Come on up."

I pressed the buzzer and allowed him in. "You, no speaking," I scolded her.

"Who is Chase and why have I not heard about him before today?"

Because I was desperate to keep that particular time in my life all to myself. It was hard enough to move on from him without everyone else knowing what I shared with him.

"Lucy, I need you to do me a favor."

"And what would that be?"

"Be a good friend and leave."

Her eyes bugged out. "You're kidding, right? That sexy voice just came out of nowhere and you want me to leave before I see him?"

"Please?"

I never begged, but if there was ever a time for it, that was now.

She pursed her lips, then shrugged. "Okay."

"Seriously?"

"Of course. What kind of friend would I be if I humiliated you in front of a sexy man like that?" She walked over to grab her jacket, but moved awfully slow.

"I never said he was sexy."

"Oh, please," she fanned herself. "How could a man with that voice not be sexy?"

"Just grab your shoes and go," I said, snatching the wine glass out of her hand.

"Alright, alright. I know when I'm not wanted."

I pushed her toward the door, but I was too late. The knock thundered through the apartment like a freight train. I stood stock still, unable to move as I stared at the door, unsure if I could handle seeing him again.

"Oh, look at that. I'm too late. It would be rude to leave now," Lucy said, swinging the door open as she took off her jacket. "Chase? I'm Lucy, the best friend."

My breathing stalled in my chest as I drank all six plus feet of him. He was just as handsome as I remembered, possibly even more so since he was clean. With his baseball cap pulled down low, I could just make out those dark eyes that stalked me in my dreams.

"Um…Chase, this is my friend Lucy. She's a nurse at the same hospital where I work."

"It's nice to meet you," he said, but his eyes never strayed from me.

We stood there in complete silence for a full minute. I couldn't tear my eyes away from him, sure that he would disappear if I did. My chest swelled as all those feelings from our two days together invaded my mind. He made me feel more in that short time than I had felt in my entire life, making it difficult to breathe now that he stood in front of me again.

"Wow," I heard Lucy murmur.

That brought me out of my trance. "Come in," I said, stepping aside. He walked through the door and looked around, taking in my apartment. It was pretty clean since I was only home to sleep.

"So, Chance," Lucy stepped in, motioning for me to go to him. "How is it you know Mercy?"

I glared at her, hoping I could get her to shut up, but she forged ahead.

"I mean, it seems that you two know each other pretty well."

His gaze settled back on me, but this time, the intensity was ramped up another notch.

"He saved my life," I finally said after a long pause.

I could see Lucy glancing back and forth between the two of us. And then I saw the moment her eyes widened and she realized that Chase wasn't just some guy.

"Oh, wow. So, you're that kind of friend."

I flushed bright red, ducking my head in embarrassment.

"I met Mercy in the jungle."

Her eyes shot to mine, still wide as ever. "He was in the jungle with you? You never told me that," she said, smacking my arm.

"Ow! Don't hit me!"

"You hit me when he showed up at your door. Besides, I'm your best friend. You don't hide hot men from your best friend!"

"I wasn't hiding him from you," I hissed. "I didn't see him after that."

"So…he was like your jungle man," she said knowingly, then looked him up and down. "I could see that. I'm totally getting the barbarian saving the day vibe."

"He's not a barbarian," I snapped.

"Uh-huh. Now I know why you came home with a fever. You had jungle fever," she grinned.

This was so humiliating. I grabbed her arm and dragged her into the living room out of earshot. "Will you please stop? You're embarrassing me!"

"Not a chance. I can't believe you hid him from me. He's so sexy." Then she turned and blatantly stared at him, ogling him like she'd never seen a man before. In all fairness, there wasn't anyone I'd ever met who was even half as sexy as him. "Look at those muscles. God, what I wouldn't give to lick just one. You'll let me, won't you?"

"Not a chance in hell," I snapped. I grabbed her by the arm and swung her around to face me. "Seriously, I need you to leave."

"Right, so you can have some jungle time," she winked. "I gotcha, but I want details. No leaving anything out this time."

"Fine, I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

I turned her to the door and shoved her from behind until she was at the door, though her head was still cocked over her shoulder to stare at him. I grabbed her jacket and thrust it at her chest, then opened the door and shoved her through.

"I could just stay in the other room and listen," she said hopefully as I slammed the door in her face. Turning around, I kept my back pressed against the door until she stopped yelling and finally gave up and went home.

"Sorry about that," I muttered, walking only a little closer to him. I desperately wanted to throw myself into his arms, but I didn't even know why he was here.

"It's okay," he huffed, rubbing his hand across the back of his neck. "We all have friends like that."

"Yeah? You have friends who hope to hide out in the next room to hear you having sex?"

"All the time," he said, his eyes twinkling.

That just made this harder. It was like we were right back in the jungle, only this time, we both knew in the morning we wouldn't be alone anymore.

"Not that I don't want you here, but why did you come?"

He sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Can we sit down? This feels awkward."

He had no idea. "Sure."

I walked into the living room and took a seat, waiting for him to say something. When he sat down right beside me, I had to force myself not to squirm.

"I like this place," he said quietly. After a moment, he dropped his gaze to his hands. "I…I blamed myself. That's why I ran."

I was so shocked by his confession that I didn't know what to say. "Ran?" Yeah, because playing dumb was the smart choice.

When his gaze snapped to mine, I knew I'd been caught. "Don't do that. I saw it on your face."

"And you left anyway," I retorted.

"I shouldn't have run, but…I kept thinking how it was all my fault, and instead of dealing with that, I thought you were better off with Elijah."

That just pissed me off. I stood suddenly, taking him by surprise. "Everyone thinks they know what's best for me. Between my parents and Elijah, I had enough people telling me what to do. I thought you were different."

As he stood, I could see the flames igniting in his eyes. I had pissed him off. "I never said I wouldn't stop worrying about you."

"And your way of showing that is by leaving?"

"I fucked up," he snapped. "I'm human. But I'm here now."

"Yeah? And what made you decide to come running back?"

"A reality check," he mumbled. "A friend put me in my place. I didn't want to make the same mistakes he did."

"And what were those mistakes?"

"Running away when things got hard. It turns out I'm pretty terrible at running away because the entire time I was gone, I was thinking about you."

I stared at him, my mouth gaping as I tried to come up with some response that didn't make me sound like a bitch. "Well…it's about time you admitted it."

Something in his gaze changed, darkened. I swallowed hard as my gaze dropped to his lips. I could still feel the searing heat from when he kissed me weeks ago. That would never fade, even if he walked out of my life, and based on the way his eyes were devouring me, he felt the same.

A rush of dizziness washed over me the longer I stared at him. "You look like you want to kiss me," I murmured.

"I always want to fucking kiss you," he growled.

He grabbed me by the back of the neck and crushed his lip to mine in a bruising kiss. I gasped in excitement, my fingers digging into his shirt. It didn't matter how much time had passed since I last saw him or why he left. He was here with me now.

In a flash, he hoisted me up around his waist and laid me down on the couch. The moment I spread my thighs, he was nestled between them, grinding his erection against my swollen pussy. I was already desperate for him, clawing at his back as electric shocks rippled down my spine.

"Chase," I whispered, running my fingers along his lips.

His brows pulled in question.

"Just making sure you're real."