Chapter 8

Eight

Neo

The weekend had been eventful,surprisingly. Yesterday, Merc took me to spend some time with Innvy, which was much needed. The next morning, I spent a bit more time with Rey. He was teaching me how to play Chess while we listened to music. Under different circumstances, I would have loved to get to know the older gentleman who was becoming like a second father to me. Even with these circumstances, I was glad Rey wanted to keep me safe and that I felt so comfortable in his space.

He gave me a bit more insight into Merc, which I appreciated. He told me that, because of Merc's line of work, he was very guarded and reserved. I already felt like that was the case, but he told me the day at my store was the first day Merc had ever not been fully alert with a client. I asked what made him lose himself in that moment, and Rey told me it was a family issue that he couldn't speak on. I wondered if that family was a wife and children I didn't know about. Even with the night we'd spent together at the bar, I'd never asked Merc if he was single. Hell, it didn't matter, because I was in a relationship.

Now, I wondered if he had a family at home and if that was why he didn't spend the night with us.

Since it was Sunday, I wanted to go see my parents. Usually, I would have gone to church and brunch with them. It felt so weird not following my daily routine, but I was dedicated to staying here if it meant I would be safe.

Rey had been moving around slowly, against his doctor's orders. So when I heard him say, "You stopping by again today? Neo must be the reason," in the hallway, it made me smile.

I knew exactly who he was talking to.

"She's a part of it," Merc replied with that husky tone I loved to hear. "Aries and Marz went out of town. They won't be back until tonight, so I'm tryna keep myself busy too."

Aries… was that his wife?

I shouldn't have felt jealous or possessive, but I felt both.

It was silly of me to get attached to Merc.

Regardless of how much time we spent together, this was a job for him.

I was just a woman he kept safe if I left this mansion. Nothing more.

There was a light knock on the door before it slowly creaked open. Not bothering to turn and face who it was, I continued to look out of the window. Suddenly, I was less happy about Merc being here.

"You wanna get out for a while?" he asked, making his way over to me.

"You can just drop me off at my parents' house. You don't have to stay."

"I do, actually. It's my job."

With a chuckle, I bit down on my bottom lip as he sat next to me. "Yeah, I know."

His hand caressed my shoulder, and unlike usual when his touch would calm me, it irritated me. I didn't want him touching me, knowing there was a woman in his home, in his life. I shouldn't have been surprised. Merc was fine as hell. His tall, muscular frame was covered with chocolate colored skin the same as mine. He had a tapered fade and short beard that was always shiny and neatly trimmed. Tight, dark eyes and skin-colored juicy lips often fought for my attention.

Casually, I removed myself from his touch. Releasing a sigh, I stood and headed toward the closet where I'd been storing my things.

"Wassup witchu?" His tone had deepened. His expression hardened. Avoiding his eyes, I sat on the edge of the bed and put on my shoes. I was dressed casually in a form fitting cream sweatsuit, and I paired it with cream platform sandals from Tory Burch to match since it wasn't too cold outside. The weather was up and down right now, and I wanted to take full advantage of it being in the sixties.

"Nothing," I grumbled.

The chuckle he released was more irritated than amused. "If you don't want to talk about it, say that, but don't lie to me."

"Fine, I don't want to talk about it."

"Why not?" he asked, following me out of the room.

"Because it's not worth talking about."

"Anything concerning you is worth talkin' about." He gently gripped my wrist, stopping my movement. "Wassup?" he asked again, this time softer.

I wasn't sure how to even broach the subject without sounding crazy. How was I mad that he had a woman when I had a man too? We might not have been on the best of terms, but still. I was in a relationship.

"Are you in a relationship?"

His brows wrinkled as he processed my question. They relaxed and he smiled. Releasing my wrist, Merc chuckled.

"No."

"Okay. Are you attached to a woman or having a consistent sexual relationship with her?"

His laugh was a little louder. "Neo…"

"Or a man? No judgment here."

"Aight, na. You goin' too fuckin' far."

His flaring nostrils made me smile.

"Are you?"

"No," he responded firmly. "Where is this coming from anyway?"

"I was just wondering. I'm starting to get a little attached to you, and I don't want to do that if you're in a relationship."

"I'm not in a relationship, nor am I attached to a woman or fucking one consistently. Or a man. But you shouldn't get attached to me anyway."

This time, it was him leading the way down the hall. Relief filled me, and I couldn't stop the comfortable smile that kept my lips spread as I followed him.

"Why not?" I took his hand into mine, making him chuckle and shake his head.

"I'm a gangsta, Neo. Ain't shit about my life set up for a romantic relationship. Plus, don't you have a man? Well, he ain't really a man, but that's a topic for a different conversation."

"You don't even know him."

"I know enough." His crisp tone and serious expression made me pout and feel even more stupid because he was right. Merc had picked up on Steven's energy in one night; meanwhile, it had taken me two years. But to my credit, our relationship wasn't always like this.

I was so caught up in Steven that I almost overlooked what he called himself.

A gangster.

To me, Merc had been nothing but a gentleman.

Well, he did kill two men and wound one as if it was nothing.

If he was a gangster, a member of a criminal organization, did that mean Rey was into illegal things and that's why people were after him?

Had I been too na?ve and trusting? Was what was going on more serious than I realized?

"Are you a drug dealer? Is Rey? Is that why people were shooting at him?"

Merc's grip on my hand tightened as he stroked it with his thumb. His smile was playful as he looked down at me. "Okay, detective. Don't start asking questions you don't really want or need the answer to." He paused as he opened the door to let me out then added, "Besides, on the off chance the police find Gatlin before I do, the less you know about the shooting… the better."

That was all I needed to hear. My questions stopped, and I also decided against letting him take me to my parents' house. If someone was watching Rey and us, I didn't want to lead them to my parents.

"Um… we don't have to go to my parents' house," I said as he opened the door of a white Challenger for me to get in.

The left side of his mouth lifted into a smirk before he licked his lips, eyeing my frame fully. "You scared now?"

"N-no, I-I…"

"It's cool, Neo. Just get in."

His head shook as he chuckled and gently guided me inside the car. My heart raced as I watched him calmly make his way around to the driver's side. The more I was around this man, the more curious I became about him. But now… I couldn't help but wonder if I needed to keep my distance and stay my ass at the house.

I wasglad I didn't let my nerves get the best of me. Instead of going to my parents' house, I allowed Merc to kidnap me for the day. He took me shopping, then we went to a Grizzlies game with his crew, which included Bully and Innvy since they were dating and so stinking cute. My homegirl Harmony was there too, along with my boy Saint. We met within the Memphis music scene, and he was a connection for me to showcase local artists at my store for my monthly open mic night and concerts.

I could have almost cried when I saw Innvy, Harmony, and Saint. Though Merc stayed close, I pretty much spent the evening with my people. Saint assured me that nothing would happen to me while in their presence after he and I explained to Merc how we knew each other.

Also at the game was Kahlil and Honey, Hosea and Cartier, Elite and Denali, Supreme and Nicole, Tyreek and Janae, and Antonne and Haley.

Talk about big money and Black excellence.

That was my type of crowd for sure.

Now that it was over, I didn't want it to end. I gave all the ladies hugs, saving Harmony and Innvy for last.

"Is he taking care of you?" Innvy asked. "I'll tell Bully if he isn't."

With a giggle, I held my bestie even tighter. "He is… in his own way."

"Uh oh." She released me so we could face each other. "What does that mean?"

My eyes shifted toward Merc. Even though he appeared to be listening to what Bully and Saint were saying, his eyes were trained on me. It made my heart squeeze.

"He's weird. Like… he's very ni—kind. And generous. The man dropped stacks on me at the mall earlier like it was nothing, all because we had to waste time until the game started. He brought me things to occupy my time at the mansion, and you know I told you he kept me fed that weekend of the shooting when Bully told him I was working double shifts."

"All of that sounds great, Neo. What's the problem?"

"I don't think it's because he likes me." I didn't realize how crazy that sounded until I said it and we both laughed. "I think he's truly a gentleman. A class act. I don't know. I'm not used to it. Plus, he said he was a gangsta, which doesn't fit his character, but I guess it does because he protects and kills people. He doesn't flirt with me at all, and I don't think he even likes me. He might be physically attracted to me, but that's it. I don't know. I'm just having a hard time figuring him out."

"So to condense that, you like him, and you aren't sure he likes you too."

"Innvy…"

"You like that man," she said, voice lower as she grinned and gripped my arm. "And I don't blame you. Like, at all."

Unable to deny it, I covered my face as I giggled. "I dooo," I whined before groaning and lowering my hands. "But he doesn't like me too. Plus, he has something going on at home that he's very tight lipped about. He basically told me not to get attached to him so…" With a shrug, I looked at Merc as he made his way over to us. "I guess I just have to get through this without falling for his weird ass even more."

"If he's anything like Bully, and I'm sure he is because they are friends, I bid you good luck with that. Chile, Bully got me sprung already, and I'm not ashamed to admit it."

"Admit what?" Bully asked, wrapping his arms around her and placing a series of kisses on her neck that made her melt and swoon.

I was truly happy for my friend. She deserved to be loved on properly, and I was glad Bully was doing that. He hadn't let up off her since that night at the bar. I prayed he stayed this way.

"That I really, really like you," Innvy confessed, turning in his embrace.

"Good, because I really, really like you too."

"Awww." I cooed while Merc's eyes rolled as he opened the door for me, making me laugh. "I'll talk to you later, bestie. Have fun tonight!"

"I will! I would say you have fun too but…" Her eyes shifted toward Merc as she cackled, causing Bully to pick her up and toss her over his shoulder, smacking her ass in the process.

"You wanna tell me what that was about?" Merc asked as I got into the car.

"Not at all," I replied with a laugh of my own.