Mercedes
THE COFFEE SHOP WAS hectic when I arrived for my shift after school. Apparently, the kids that went to The Academy liked to cram into the tiny, ten table establishment after school for coffee and a gossip. I’d lost count of the number of stares I’d received from kids from school when I served them. I shook my head every time. Entitled little brats.
One upside to the bustle was that time went quickly. Between taking and filling out orders, I didn’t notice my four-hour shift passing. Before I knew, it was nine and Alec was turning the open sign on the door to closed.
“That was insane.” I sighed and leaned against the counter. “I must have made at least seventy coffees tonight.”
“The first week school reopens is always manic,” Alec explained with a knowing smile. “It will settle down. I promise.”
“I don’t mind,” I assured him, ripping off my apron and hanging it back up. “The busier we are, the faster the time goes.”
“Should I be insulted by that statement?” he teased, warm brown eyes twinkling, as he walked towards me. “Am I that horrible to work with?”
“Are you fishing for compliments?” I cocked a brow and smirked. Having worked together for over a month, I was used to Alec’s banter. In fact, I looked forward to it most days. “Wow, Alec. I thought you were smoother than that.”
“So it’s smooth she wants?” He grinned. “Alright. How about I take you out some night and wine and dine you?” He winked. “Smooth enough?”
“You know the answer to that.” Grabbing my backpack, I slipped it on and headed for the door. “Sorry.”
Alec had been asking me out for a few weeks now. And while he was insanely hot and fun, I continued to decline. I told myself it was because of the age gap. I told Alec that, too. Thing was, I had a feeling it had less to do with age and more to do with my unwanted feelings for Rourke.
“You’re wounding my pride here, Mercy,” Alec called out good-naturedly – like I knew he would.
“I’m sure you’ll manage to survive somehow,” I chuckled, pushing to door open. “See you tomorrow.”
SOMETHING WAS DIFFERENT. I felt it the moment I stepped foot inside the house after work. What it was, I had no idea because everything looked exactly the same as this morning, but there was a different atmosphere in the place. That sounded verbose but I honestly felt it.
Kicking off my shoes in the hallway, I trudged into the kitchen only to pause in the doorway when my eyes landed on Rourke.
He was leaning against counter with his back to me. He was laughing.
Genuinely laughing.
It wasn’t a sound I had heard too often and I soaked it in. The woman standing in front of the stove wasn’t Britt, or any other boney ass blonde from school – I presumed Rourke went for the anorexic blonde look.
No, this woman was old and grey and wrinkled. She was low in height and slightly hunched over the stove. She was using one hand to stir a pot with a wooden spoon. The other, she was using to pinch what I presumed was Rourke’s cheek.
I cleared my throat, not wanting to startle the old lady, and was immediately met with a pair of piercing blue eyes.
“Hey,” Rourke acknowledged in an actual civilized tone. “You’re home.”
Home? I almost laughed at the way he worded that sentence. The curious pair of grey eyes were what halted me in my tracks. “Hey,” I replied lamely instead.
“Oh,” he muttered when he noticed me eyeing up the old lady. “You two haven’t met yet. Frannie, this is Six, Cassidy’s daughter.” He smiled fondly down at the old lady. “Six, this is Fran. Our…” He paused for a moment, obviously thinking about her title. “Fran brought us up,” he finally settled on.
“Hello, Fran.” For some strange reason, I was incredibly nervous meeting this lady. I had no idea why, but I had a very strong feeling that I needed to make a good impression. “It’s nice to meet you.” Gabe had mentioned a lady named Fran would pop in and check on us once a week while he and Mom were away, but he had described a housekeeper. It was obvious to me that Rourke held this little old lady in much higher prestige.
“Now, boy, I know you ain’t gone and christened this pretty young thing a dang number like the others,” Fran said. Rourke shrugged sheepishly and she slapped his hand. “Dang it, Rourke,” she muttered when he didn’t deny it. “What’d I tell you ‘bout name calling?”
“It’s fine,” I heard myself say. “It’s more of a running joke between us.”
“See?” Rourke looked oddly relieved as he looked over at me and winked. “It’s my pet name for her.”
Fran walked slowly towards me and took my hand in both of hers, smiling the entire time. “Good to finally meet you…”
“Mercedes James,” I filled in awkwardly.
“Mercedes James.” Fran beamed at me, her frail hands shaking as she held onto my hand. “What a fine name that is.” She looked back at Rourke and winked. “What a fine young lady she is.” Immediately, I turned scarlet. “You got a young man calling on you, Mercedes James?”
“Ugh…no,” I spluttered, mortified. “Not at all.”
“Ya hear that, Rourke?” Fran said, not one bit conspicuous. “Mercedes’ here’s a free agent. Same as you.”
Rourke looked uncomfortable as he spoke. “Six is Cassidy’s daughter, Fran. You remember Dad’s wife Cassidy?”
“I ain’t lost my mind yet, boy,” Fran shot back. “Course I remember Cass.”
“Mercedes is my stepsister, Fran,” Rourke clarified with a frown.
“Pssh. Step-whepp.” Fran batted the air. “Ain’t no mixed bloodlines here.”
“Christ,” Rourke muttered under his breath before running a hand through his hair. “Are you staying for dinner, Fran?” He was desperate to change the subject. It was obvious.
“And miss my program?” Fran replied incredulously. I watched as she snatched a large brown purse from the counter and tossed it over her shoulder. “Hell no.”
I laughed out loud. I probably shouldn’t have, but there was something warming about hearing an old lady cuss.
“You take good care of yourself, Mercedes James,” Fran ordered with a smile before pottering over to Rourke and placing a loud kiss on his cheek. “Rourky Porky, you make sure you eat your dinner now, ya hear?” He turned bright pink. I snickered at the endearment. He loved this old lady. It was obvious.
“You sure you’re okay driving home, Fran?” Rourke called after her.
“Boy, I was driving long before you were a twinkle in your daddy’s eye,” she called back. “Nighty-night.” The sound of the front door closing filled my ears and I snickered loudly.
“Omigod,” I laughed, unable to smother my grin.
“Don’t say a word,” Rourke warned me with a reluctant smirk on his face.
“Come here, Rorky-Porky,” I teased as I prowled towards him with my hand out, fingers positioned like pincers. “Gimme a squeeze.”
“Six, I’m warning you.” He laughed and jerked backwards, unintentionally backing himself up against the counter. “Don’t you dare.”
“Oh, wassss wonnng?” I cooed. Stretching up on my tiptoes, I pinched his cheek. “Poor baby need a kiss?”
Reaching forward, he caught ahold of my hands, stopping me from pinching him further. “You think that’s funny?”
“You think it’s funny telling half the school about Rourke Jr.?” I shot back with a raised brow.
He frowned and said, “Okay, fair point,” before his frown disappeared and was replaced with a shit eating grin. “You called your dick Rourke Jr..”
“Only because you did,” I shot back, blushing. My hands fell to my sides, but he was still holding them.
“Are you embarrassed?” he asked, tone low and gruff.
“I’m confused,” I corrected. I was embarrassed, but my confusion was trumping all other emotions. “The other night you were…” My words trailed off. Rourke knew what he was the other night. A huge asshole. “And then today at school, you come and sit with me at lunch?” I shook my head, at a complete loss. I knew what I should be feeling for him; anger and resentment. I wanted to feel that way. I willed those emotions to come. But they didn’t because I couldn’t feel anything but want for this boy. It made me pathetic and sad and I couldn’t change it. In the back of my mind, I knew what I felt for Rourke was more than lustful longing, but right now, I wasn’t ready to acknowledge anything more.
“You’re…different to what I expected,” he offered.
“Yeah, well, I usually am.”
“I think I like you, Six.” He looked disappointed in himself as he said it.
“Wow. Thanks?”
“And I’ve been thinking about some stuff,” Rourke added.
“Did it hurt?”
“Funny.” He shot back, entwining his fingers with mine. “No. I’ve made a decision.”
My heart leapt in my chest. “About what?”
“Us.” He pulled me closer so that our bodies were completely aligned and flush against the other.
Breathe, Mercy. Breathe. “Oh?”
“Yeah.” Rourke looked deep into my eyes. “I think we should fuck.”
“I beg your pardon,” I strangled out. I had to have misheard him because there was no way Rourke just said…
“I think we should fuck,” he repeated.
Nope, I’d heard exactly right. “No!”
“No?” Rourke frowned like he’d never heard the word in his life. “Six, I just told you I’m willing to fuck you.”
“You’re willing to fuck me?” Snatching my hands back, I quickly retreated from him. “Wow.” Was he serious?
“What?” Rourke shook his head. “No. Six, not willing.” He took a step towards me. “I’m offering to fuck you.”
Offering to fuck me?
Was he serious?
“You complete asshole,” I hissed, hurt and furious. He couldn’t have hurt me more if he slapped me across the face.
“What?” Rourke threw his hands up in the air. “I thought that’s what you wanted the other night?”
I did. I wanted him the other night. But I also wanted… oh god, I didn’t know what I wanted, but I knew it was more than a fuck.
“Six,” he tried again. “I’m not trying to be romantic here. I’m trying to be honest.”
“Well, you’re certainly that.”
“Stop it,” he growled. “What I mean…Fuck!” He rubbed his face with his hand and sighed. “I want you. Okay?” He looked me square in the eye as he spoke. “I want to be inside you so fucking bad. You have no fucking idea how much I regret walking away the other night.”
“Then why did you?” I whispered, asking the question that had been haunting me.
“Because all it will ever be is sex to me!” Rourke shot back heatedly. “And you?” He shook his head. “You’re the kind of girl that needs more – deserves more. I don’t have more to give!”
“Then why are you offering now?” I screamed.
“Because I’d rather it was me fucking you!” he roared. “I’m not blind, Six. You’re gorgeous. Christ, you should have seen the look on half the guys’ faces when you walked your ass into school this morning. They all want you,” he snarled. “And I can’t fucking stand the thought of you with anyone else.”
“So, you don’t want me,” I said shakily. “But you don’t want anyone else to have me?”
“No, Six. I do.” Rourke growled and threw his hands up in the air in obvious exasperation. “I do want you.”
“For sex?”
Rourke shrugged almost helplessly, but had the good sense not to respond.
“Well, thanks for the offer,” I said shakily as I retreated to the door and forced down the bile rising in my throat. “But I’m afraid I am going to have to regretfully decline your offer to fuck, Rourke.”
Rourke
WELL, THAT COULD not have gone fucking worse. I watched Six stalk out of the kitchen and I wanted to kick my own ass.
What the hell was wrong with me?
What was I supposed to do now?
Chase after her and beg? Hell no.
I was too damn prideful for that.
But I wanted her and I was done denying it.
I’m offering to fuck you? Smooth, Rourke. Real fucking smooth.
Feeling irritated, I paced the kitchen and plotted my next move. She wanted me the other night; I was sure of it. I wasn’t willing to give her the words or make promises I wouldn’t keep, but I was more than willing to give her my body. She’d turned me down.
That made me think about things. What else was I willing to give? How far was I willing to go to have her?
Six was funny and sweet and sarcastic as hell. I knew it wasn’t just her body I was attracted to either. She intrigued me and challenged me daily and I felt an abnormal swell of jealousy whenever I caught any of the guys looking at her. I didn’t like it. In fact, I couldn’t fucking stand it. Usually girls bored me, but not this one. This one, I was drawn to.
Fuck.
Amelia strolled into the kitchen and studied me with a curious expression. Unperturbed by my sister’s smirking, I continued to pace and plot. I would have to up my game if I wanted to get somewhere with Six. I would get there with her. My brain and my dick had decided it was a matter of time.
I’d have to woo the girl.
Fuck, I wasn’t good at wooing.
The girls in Ocean Bay didn’t exactly play hard to get.
I had a feeling Six wasn’t playing either. She was hard to get.
“I heard a rumor today,” Amelia announced. She slid onto one of the bar stools at our kitchen island. I didn’t care about rumors so I didn’t respond. “Word around school is you finally finished things with Brittany.” Word traveled fast around the halls of the Academy. Again, I didn’t care enough to stop and answer. “Is it true?”
“It is,” I replied after a pause. “It’s over. For good, this time.”
“Good.” Amelia sighed heavily. “I’m glad.”
I nodded, still pacing.
“Is it because of Mercedes?”
I stopped and swung around to face her. “What?”
“People are talking, Rourke,” my sister said in a suddenly serious tone. “The girls on my soccer team are saying you ended things with Britt because you’re secretly seeing Mercedes.”
“Bullshit,” I growled, unwilling to tell my sister anything. “Ignore them.”
“They’re saying you and Mercedes have been hooking up all summer,” she added with a concerned frown. “Is it true?” She swallowed deeply and blushed. “Have you two been hooking up?”
Yes. “No,” I lied.
“You’re a horrible liar.” My sister looked at me with a dubious expression etched on her face. “Do you think I’m blind? Rourke, I’ve seen the way you both look at each other.”
“Nothing is going on.”
“Is Britt the one who cut up Mercy’s face?”
I flinched, but didn’t reply.
“Rourke,” Amelia said wearily. “Come on.”
“What do you want me to say?” I demanded then, feeling a sudden pang of anger. I didn’t need to explain myself to my little sister. “For fuck’s sake, Mills.”
“Don’t break her, Rourke,” Amelia said then, tone soft. “I have a feeling there’s more to Mercedes than she lets on. I get the distinct impression that she’s fragile.”
“Six, fragile?” I laughed at the notion.
“I’m serious,” Amelia urged. Hopping down from the bar stool, she walked over to where I was standing. “Mercedes isn’t some random girl you can walk away from when it goes to hell.” Amelia placed her hands on her hips and glared up at me. “Cass is having Dad’s babies; you can’t chase this one off, Rourke. You guys messing around with each other could cause a lot of problems.”
“You’re wasting your breath on this conversation,” I shot back. “I’ve already told you there’s nothing going on.”
“And I’ve already told you that you’re a horrible liar,” my sister replied before walking out of the kitchen.
Amelia’s warning fell on deaf ears though. I wanted Six and I wasn’t about to change my mind. And if I was being honest, I didn’t think anything could.