Mercedes laughed, and Sam shook his head, and Stacey moved towards her. "Jess, you need to leave. This is a celebration, and you are ruining it. Sam and Mercedes are engaged. You lose so buh bye."

"Pretty sure Sam will want to hear what I have to say."

"God stop the games, Jess; we have been done for over two years."

She laughed, shaking her head. "Well, considering we have a child together, that might change.

Sam stared at her. "Come again? Cause if you are pregnant, I am damn sure not the daddy."

She looked around and shrugged. "I am talking about AJ…we all know that I was sleeping with you and Andy at the same time…and since he made us do a DNA test, and he isn't the father, you are."

Sam stepped away from her, and she smiled. "So looks like we are family after all. It's what we always wanted, Sam, a family. I gave you a son."

Sam shook his head. "You need to get the hell out of my house."

She frowned. "What?"

Sam looked over to Mercedes and back to Jess. "if you think I am that same ole Sammy who believed everything you said, who just took you at your word. If and that is a big if I am his father, then you better believe my future wife and I will do what is best for him. But we will be doing a DNA test."

"Sam I-"

You what?"

"Why are you making this so hard for me! I just wanted to give my son a father! His father!"

"And that is fine and good. But nothing is gonna happen until you and I do a DNA test. Then we can figure the rest out."

She shook her head. "I can't believe you don't believe me."

"Really? You lied, you cheated, and you had another dude play daddy for over a year, and you can't believe I don't believe you?"

Mercedes was going to let Sam handle things; he was making her proud and turning her on at the way he was talking to Jess. Feeling a vibration, she looked down to see she was getting a call from her apartment. "What the hell?"

Moving away from hearing Jess burst into tears, she answered. "Hello?"

"So this is the life of a corrupt Lawyer." someone said from the line.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Got your penthouse apartment, your fancy office. All on the backs of guys like me."

"I don't know who you are, but I am calling the cops; you broke into my place."

"Don't be stupid, Mercedes. You hear that?"

Mercedes froze as she heard what sounded like a woman tied up and crying. "That is your little assistant, Marley. Come alone, or I will kill her. Her blood will be all over your hands and your apartment."

Mercedes gasped. "Leave her alone."

"Then what you are gonna do, is leave that little farmhouse party you go going on over there. Tell your man that you need a minute to yourself…not to call you. He has enough to deal with at the moment anyway,"

Mercedes turned around, looking at Jess, who smiled at her raising an eyebrow. "That bitch, it's not even Sam's, is it?"

"Who knows Jess is insatiable, hell the baby could be mined; I have had many one-night stands since getting out."

Mercedes took a deep breath. "I am on my way, but you better not hurt one hair on Marley's head."

"And you better leave now and make it sound like you need space from Sam so he and Jess can figure things out. Give you and me a chance to talk. And with her there, I will know if you tip them off. I have also had her put a signal jammer somewhere in your car, so no calling for help while you are on your way."

"Baby, it's okay; stomach flu is nothing to joke about; get some fluids, and I will be on my over there as soon as this drama ceases." She heard Stevie say as he walked past her. She cocked her eyebrow confused, looking at him, and he mouthed "Marley," causing Mercedes to grow from fearful to angry.

She goes through her app, taping record on her phone, shaking her head; this was a setup to get her alone.

"Fine. what were the rules again?" She said softly.

"You come here, alone, and Marley lives. Simple as that." He said.

"And the Jess of it all? Why the hell are you working with her?"

He laughed. "Like I said, she can be a bit…convincing. After all, you did steal her man from her like you stole my family from me."

"It was you all who ran me off the road…what she think she can get rid of me, and Sam would want her? You guys are…." She exhaled. "I am on my way, but you best believe eventually you both will reap what you sow."

He laughed, hanging up the phone, and Mercedes looked at Jess and saw red. She marched over to the blonde and slapped her across the face.

"You bitch." She spat before going to hit her again. Sam and Matthew pulled Mercedes off of Jess as Jess started to scream.

"What is wrong with you! Sam, you gonna let her hit your baby's mother!"

"No one here believes that child is Sam's. Hell, it could be the milk man's for all we know. But hey Jess,

next time you have a plan that involves pretending to kidnap someone, make sure they aren't dating Stevie!"

Jess's eyes widened as Stevie moved closer. "What about me?"

"That's right, Jess. Stevie and Marley are dating, and she isn't at my place right now; she is home with the flu. So your little plan backfired." Mercedes shook her brother and Sam off of her. "Tell me who he is."

Sam stood looking confused from Mercedes to Jess. "What is going on?"

Mercedes moved closer to Jess. "I am not gonna ask again." She warned.

"He made me do it! Said you stole his life! And you stole Sam, so I just wanted him back."

"Bitch no one stole Sam from you; your dumb ass cheated on him. And if you think for a minute I am gonna let this amazing mango, you got another think coming. Now I asked your ass a question. Don't let the pencil skirts and pretty blouses fool you; I am ten seconds away from kicking your ass, and trust once everyone here learns the kind of evil, conniving, sadistic bitch you are, they will cheer me on." She growled.

Jess shook in fear. "Charles…his name is Charles Rhodes."

Mercedes gasped at the name. He wasn't supposed to be out for another year. Sam turned her towards him, and Mercedes looked at her brother. "Don't let her leave."

Sam shook his head. "What is going on?"

Mercedes sighed. "AJ isn't yours; that is just the ruse Jess used to set me up. I just got a call from one of the guys I got locked up for domestic abuse. He and Jess are the ones who ran me off the road. He lied and said that he had Marley tied up at my place and I needed to come alone. Now I am thinking it was just a recording of Jess."

The blonde looked away shamefully. Mercedes continued. "I am not sure what they had planned, but I was gonna go until I realized Marley had the flu. She tried to play us all, and I, for one, don't like being toyed with."

Sam looked at her. "Who are you? Where is the sweet girl I dated in high school that I fell in love with?"

"Andy was a mistake; he seduced me and me…I just wanted to be with you…."

Sam shook his head. "You had me, and you are the one who broke us; what gives you the right to take back what isn't yours anymore."

Jess stared at her angrily. "If you wouldn't have shown up, I would have been his again!"

Stacey laughed. "You are delusional if you think that Stevie and I would have let that happen!"

"Mom, forgive my language, but Hell naw, we wouldn't have let that happen."

"Oh, us either!" Mary said, moving closer to them. "I want to hear it from you; I want to hear that AJ is my grandson or that you used that precious child to try and deceive my son."

Jess stared at her with tears in her eyes. "AJ is Andy's; by the time I got pregnant, I wasn't sleeping with Sam, plus…AJ made me get a paternity test when AJ was born." She said meekly.

Mary stared her down. "We let you in this home, we fed you, Sam loved you, and this is what you do? You bring this drama to our home. Let me be very clear. We will all be pressing charges against you. And that man."

Jess stood tall, looking at Mercedes. "I may not get Sam, but neither will you. You know Chester; he will make sure you are destroyed. He is the one who wanted to run you off the road. He will get his revenge and you know it. And you will cause this family nothing but grief."

Mercedes shook her head and walked out the door, and Sam followed her.

"Merce, don't listen to her."

She turned towards him and wiped her eyes. "Sam…Charles Rhodes was my first case, and he is… he is s sociopath. The man abused his wife and daughter. Beat them within an inch of their lives. I got her out…we pressed charges against him, and he was sent away for 8 years. Once he was locked away, we found away to get them as far from here as possible."

Sam pulled Mercedes into his arms. "You saved her life."

She nodded. "And he is pissed." She pulled out her phone. "I have to have the police go to my place. He is there now."

Sam nodded. "And we will have them come pick up Jess. She needs to pay."

Mercedes ran her hands through her hair. "I never thought that I would be in this situation."

"You aren't alone, baby, I promise."

Mercedes closed her eyes as Sam kissed her forehead. We will figure it out. I won't let anyone hurt you."

She nodded. "Okay…okay."

Sam pulled away from her and stared at her. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." She said as her mind thought over everything she had been through, and fear crept inside of her because she knew this wasn't over.


It had been a week since Jess had confessed she was working with Charles. The police went to Mercedes penthouse, but he wasn't there. Sam basically followed Mercedes everywhere for the last week, not even letting her go to work alone. She loved how much he cared about her, loved how he protected her. But the day he had to go out of town,

Evans Farm had a high-priority order that they deliver twice a year, 8 hours away. It takes 4 men to both load and unload. Sam hadn't wanted to go because they always ended up staying overnight, but Marley was still sick, and Stevie was starting to get worried.

Sam stood in front of her desk, rubbing his hands against his pants, "You sure you gonna be okay?"

"Sam, I am gonna grab a few things from the apartment and head back, then head back to the farm."

Sam walked over to her, pulling her against him. "I won't be gone long, and when I come back, we are officially moving you into our home."

She smiled, standing on her tippy toes kissing him. "Good because you and I have somethings to talk about when you get back. I love you."

"Love you too, don't work too hard."

She beamed. "I will try not to."

Watching Sam walk out of the room, she sat back and called Marley into the room.

Walking in, looking a bit queasy, Mercedes frowned. "You still sick, Marls?"

Marley sighed. "I am trying to be okay...I just don't know what's wrong. I can't keep anything down; food makes me sick." She sat across from Mercedes, and Mercedes smiled.

"Marls, just how close are you and Stevie?"

Marley looked at her, and a blush came over her face. Mercedes opened the door a pulled out a pregnancy test.

"Merce, I don't think it's that we have been really careful."

Mercedes laughed. "Uh-huh, girl, you are sick, you have been for a while, and them Evans men are sexy as hell. It happens."

Marley stares at her. "It happens? Oh my God…Mercedes, are you?"

Mercedes smiles. "Sam doesn't know; I just found out last week I wanted to tell him, then he surprised me by asking me to marry him…."

Marley glanced at the test. "I have been wondering, but I have been too afraid to take it. I wonder what Stevie will say…or Mary?"

"Mary will be over the moon because she loves you and can't wait to be a grandmother…and Stevie will immediately ask you to marry him, and we will be sisters."

Marley took the test and nodded.

"Use my bathroom; give yourself some privacy."

Marley walked away from her nervously, and 10 minutes later, they were staring at two positive tests.

"Looks like we are both carrying some baby Evans, huh?"

"How are you so calm? Merce, I am freaking out?"

Mercedes laughed. "I was freaking out too. But then I remembered that Sam is amazing, and he will make such a wonderful dad…and for right now, you and Stevie can move in with us…but then again, Mary might just try to keep you all there."

Marley wiped her eyes. "You know that you have basically been my only family for years. I really hope you are right."

"I know I am." She said, reaching out and hugging Marley. "How about you go and tell Stevie. I am sure he will be happy to hear it."

"You sure? I can stay here for a bit longer."

Mercedes shook her head. "No, I am just finishing up everything here. I got it; you go tell Stevie the good news. I am anxious for Sam to return can't wait for him to find out."


After finishing her work, she sent Sam a text letting him know that she was okay and then made her way to her car. Getting in, she looked down to her stomach; when she first found out, she was scared just like Marley, but after a week of knowing, she was certain that Sam would be happy and he would make the best father.

She heard a click as she started her car and froze as something metal pushed into her neck.

"Well, you are a hard person to get along."

She heard and swallowed, turning her head to the mirror and seeing Charles in the backseat; he pushed the gun in further. "Put the car in drive and head to your place."

She shook her head. "No."

He laughed. "Yeah, I thought you were gonna say that." He pulled out his phone and turned it towards her; she watched Sam unloading a truck.

"It's a live feed. It's you or him...tell me which you want it to be."

Mercedes put the car in drive and exhaled deeply as she headed towards her penthouse."

It didn't take long before she made it to her place. She took a deep breath and pulled into her parking spot, and looked at him. "Now what?"

"Now, you invite me up. And don't get any bright idea's."

She wanted to say something but decided against it.

"Hand me your phone, your keys, everything in your pocket."

She reluctantly handed everything over to him before he got her out of the car and led her to her penthouse. Shoving her down into the sofa, he smiled. "Now we can do this the easy way or the hard way. The easy way is you tell me where my wife is. The hard way is I break some fingers, hurt your people, and you still tell me where they are."

She wanted to tell him to go to hell, but she couldn't do anything stupid. Her child depended on her, Sam and his family deserved from her. She had to do right by them. She just didn't know how."


Sam was tired; he hated that they had to stay over for the night when all he wanted was to get back to Mercedes, but it wasn't safe for them to have driven 8 hours and turned around to do the same thing. He pulled his phone out and dialed Mercedes, but it went right to voicemail. "Hey, baby, just wanted to say goodnight; I am gonna be on the road all day tomorrow, and I know that you and your family have something tomorrow night, so call me. I love you."

Hanging up, he laid back on the bed and closed his eyes, deciding to wait until she called him back.


I know I know its a TBC but its a good one don't worry lol I love you all.