Rose had been out of town for the last week, she hated leaving River in charge, but some things were unavoidable. Somethings you just had to handle in person. All she wanted to do was find Joey and let off some of her steam. They had a lot of puppies there, but Joey was her favorite. There was a knock on her office door. "Come in." She said, smoothing out her dress and sitting.

A scared boy walked into the room. "Mistress Rose..." he whispered. "He's not here anymore."

Rose cocked her head to the side. "Excuse you? What exactly do you mean?"

He cowered before her. "He's gone. Bought out."

"BOUGHT OUT!" She yelled as someone else stepped into her office. Her anger simmered as she noticed Jericho standing in front of her. She looked at the boy. "Leave. NOW!" She ran her hand through her hair. "Sorry, Jericho, now isn't a good time. I need to kill a man."

The boy didn't need telling twice. He ran.

"Oh, then we are on the same page."

She raised an eyebrow. "Come again?"

"It seems as though River has made a few... missteps."

"The dumbass let Joey out of his contract, I would say so." She replied bitterly.

"And Sam," he snapped.

Rose stood. "Sam? I explained to him that Sam wasn't going anywhere! So why would he do that?"

"I'm gonna need you to talk me down right now," Jericho whispered. "Before I go, kill him myself."

Rose knew when the older man whispered he was one step away from murder. "Jericho, please, just tell me what's going on. I know this is a misstep, as you said, but I know we can fix it. Whatever he did, it doesn't warrant real killing."

"He's done here. I want him out of here before I see his face."

"What else, exactly did he do? I am pissed as well. Sam was a best seller, and Joey was mines, but the money we were offered ... I feel like I am missing something."

"He didn't get any fucking money," he hissed. "He traded them..." Jericho was beginning to see red as he slammed his fist against the desk.

Rose stepped back as he slammed his fist on the desk. "Traded them? For what exactly," she asked through a sinking feeling told her she shouldn't have.

"My. Daughter." His words were short and punctuated. He was going to kill River.

Rose fell into her chair. That fuckin' bastard did not do that. He wouldn't be so stupid. She was speechless.

"Get rid of him," he snapped. "I will kill him if I see him."

Rose nodded. "Yes...yes sir, I will handle it." This was trouble, and honestly, she didn't know how she was supposed to fix this."

Jericho nodded. There was no fixing his mistake. They lost their best seller and another boy because of his foolishness. The biggest mistake was even thinking of touching his daughter. He still hadn't seen her, but he was honestly terrified.

Rose swallowed. "I promise Jericho he will be dealt with and gone. "

"Good girl," he whispered.

She nodded. "I am sorry she got caught up in this. I will have her sent to your office immediately."

"Thank you."

Rose stood as he left, and she was livid. Walking to River's office, she opened the door and saw the girl and guy on their knees. "OUT! NOW!" As they scurried out, she slammed his door. "What the fuck were you thinking, River!"

River was oddly calm as he looked up at the screaming woman from his seated position. "Excuse me?"

"So let me ask you something. What kind of idiot do you have to be to not only sell our highest paid asset, but you trade him for Jericho's daughter!"

He stared at her. "You're at a ten right now, Rose. I need you at least below a seven."

"You are done here! Do you not realize what you have done. There is no coming back from this!"

"I suppose there isn't."

She threw her hands in the air. "That's it? That's all you have to say?"

"What more can I say. You're screaming at me." River always did have a calm demeanor

She paced his office. "Joey was off-limits, Sam was not supposed to be sold, and I just can't even begin to understand why you thought trading them for Jericho's daughter was a good idea."

"Because she is attractive, unlike anyone we have here and made a deal I couldn't refuse. Sam was getting worn out and old."

"She's Jericho's daughter! We never go after family; that was the rule!"

"Well, maybe he shouldn't have let her get involved so intimately with Sammy."

Rose laughed bitterly. "Or maybe she turned you down and gave it right up to Sam. I saw you watching them have sex. It must've pissed you off, huh? That she didn't want you but clung to him? And now you've doomed yourself. Jericho almost came in here for your head."

"I suppose this is goodbye then."

"Where is she River?"

"In the kennels.

"You put her in the fuckin kennels? God, are you insane? What the fuck is wrong with you? Was it worth it? Losing everything over this one stupid choice!"

"I haven't lost anything."

"You are done here! You can't show your face around here, or this city or Jericho is going to tear you limb from limb."

"There are always other places."

"He is going to blackball you, River! No one is going to want you working with them, and you know it. You're done." She frowned. "We have been working together for 12 years. Why would you do this now?"

"Jericho is not the end all be all in this industry."

"He is for you. I can't save you, and frankly, I don't want to. After this, I can't even deal with you anymore."

"This isn't over, Rose."

"Yes, it is!" She said, going to the door. Two big guys walked into the room. "Escort River out of here. Now. He takes nothing with him and is no longer allowed here."

River frowned. "No hug?"

"Go to hell." She said, walking out of the room.

Mercedes had lost count of how long she was in the dark. After River had his way with her for two days straight, he locked her up in a cage where she was chained to the floor. She wore a ripped shirt and nothing else. When someone came into the room and grabbed her, she fought back as much as she could; when she was thrown into an office blindfolded, she really wanted to die; she knew River had more in store for her. He promised her that.

Gerald's heart broke when he saw his daughter. As soon as the guards left, he sank to his knees in front of her, draping his suit jacket over her body before removing the blindfold and wrapping her in a tight hug.

She felt a familiar presence before the suit jacket was draped over her. When her blindfold was removed, she swore that she was hallucinating seeing her dad. She froze as she was hugged, not hugging him back; this was a trick it had to be.

He held her tight. "I got you."

"I'll be good; I promise I'll be really good; just don't make me go back there...please." She begged.

"Oh, sweetie..." He held her tightly. "Let's get you home."

Mercedes glanced up for the first time registering her dad. "Home?"

Gerald nodded. "Yes. Home."

She shook her head. "I can't... he'll kill you...I can't."

"Shhhhhhhhh... He'll never hurt you again."

Mercedes cried against her dad, saying "I can't" over and over. Praying River didn't burst through that door.

He felt sick. "Shhhhh...*

She wanted to believe this was real; she wanted to believe he was really there. "I'm sorry..."

"Why are you sorry, sweetheart?"

"I don't want to go back to the cage." She finally opened her eyes and realized it really was her dad. She had seen him and Sam so many times she couldn't believe it was really him. "Daddy?"

Gerald nodded. "Yes, sweetie. No more cages. None of that."

Between being abused, starved, and beaten, she could barely stand, but all she wanted was to leave and never look back.

"Do you need a wheelchair?"

"No." She creaked out. He took so much from her she would pass out before she let him take her pride.

"Okay, sweetie. Let's get out of here.*

Mercedes nodded, falling a few times before leaning on her dad to help her out of that horrible place.

"I got you. Don't be afraid.*

Mercedes nodded, but it wasn't until she was in the car did she feel this wasn't a dream. "How did you find me?" she asked, laying against him.

"Doesn't matter. You're safe now."

She shivered. "How long?"

"How long?"

"I came here Saturday..." she needed to know how long she had been there.

"Almost four days."

"Sam...Joey...are they?"

"I don't know."

She nodded. "I never want to experience that again."

"And you never will."

"I am sorry I got myself into that mess. I was just trying to protect them. But, unfortunately, River just forced my hand." She confesses sadly.

"Shhhh," he repeats. "It's gonna be okay."

She looked up to her dad feeling so small. "Are you, are you upset with me?"

"Never." Of course, he was, but he would never let her know that.

She shuttered. "I deserve it, the anger. Sam warned me about going there, but I didn't believe him." She whispered. "I should've listened." She was holding herself, talking in hushed tones.

"Calm down, Cedes," he pleaded.

She continued talking to herself. "I deserved it. He touched me, he forced me he said I was a whore. A bad whore who needed to be taught a lesson. He used me and locked me up...he said I was a whore." The more she tried to stop talking, the more she started to panic. "He's gonna kill you; I have to go back! Turn the car around." She said up. "Tell them to turn the car around! We have to go back! He's gonna kill you! He's gonna kill you!" She was in an all-out panic.

Gerald had the driver pull over. "Mercedes, I need you to look at me. Please look at me. No one is going to kill me. No one is going to hurt me."

Mercedes hit her head with her hands; she wanted the visions to stop. River on top of her, forcing himself deeper, telling her how good she felt. She slapped her head harder. "Go away!" She screamed.

Gerald grabbed her hands. "Mercedes Jones. Stop it." His voice was firm yet gentle.

Mercedes froze; she didn't say a word; she just froze, staring ahead of her.

He took her hand and squeezed it. "I go you now."

Mercedes wasn't mentally capable of understanding what her father was saying at that moment. Instead, her mind was filled to the brim over everything that had happened in just four days. Almost four days and River destroyed her.

That was River's plan all along. He wanted Mercedes as his own, and in a way, he got what he wanted in the long run. She was his now, even if it wasn't in a physical sense.

"Calm down, sweetheart."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. So sorry."

"Don't apologize anymore. Remember what I always told you about apologizing."

"It's for the weak." She said softly. "But I am weak. Weak so weak." She shook her head. "Weak no one loves a weak girl."

"You're not weak. You are the furthest thing from weak."

Mercedes shook her head but didn't say a word.

It was taking every ounce of self-control not to hunt down River and kill that bastard.

Mercedes turned to stare out the window. "I feel like I'm going crazy..."

"We'll get you help."

"I was naive...stupid..." She hugged herself. "Alone."

"You won't be alone anymore."

"The things he did...you wouldn't love me if you knew..."

"I will never ever not love you. But, that man will get what is coming to him."

"He knows where I live...where you live...I can't go home. I have no home..." she couldn't help being scared; River was a scary man, and he was a master at torture and manipulation.

"You do have a home. You always have a home."

Mercedes finally looked over at her dad. "He knows where you live...he will find me..."

"He will do no such thing." He was confident in his tone and demeanor.

Mercedes wanted to believe him, but when River told her what he did, she learned he was evil. "He... he killed them. He will kill you too... I can't lose you too, dad."

"No one is dead, except him if I ever see his face again."

"They are! He told me... He killed Sam because I loved him...he killed Joey... He killed them!" She yelled. "Please, we have to get somewhere safe!"

"Mercedes," he whispered. "River is a manipulator and a liar. He..." He didn't know what to say

She shook her head, "He said he did... he gave detail... Sam's gone because of me..."

Fuck. He didn't even know what to say.

She looked away from him. "I lost him. Lost them both...lose you..." She was quietly speaking, hitting her head against the window, wanting to numb the pain.

He reached over and squeezed her hand again. "Mercy, don't do that. Please."

"Livi...oh God, dad, is Livi okay?!"

"Livi's safe and well."

Mercedes held herself. "I have to go see her...and see Mrs. Evans... I need to apologize..."

"You need rest."

She was all over the place, but her mind was messed up. She shook her head. "I have to know they are safe. Livi...The Evans...Brax, he will kill them all...and you. I am so sorry I have to tell her all I wanted was to save Sam, and I got him killed..."

"Shhhhhh... first stop is home."

She froze, looking at him. "That's the first place he will look!"

Rose sat at her desk, grabbing her phone; she needed to let Jericho know she handled River.

"He won't touch you again," Gerald answered the phone. "Not a good time..." he whispered.

"Sorry, sir, but it's done. Just wanted to give you a heads up."

"Thank you." And with that, he hung up.

The closer they got to home, the scarier she felt; it felt like he was lying in wait, ready to attack her.

Gerald fell silent but held her hand tightly the whole way home.

It took everything Mercedes had to get out of the car; she didn't want to, and her dad had to practically carry her into the house.

And he did everything he could to help her into his home.

"Let's go to your room."

Mercedes clung to her father; every corner scared her more. "Please don't leave me, daddy, please."

"I'm not going anywhere."

She nodded; she felt so dirty; she hadn't showered since she got there, she still felt River all over her, which made her sick.

"Do you want Sylvie to help you with a shower?" He knew that she wasn't on the best terms with her stepmother, but Sylvie would know how to help."

She nodded, holding back her tears.

He helped her into the house and into the bathroom she had as a child.

Sylvie entered not too long later. "Oh, Merce."

The moment Mercedes saw Sylvie, she hugged the woman, clinging close to her and not wanting to let her go.

Sylvie hugged her tightly. "Let's get you cleaned up, okay?"

Mercedes let the tears fall. "I'm so dirty..."

"I know," she whispered. "Let me help you."

She looked at the woman and nodded.

She made her way into the bathroom to draw a bath, keeping a hand on Mercedes at all times, humming a quiet tune.

Mercedes stared at the water... seeing it fall into the tub and feeling like she let everyone in her life down.

Sylvie continued humming and rubbed at Mercedes' arm. "I know you don't like me, but... I'm here to listen."

Mercedes shook her head, "It's not that...you just weren't my mom, and I missed her..." She said, staring at the water. "...I need a mom right now." She cried.

Sylvie turned and held her tight. "I'll never be your mom... but I can be a mom for you." Sylvie was always there for Mercedes but from a distance. If Mercedes ever needed anything, Sylvie was there.

Mercedes sat in silence for a long while as she sat in the water. "He made me get on my knees the moment I got there...forced me to ..." She shook it off. "After he forced me on the bed. Said he was gonna pre-prepare me..."

Sylvie continued to hum what she hoped was a soothing tone as she listened to her step-daughter's words. "He might have bent your mind a little bit... but you're talking. Means you're gonna be fine."

"He killed Sam... and Joey. I went there for them, and he killed them...he forced himself on me over and over, marking me as his... the more I begged and cried he just laughed..."

Sylvie put a hand on her back. "He's a monster. But you can't let him win, Mercedes."

"He already won." She whispered.

"No, he has not." Her voice was soft. "I've seen worse. You're strong. You're gonna be okay."

She looked at her stepmom with tears filled in her eyes. "I wanted to die..."

"But you didn't."

Mercedes closed her eyes, but that just made things worse. River was everywhere.

"You didn't die. You haven't given up. The worst is ahead, but you have a good support system here."

Mercedes stared down at her hands in the water. "Can you do something for me...please?"

"Of course," she smiled.

"Can you call Sam's mom for me...I need to tell her what happened. But, first, I need to apologize."

"Let's get you washed first... get you tucked into bed. Then I'll find her number."

Mercedes nodded. "She's gonna hate me..."

"No one can hate you, Merce."

Mercedes knew the truth, knew that Mary Evans wouldn't love her anymore, knowing that even though she had good intentions...Sam was gone.

Sylvie pet Mercedes's hair gently. "Did you want to wash your hair?"

Mercedes nodded. She wanted to clean every part of her forever.

"Okay. Do you want my help?"

Mercedes nodded again. "Please."

Sylvie started humming again as she helped Mercedes clean up. She hoped that the soft noise would help calm her.

Mercedes closed her eyes. "My mom used to sing that..." She looked at the woman. "Thank you...for this."

"Oh?" she asked, not sure what to make of her words. "You don't need to thank me for taking care of you."

"I do...I love you, I do...I just always felt like I was betraying my mom." She said softly. "I am horrible...I deserved everything."

"You deserved none of this," she whispered.

Mercedes stared at her hands; after a moment, she flipped her wrist and saw the RJ clear as day. She knew it was hentai; he told her it was temporary until he actually Branded her. She scratched at it trying to scrub the letters off.

Sylvie grabbed her wrist when she saw it. It made the woman's blood boil. "Mercedes, stop, please," she pleaded.

"It won't come off...it needs to come off," she said, shaking her head.

Sylvie grabbed her wrist and gently rubbed at it. "It'll come off."

Mercedes nodded, staring down at it. "I just want to forget, but I can't. I close my eyes, and I hear his voice; I see his face. I feel like I am crazy."

She took gentle care in cleaning Mercedes off. "I know," she whispered. "But you're not crazy."

Mercedes bit her bottom lip. "Is Livi really okay? So he won't get to her, right?"

"Livi is fine. She's worried, but she's gonna be okay too. He won't touch her.*

Mercedes nodded. "Okay...thank God." Her mind was all over the place. The moment she got one good thought, another ran behind her, and she couldn't focus.

Sylvie rubbed her back, cleaning her slowly. 'You're okay..."

She didn't believe she would ever be okay again. Now she knew, knew why Sam and Joey were so tortured. She hadn't gone through it but a few days, and they had years. Sam, ten years of that torture under his belt. "I think I wanna get out now. Make the phone call and try to sleep."

Sylvie nodded and helped her out of the tub. "I can help you out."

Mercedes let her help and wrapped the towel around herself. "I am glad my dad has you."

"I'm glad I have your father," she whispered, sounding extremely submissive at that moment.

Mercedes leaned against her. "I'm ready."

She sighed gently and helped Mercedes.

It didn't take long for her to be dressed in the PJ's and settled for the most part. "Can I call her now?"

Sylvie nodded and handed her the phone.

Mercedes stared at the phone for a long while. She looked at Sylvie. "Can you stay?"

Sylvie nodded. "Of course."

Mercedes dialed the number, going over what she was going to say to the woman, how she would explain how sorry she was.

It was Stevie who answered the phone. "Hello, you've reached Mary's phone; how can I help you?"

Mercedes froze...she took a few deep breaths. "H-hi. Who is this?"

"It's Steve..."

"Stevie?" She said softly. "Wow...you sound so much older now..."

Stevie hesitated for a moment. "Mercedes?!"

She sniffed, closing her eyes. "Yeah...I...I need to talk to your mom...she needs to hear this from me...you all do..."

"Fuck, you're okay..." he whispered. "We were all worried sick!"

"I tried Stevie...I want Sam to be okay for you, for your parents." She looked at Sylvie then continued. "I just wanted to help."

"Sam's gonna be okay... and now you too!"

"Sam...He didn't deserve what happened. And now he's gone, and I am so sorry. I just want you guys to know I am so sorry." she choked out.

"Mercedes... Sam's okay... he's sleeping now, but he's okay."

"Sam's what? No... he found him...he...he hurt them both..."

"No, Mercedes... Sam's sleeping right now. But Joey's watching the TV..."

Mercedes shook her head. It didn't make sense. "What?" Her mind was whirling. She couldn't comprehend any of this.

"Yeah. Moms with Sam though... but... they're both okay."

She swallowed. "Stevie...Stevie, I have to talk to him, can you...please can you get him. I need to hear for myself."

"What? yeah! of course."

He slowly walked into the guestroom and had a hushed conversation with this mom.

Mary took the phone. "Mercedes?"

"Mary... is it True? Is Sam okay? Really okay?" She was desperate to know, to be sure Sam was okay; it's all that matters. As long as her family was okay, maybe she would be too.

Mary nodded before responding. "He's okay. He's going to need a lot of mental help, but he's okay. Finally managed to get him to sleep."

Mercedes exhaled, feeling a weight lifted off of her chest and more tears fall. "He safe..." she said in a whisper. River was really playing mind games with her, and it worked.

Mary sobbed on the other end. "Please tell me you're safe too."

Mercedes sniffed. "My dad...my dad got me today...he got me...I thought Sam was gone. God, I thought I lost him."

"He thought he lost you," she whispered. "We all did."

Mercedes laid her head on Sylvie's lap, holding the phone close. "I just wanted to save him. That's all I wanted to do."

Sylvie ran her hand over Mercedes's hair gently.

"You did, Merce," Mary whispered. "We owe you so much."

Mercedes closed her eyes, wiping her tears. "You don't own me. Sam was worth it, all of it."

Mary shook her hand on the other side and took a deep breath. "We wouldn't have him if it wasn't for you."

Mercedes didn't say anything for a long moment. Then, "I would do anything for him."

Mary sighed. "I know he'd do anything for you too. Do you want me to wake him up? Sam had only recently managed to fall into a peaceful sleep."

"No, I want to talk to him I do, so much that I need it, but if you just got him to sleep, I don't want to mess that up...he's probably better off not knowing I called." She was ruined now...no way he would want her.

"Don't say that; he's going to be overjoyed that you're okay."

She swallowed. "He's home now...and Safe, and that is all I wanted."

"I'll call when he wakes up. He's going to be so happy."

"Okay." That was all she could manage.

"Thank you, Mercedes. Thank you so so so much."

"Sam is the one who saved your family. I didn't do anything." She said softly.

"No, you saved him. That means the world."

Mercedes sniffed. "I will let you go..."

"Please stop by whenever you can."

"I will do my best." Knowing she wouldn't. Sam was safer without her broken parts, he needed to heal, and she needed to let him.

"Tomorrow?" Mary pleaded.

"I am not sure Sam should see me like this. I am not... it's better to wait; that way, he doesn't fall back from all the work he's done."

"He needs to see you," she whispered. "He's not sleeping because he's worried about you."

Mercedes ran her hand through her hair. "Okay."

"He's been worried sick, you know?"

"I'm worried about him; I love him, I love him so much."

"He loves you too," she explained. "He needs you."

"Maybe the old me, but things changed when I took his place. I'm, I'm not the same." She said, looking at Sylvie.

"That doesn't matter," Mary frowned. "Don't count him out so quickly."

"I'm not... I don't want to be a reminder of what he went through; how is that healing for anyone...10 years he was in there, and there were things he didn't tell me, thinks he may never get over." Things I may never get over. She thought to herself.

"But he needs your support, and you need his support. We'll never be able to understand what you guys went through, but you can all help each other."

Mercedes sniffed; that was the whole reason she went. "I'll be there tomorrow." She said, still unsure.

"Thank you."

Mercedes sighed. "Good Night Mary."

"Goodnight, love."