Thank you for your continued interest and support. I do not own Glee or the characters, neither do I own Grayson's Vow.

Long chapter...

SAM

I dropped Mercedes' suitcase on the hotel room bed and turned towards her... She still hadn't spoken since we left her father's house. But to be truthful, I hadn't attempted any conversation either. I needed to process what happened too.

I would've driven straight back to Napa, but I knew she wanted to visit her drop-in center, and I imagined it was already closed at this point.

We'd stop by in the morning after a good night's sleep and some time to shake off what had happened with her father.

I turned to look at her and those stunning eyes met mine, large and luminous and filled with pain.

Her suffering affected me like a fist to the gut, and I let out a sudden exhale. That was what this beautifully vibrant girl had grown up with?

I understood the pain of being a constant disappointment. But how had she retained that free, open spirit in the midst of nothing but coldness and contempt?

How had she risen above it?

When she'd told me the story about Melodie's mom, I had thought I'd understood. Her father...though not the nicest of men to his staff...had been hard on his daughter, not knowing how to handle a highly spirited, motherless little girl.

But I had given him way too much credit. Far, far too much credit.

"You must hate me for involving you in that," she finally said, looking away and worrying her lip. "I'm so sorry."

Hate her?

I moved towards her...

"No, I'm the one that's sorry." I ran my knuckles softly down her bruised cheek. "If I'd had any idea he was going to hit you, I would've been close enough to stop it."

She shook her head...

"I should've taken the time to come up with a better way to break the news to him. And, he has rarely ever hit me. I didn't expect that. And I did goad him. I don't seem to be able to help it."

She let out a deep sigh...

"It's not your fault he hit you, Mercedes."

She nodded, but didn't look convinced.

"I think I'd just like to take a long, hot bath and get cleaned up. And maybe order dinner in..."

I understood; she was asking to be alone.

"Of course. I'll go get settled in the other room."

Mercedes nodded and I moved to the door separating her room from the rest of the suite, picking up my overnight bag from the floor where I'd left it.

I would've liked to make myself comfortable in the room she was sleeping in, but after what happened with her father and her ex-fiancé, I knew this was not the time to push my physical agenda on her.

Suddenly, I felt a new sense of guilt for trying to push anything on her at all. It seems as though she's had enough of that for one lifetime.

"Oh and Sam," she said, turning halfway towards me. "Thank you for what you said to my father about me being your wife..."

I paused...

"You are my wife."

She smiled softly.

"You know what I mean. You made it sound like I was your real wife. It was very convincing."

I frowned slightly, but wasn't sure what to say.

It was true...she wasn't my real wife. Because if she was, I would know what to do right now to clear that haunted look in her eyes.

I just nodded instead.

"I'll see you in the morning."

I went into my room and took a shower, washing the road dust from my body and trying to cleanse the feel of the confrontation with Mercedes' father from my mind.

Everything in me had wanted to punch Darius Jones in his face when he'd slapped her. But I'd held back. Assaulting someone would only send me back to prison and I wouldn't risk it.

In a way, the incident had served to remind me of my shame. It had brought home my limitations as a man.

If I had to, how would I even fight for my woman now?

My woman...

No, perhaps Mercedes wasn't my woman in that sense, but the point still held weight.

I sighed, moving my mind back to Darius Jones...

I'd never paid a whole lot of attention to San Francisco politics, but I'd perceived him to be a well-liked mayor...tough, but fair...a friend to minorities, the working class and the middle class.

I guess it just went to show what a game politics was.

I found it hard to believe a man who treated his beautiful daughter so abominably was much of a real friend to anyone but himself.

And now, he was my temporary father-in-law.

God, what had I gotten myself involved in?

I could only hope Mercedes was right... That he'd put some spin on it for the public if need be and let us both go about our business.

But why did I have a bad feeling that wouldn't be the case?

I shook it off, got dressed and went to sit on the balcony for a little while, wondering what Mercedes was doing in the other room.

I couldn't help but picture her luscious naked body submerged in water...her pretty brown skin slick and wet, her long hair falling in disarray from whatever clip she'd used to hold it in.

Heat surged in my veins, but at the same time, I wanted to take her in my arms and soothe the hurt and embarrassment I'd seen on her face as I'd left the room.

I didn't know how to classify these new and confusing feelings. But sitting there, something powerful grew inside me... A masculine need to possess my wife, combined with a protectiveness I wasn't prepared to feel.

'Stop this! Stop this right now!' I silently commanded myself.

But I couldn't help it... I wanted to put that bright light back into my wife's eyes...

To comfort her...

And see her smile so bright that her witchy little almost dimple would appear.

I leaned my head back and let out a groan... This would never work. I had to rein myself in.

None of that was my job.

We had started this marriage as a business arrangement and even if we gave in to our attraction to one another, it had to remain on those terms.

We were married...our relationship had to be all or nothing. We couldn't wade into the murkiness of something that couldn't be defined. Because it wouldn't end well for either of us.

Knowing about Melodie's mom and her father, I had a little more understanding about her hesitance to get involved with me.

She probably saw a physical relationship between us as little more than what they'd had.

Was it?

Confusion swirled within me... Perhaps I should abandon the idea of satisfying my physical need for her now that I could admit there was more involved than just sexual desire.

Now that I could admit I cared about her as a person.

But for some reason, I've lost control around her and all my best intentions went by the wayside.

Every time.

And I still couldn't understand exactly why. What was it about Mercedes Jones that unbalanced me so much?

What I did know?

She was in the same hotel suite and maybe she needed company...

Maybe she needed me...

Or maybe I was just hoping she did...

After looking over the room service menu and putting in an order to be delivered to our suite, I knocked on the door to Mercedes' bedroom.

She answered wearing a pair of jeans and a black top, her feet bare and her hair still damp.

Her face was free of makeup and she looked very beautiful and very young. Of course, she was very young, only twenty-two.

I didn't think about her age very often, perhaps because sometimes she acted like a naughty child, and sometimes she seemed so very wise.

And of course, those glimpses of depth and insight had only served to make her more interesting to me.

Intriguing little witch.

I entered the doorway, inhaling the light flowery scent that was hers.

"Hi," she said, eyeing me suspiciously.

I walked into her room without being invited...

"I took the liberty of ordering dinner for us. I know you like Alice's beef stroganoff. And I'm sure the chef here isn't nearly as good as her, but..."

I shrugged...

She looked slightly unsure, but then let out a breath, obviously acquiescing.

"That sounds good. Thank you. Although I might not be the best company."

At that, she turned and walked back towards the balcony where she stood looking out over the city.

I joined her, leaning my forearms on the metal rail and looking over at her. She looked away, tilting her chin down as if attempting to hide her face from me.

"Hey," I said gently, standing up straight and turning towards her. Then I used my fingers to nudge her chin towards me.

Her eyes were shining with unshed tears...

She sucked in a sharp breath, a tiny sob coming up her throat. And a bolt of protectiveness speared through me.

I pulled her into my arms, tucking her head under my chin...

"Shh," I said. "It's okay."

My throat felt tight as her body tensed in my arms, like she didn't know how to be held. God, growing up with no mother and a father like that, she probably didn't.

I had only slightly more to draw upon, but enough to take the lead...

"Mercedes," I whispered. "Relax. Let me hold you, sweetheart."

She struggled weakly for a brief moment, but when I tightened my arms around her, she sagged into me and gave way to her tears.

Mercedes sobbed in my arms, her face buried in my chest for a long while. And my gut tensed with pain as I bore witness to her misery.

Finally, her sobs began to abate and she raised her face to me...

The tenderness that pulsed in my chest was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. It vaguely concerned me, but I pushed my feelings aside and brushed my thumb across her soft cheek, wiping away the wetness of her tears.

She blinked, looking slightly confused, but relieved as well.

I smoothed her hair back from her face... "It's okay," I said. "I'm here."

"Said The Dragon to the witch," she said softly, a small twinkle in her still-teary eyes.

I laughed...

"There's my girl."

She smiled softly and pulled away. And my arms suddenly felt very empty.

Then she sagged down onto one of the plastic balcony chairs and I sat down in the other one, a small plastic table between us.

"Will you tell me about it?" I asked.

She leaned back in her chair, sighing, seeming to know I was asking what had sent her running off to Africa...

After taking a deep breath, Mercedes said,

"I met Chris at a charity event hosted by my father. I was home for the summer from my first year at college. My father had taken him under his wing and was grooming him to win his first judgeship."

She bit her lip and looked away for a moment, then went on.

"Although my father's not in politics anymore, he's very involved in the San Francisco court system."

Her eyes darted to me for a quick second and I wondered if she was thinking about my involvement with the San Francisco court system.

Thankfully, though, I'd never come into contact with Darius Jones.

She was quiet for a few moments...

"Anyway, Chris and I started dating and my father was so damned happy about it." She looked out at the horizon, seemingly lost in memory. "It was the first time in my life I felt like I was pleasing him. It felt... Well, I felt wanted. It was a heady feeling. Almost addictive," she mused, shaking her head dejectedly.

"So you never really loved Chris?" I asked.

I hated the tiny stab of jealousy at the mention of her with another man...even one who was mostly in her past.

I shook it off...

"I thought I did, I suppose. He was all polish and country-club manners. And my father thought we were a brilliant match...that we'd perfectly balance each other. And of course that he would finally tame me. Plus, I would offer the Jones name to his campaign and his future career as a judge."

"What happened?" I asked, a feeling of dread settling in my stomach.

"We were engaged around Christmas and I, well, I gave him my virginity." She frowned and looked away for what seemed like a long time. My muscles were tensed and I consciously focused on relaxing. "I only told you that because it relates to the rest of the story."

"Okay," I said.

She cleared her throat...

"I had planned to come home that summer and start planning the wedding. Chris was heavily involved in his first ever campaign and his team was working out of the St. Regis Hotel."

She picked at her fingernail for a few seconds before continuing...

"I got out of finals early one day and instead of going straight to the apartment my father kept for me here, I decided to surprise Chris at the hotel." Her frown deepened... "Chris had always seemed... displeased with me in bed. He never said it out-right, but he communicated the message clearly enough. And I thought maybe if I surprised him, wore something... You get the idea." Her face flushed. "Anyway, I went to his room and a member of his campaign opened the door, obviously expecting room service. And he tried to stop me from going into the bedroom, but I wouldn't let him and I walked in... on Chris with...women."

"Women? Plural?"

Mercedes nodded, her expression pained...

"There was one under him and one behind him using some sort of..."

She shook her head and closed her eyes, obviously trying to shake the image from her mind.

"God..."

She put her face in her hands for a brief moment, taking a deep breath...

"I don't need a full description. I get the gist," I said, my voice sounding tight.

She nodded, looking relieved.

"There were lines of what looked like cocaine on the coffee table and half-empty liquor bottles."

"Jesus!" I said, moving my hand through my hair, picturing Chris, the golden boy in his tennis whites this afternoon.

"Chris... disengaged when he finally noticed me, but he was drunk or drugged or both. I don't know. He started off apologizing, but it disintegrated into him screaming at me about how he didn't want a whore for a wife. He had actual whores for that. I tried to leave, but he pulled me and I fought him. We tumbled to the ground and he hit me, but I got away. Only, as I turned to leave, he caught my ankle and I fell on the glass coffee table, breaking two of my ribs, banging up my face even more, and slicing up my arm. It happened so fast, but I was a mess. There was blood everywhere. And the members of his campaign team who had been in the other room came running. They got me out of there and called a doctor when we arrived at my father's home."

"Mercedes," I said, my voice raw, my gut churning. I now fully understood why she'd been so insecure about sex.

It wasn't just about her father and his dismissal of Melodie's mom. It was even more personal... She'd basically been told her passion in bed was somehow inappropriate and disgusting. And she believed it. And who could blame her? It'd been her first experience. She'd only ever been with one man.

Mercedes looked off into the distance again...

"When my father got home and learned what happened..." Her face screwed up as if she was going to cry again, but she regrouped with a deep breath "...he told me I'd ruined everything. And then he went into recovery mode...contacting the hotel staff, putting out the story that I'd gotten into trouble with drugs and went wild, in case anyone else had seen me leaving the room, or in case other staff talked about the cleanup. Of course, he wouldn't hear of me calling the engagement off, but I was very final about that."

"He threw you under the bus..."

She nodded.

"Yes. Chris' campaign and status was more important than his own daughter. He suggested a trip to Europe to make it look as if I was in a recovery program and then upon my return, we could turn the story in our favor... making me look like a success. Can you see the headlines now? 'Heiress turns to drugs, ruins life, but thanks to the love and devotion of selfless fiancé, turns life around.' What a perfect love story. Of course, Chris would've looked even more like a hero. His current campaign and all future campaigns, would've been even more successful with a story like that attached to him. And me, I'd be the fall girl, but all for a good cause."

I stared in disbelief...

"Jesus!"

She sighed...

"Well, as you can imagine, I wasn't going to go along with my father's plan to send me to Europe on a shopping expedition, but I did need to go away. Even returning to college here in California seemed too close. I wanted an ocean between us...literally. I was devastated and needed to heal both physically and emotionally. I needed time to come up with a life plan. Then I remembered Kojo's invitation to help with his hospital...an invitation I hadn't been able to accept originally, but an invitation where I could cut myself off from my father and Chris. So I took an extra day to have a full STD checkup and then flew to Africa using the very last of the money I had in my bank account."

She ducked her head after the remark about a checkup, then lifted her head, her expression turning thoughtful...

"When I got there, I felt so empty and so grief-stricken. But then something happened..."

Her eyes suddenly brightened, and I sucked in a breath to see her shining light again.

"...I worked with some women who had lost so much, they were rejected by their villages and their families, because of the stigma of something they had no control over. Many of them had lost their babies. They were sick and traumatized. They had lost so much more than me... And I thought to myself, if I'm going to encourage them to be strong, to find power beyond their own circumstances, then I have to be able to do the same for myself. People suffer all over the world, every day. But people triumph all over the world every day, too. And I thought if these women are going to trust me to help them heal and triumph, I have to be able to rise above, as well. And I did."

"You make it sound easy."

My voice held a scratchy note. How was she so strong?

She shook her head...

"It's not easy. It takes work and faith, and a whole heart full of hope. It takes letting the pain in, too. Because the problem is, you can't shut off one emotion without shutting off all your emotions. You have to feel the pain if you're going to feel the joy. It's just the way it works. So no, it's not easy, but it's possible. And now, all I want is for my father to leave me in peace... to allow me to figure out on my own what I'm going to do with the rest of my life."

I understood now...

I understood why Mercedes had been willing to go to drastic measures to gain some freedom...

And I understood why she'd been willing to marry a stranger rather than ask her father for a single dime of his money...money that surely had any number of soul-stripping strings attached.

She had chosen to split the money fifty-fifty, as if it was the only bargaining tool she felt she was worth. And she had chosen me. Now, I suddenly felt gratitude that far outweighed the financial gain.

"And what have you come up with so far?" I asked. What are your dreams, sweet Mercedes?

"I might go back to college. I might become a pirate and sail the seven seas. The point is, I have choices. Because of my Gram and because of you, I can do anything."

Our gazes locked momentarily and I had the very brief, but sharp urge to fall to my knees and swear my everlasting servitude to her.

'Relax, Evans.'

"You'd make a really hot pirate," I finally said.

She laughed, just as a loud knock sounded at the front door and we both startled slightly.

"Room service," I said, smiling.

There was no table in the suite, so I set up the food on the coffee table in the spacious living room, and we both sat down to eat.

The mood seemed to have lightened despite the very heavy topics we'd discussed. And despite the fact that Mercedes had just shared her very personal, painful story.

Maybe that's what she'd needed, though. I imagined she hadn't spoken of it much, if at all, given she'd left immediately after it had happened, and had only returned very recently.

"You know," I said through a bite of stroganoff that wasn't nearly as good as Alice's. "I owe you an apology. I misjudged you from the moment I met you. I had you completely wrong."

She shrugged.

"I'm used to it. And I did my own share of misjudging, dragon."

She winked and I grinned.

"Mercedes," I said after a minute. "I know we agreed on two months, but you can stay longer if you'd like. I mean if it will help give you time to figure out what your next step is."

She looked at me sideways...

"You may come to regret that offer."

I suppressed a smile at her sarcasm.

"Probably. You relentlessly try my patience. But, even so, I mean it."

She turned towards me and grinned, a real smile and the lust that shot through my body was sharp and sudden.

"I appreciate it. But I think it will be good for me to set up a place of my own."

I didn't want to acknowledge the feeling of disappointment I felt at her words.

"Will you stay in Napa?"

'Please. Please stay.'

She looked pensive...

"I don't know. If we're trying to elevate your social standing in Napa, I'm not sure moving to my own place here makes sense. But I'll stay in California for a little while at least. Until we file for divorce."

I nodded and an awkward silence ensued. She was thinking of my circumstances in all this?

Why did she care at all?

I wasn't sure what I felt in that moment and was even less sure I wanted to analyze it.

We finished dinner and I placed the dishes outside the door for pickup. When I came back into the suite, I found Mercedes back in her room standing at the sliding glass door of the balcony, looking out.

I watched her for a few seconds, taking in her relaxed posture, the long waves of her hair falling down her back.

Tenderness filled my chest... She was so strong and so beautiful.

And yet again, I couldn't help myself...

I walked over, stood behind her, moved her hair over one shoulder, then leaned in and kissed the back of her neck.

She shivered, but didn't pull away.

"Mercedes," I murmured, inhaling her sweet fragrance. I was so confused. I was unsure whether I should be touching her, and whether I should be attempting to move our relationship in this direction.

Maybe I needed to be protecting her from myself. But for the life of me, I couldn't make myself stop. And when I kissed her neck again and she let out a soft moan, I came undone completely.

I turned Mercedes in my arms and brought my hands up to hold her face, being careful not to put pressure on the bruise on her cheek where her father had hit her.

Then I leaned in to kiss her sweet mouth.

A deep moan came up my throat as I threaded my fingers into the silky waves of her hair, tilting her head so I could plunge my tongue deeper.

I wanted to devour her... become part of her fire... and her life force.

I walked backward, pulling her with me gently until the backs of my legs hit the bed. Then I turned her so she fell backward and I followed her down.

I felt almost frantic with lust and forced myself to slow down, taking a long shuddering breath.

Meanwhile, Mercedes stared up at me with half-lidded eyes. God, she was beautiful.

"I want you," I said, my voice sounding raw to my own ears.

She blinked, her expression filling with uncertainty.

She wanted me, too, but she wasn't ready.

I swore to myself, a sudden flash of how she'd looked earlier in my arms, her eyes reddened by tears, her lip trembling. I could convince her to sleep with me tonight, I was sure, but that didn't feel right anymore.

Not now that I knew her story.

When she came to my bed, she had to come willingly. But I could still do something for her...

I leaned in and kissed her again...

"Let me give you pleasure, Mercedes. Let me show you how beautiful you are when I make you come."

She still looked uncertain, but she didn't tell me to stop, so I took that as a yes and leaned in to kiss her neck.

She tipped her head back and let out a small sigh as I licked and nipped at the soft, tender skin of her throat. The taste of her was new and familiar all at once, and I felt my heart beating rapidly in my chest.

"You are bewitching. And perfect," I whispered in her ear, even as I rose above her to remove her shirt.

She lifted her arms over her head, the look in her eyes less wary than it had been, heat burning away her previous reservation.

Next, I unsnapped her bra and took a moment to gaze down at her naked breasts. Predictably, my cock pulsed against the restrictive zipper of my jeans, even as I moved my hand to a nipple.

I scraped it gently with the nail of my thumb and she jerked her hips off the bed, moaning.

"Sam," she rasped.

At the sound of my name on her lips, frantic lust spiked through my body again and I gritted my teeth. I needed to rein it in.

I licked my thumb and wet Mercedes' nipple, stimulating the hard peak until she was letting out sweet little pants. Then I leaned down and sucked the other one into my mouth, swirling my tongue around, biting gently and then laving again.

Automatically, her hips pressed upward into my swollen erection, and we both moaned...

I placed a few experimental kisses down her stomach and her fingers immediately went to my hair and threaded through it.

Then I stood to remove her jeans and our eyes tangled, hers bright and luminescent with passion, fluttering closed after a moment.

"Beautiful," I murmured. "So beautiful."

My fiery little witch was squirming and moaning and so beautifully vibrant with passion. How could any man alive not find this stunningly erotic?

How could any man alive not want to experience this response from the woman he was making love to?

From the woman who belonged to him?

Looking at her this way felt like inhaling a bright ray of sunlight...

Throwing her jeans and underwear aside, I went down on my knees on the floor in front of Mercedes and gently dragged her closer to me so my face was directly between her legs.

She was bare and so shiny and slick with arousal, I almost growled at the scent of her, a fierce feeling of primal need roaring through my veins.

I was practically shaking with desire for the beautiful little witch.

"Sam," her voice broke on my name. And she turned her head to the side, muffling a moan into the thick pillow next to her head.

"No, Mercedes, let me hear you," I begged.

She looked at me, hazy confusion in her eyes, but she pushed the pillow away.

Leaning in, I licked her, swirling my tongue around her swollen clitoris, the taste of her bursting across my tongue making me impossibly harder.

I was going to orgasm just from pleasuring her... I had never felt this desperate...

Mercedes keened softly, pressing herself into my face. I obliged... I sucked and licked and tasted her slick flesh for long moments, as she moaned and panted, her sounds of pleasure making me feel wild.

Finally I pressed two fingers into her wet entrance and she let out a small scream, her thighs quivering, as her body shook and contracted around my fingers.

After she'd stilled, I raised my face and kissed back up her stomach.

She let out a contented sigh, taking my face in her hands as I pressed my lips to hers.

We kissed slowly for long moments, my erection still throbbing painfully with unspent lust for the beautiful woman in my arms.

Giving her one final kiss, I rolled to the side and pulled her naked body into my arms, bringing the blankets up over her, and smoothing my hand down her hair.

"You are so beautiful," I repeated, feeling something in my chest that felt startlingly like fear.

Why did my feelings for her scare me?

However, she sighed contentedly again and snuggled into my chest.

As I drew lazy circles on Mercedes' hip, trying to tamp down my still raging arousal and the confusion of my emotions, I recalled how I'd told her she wasn't my type.

I almost laughed...

Not only was she my type, it was as if she was made for me.

I pushed that disturbing thought aside, though. I couldn't let myself think things like that.

It must've hurt her, though, hearing those words from a man's mouth...even one she disliked at the time...after what she'd been through with her fiancé.

Thoughts of Christopher Devlin worked to cool the blood in my veins, but only moderately.

Then I heard Mercedes' breathing even out and she let out a small, delicate snore. She was asleep. God, if I'd realized being married would be so sexually frustrating, I might've asked for more compensation.

She drives me crazy, riles me more than anyone else I know, and turns me on much the same. Yet, she's made me laugh...made me smile. She even bought me a damn dog.

And now, she's given me even more...

She gave me her trust with her delectable body.

Horny?

Fuck yes!

Satisfied?

Absolutely!

I smiled to myself, kissing the top of my wife's head...

This chapter was a revealing chapter and also a deep and insightful one, but it may or may not make sense... One...I am tired, Two...I was distracted and Three...It's way too long for me to re-read.

Stay safe!