Hey guys here is another update and I hope you enjoy it. This one will tell you a little bit more about Mercedes past and just how she knows Preston.

Preston Waters is Dwayne The Rock Johnson FC

Stay blessed and enjoy. P.S. whoknowstv when you read this, message me just wanna know you are okay.

Sam was in a special kind of hell tonight, and was not a happy man. First it started with the face he was still out of his home, then came the moldy crate of onions that was delivered to his place which he promptly sent back, that also meant a store run to make sure they didn't run out. That made his employees take notice, and while Sam was not the kind of guy to take his anger out on people, they gave him his space to work, that meant if he wanted to cook at your station you moved and let him cook.

At the moment he was putting the finishing touches on tequila flamed mangoes. The baked treat spread with brown sugar was waiting along side two big bowls of homemade vanilla ice cream. Pouring the headed alcohol over the fruit, Sa, tried to keep his mind on the task at hand and not the drama that was his life.

"It's ready," Sam said for the waitress to take, he figured it was safe to stay behind the scenes today and not let his guest see how stressed out he was. He had turned to saute' onions when he was asked to be seen on the floor.

"Table 8, the one who ordered the mango's, would like to see you Sam." Mason said with a smile.

"WHat about?"

"He didn't say, he just asked to speak with you."

"Is he with a woman?" As a rule men didn't order desserts like that and table 8 was secluded and usually reserved for a couple wanting to be alone.

"Yes, I have seen her around here a few times since I started last month but I haven't seen the man, he is not one you could forget, he's a bit...intimidating."

Jane smiled walking past Mason. "Yeah I haven't seen him before either, you would remember a face and body like that, don't worry Mase I will protect you from him." Mason looked after her and frowned. Sam ignored them going back to work on the onions, the man might want to complain or thank the chef, but the bottom line is he was probably just trying to impress his date."

"Can you please tell him I am busy and will get to him as soon as I can."

Mason nodded, then came back a few minutes later. "I am sorry Sam but he is insisting he sees you now."

"Mason can you let him know that we are really busy tonight and he is going to have to wait until I have a free moment."

Sam glanced at Mason, he could tell the guest was someone who made Mason uncomfortable. Jane smiled. "I got table 8 Sam don't worry."

Sam shook his head. "No I can take it."

Jane shrugged. "Oh well I tried, Mercedes said to tell you hello."

Sam lifted his eyes to meet the young girl. "Mercedes is here?" She had told him this morning at breakfast she was busy.

Jane nodded. "Yes she is with the gorgeous hunk Mase is scared of."

"What?"

"Yeah I saw her and went to say hi, they seem to really be having a good time, I don't think he wants to complain just wants to see the guy Mercedes was telling him about is all."

Sam nodded as he went to wash his hands, his staff could handle the orders he was needed on the floor. "I am going to make my rounds if you need me."

With that he left the back and did it under the guise that he needed to be a great owner and make his rounds, it had nothing to do with the fact Mercedes was with some man. Making his rounds to the regulars he smiled and waved, he made his way to the table that was usually reserved for lovers and he tensed up immediately.

He saw them before they say him, they were sitting side by side at a booth that was meant for them to be seated across from each other, the man's arms wrapped around Mercedes shoulders as he was whispering in her ear.

"You wanted to see me?"

Mercedes jumped as the man with her met Sam's gaze. Sam could see why Mason was intimidated, the man was stacked.

"Hi Mercedes, I didn't expect to see you tonight." Sam said looking at her.

"I was talked into it." She said smiling at her date. "I am glad he did, dinner was wonderful."

"So why did you want to see me?" He asked trying to be causal when he felt nothing of the sort.

"Actually I wanted to see you." Came the voice of her date, Mercedes smiled.

"Sam, meet Preston Waters."

Sam looked at her surprised, he knew the man looked familiar but couldn't place him. Preston Waters played for the Dallas Cowboys for 12 years and earned the nickname "The Enforcer" from the game, no one who collided with the giant came out of it without some kind of pain. When he retired two years ago he went into real estate and was not only named People's Most Eligible Bachelor but one of Forbes richest men in the country. Sam turned his attention to the man. "Welcome, what brings you to town?"

Preston reached over and took Mercedes hand in his. "A man doesn't need a reason to visit a beautiful and desirable woman now does he?"

Mercedes blushed lowering her head. "Preston."

Sam had the strangest urge to snatch Mercedes right up and move her far away from this man, he was obviously out to get something and she didn't know how to deal with men like him. "I didn't know you and Mercedes knew each other."

"You know all of Mercedes acquaintances?" Preston asked holding her hand as he rubbed his thumb over it.

"The important ones." Sam challenged.

"Sam!" Mercedes said looking at him.

Person smirked. "Well it seems not all of them then."

"Why did you want to see me?" Sam said growing impatient, he didn't like this at all.

Releasing Mercedes hand he sat up in the booth making it look tiny beneath him. "I want to hire you."

"No thank you."

Preston raised an eyebrow. "You haven't even heard my offer yet."

"I am chef and owner here. This is more than a restaurant to me." he looked over to Mercedes. "She should have told you that."

Mercedes smiled. "I did, but since you are so fond of trying to steal from everyone else. I thought it might be good to see the tables reversed on you."

"Since I am staying with you, I promised not to steal from you." Sam didn't know why he said it so suggestively and Mercedes blushed at his words.

"As a guest at the hotel, Mercedes would never turn her back on a friend." Preston said.

"I've never heard her or her brothers mention you before." Sam said baiting Preston.

"She hasn't mentioned your name either. Well, we have kept you long enough. The food was great and the company was exquisite." He reached in his wallet and put enough money on that table to pay for the meal and tip three times over. Sam knew the game, it was a tip to impress a woman, it was a tip to impress Mercedes.

Standing, Preston helped Mercedes to her feet. What pissed Sam off more was that the man was taller and bulkier than him. "Good Night." Preston said placing his hand in the small of Mercedes back.

"Good Night Sam."

Mercedes said as she allowed Preston to escort her out, Sam didn't like the fact that she was leaving with him, he watched as Preston whispered and Mercedes giggled pushing him away from her. Nope he didn't like this at all.

Mercedes waited until she was in the backseat of the town car before she clapped her hands together in glee. "Thank you Preston, you were amazing in there."

"You are sure this is what you want?"

"Yes, more than anything." she said voice full of conviction.

Preston took her hand. "Love can hurt Mercedes and I don't want to see you hurt."

Mercedes covered his hand in hers. "Yes you are right is does, but you of all people know that it can also be wonderful and I am sure with Sam it can be just as wonderful for me."

Preston smiled slightly. "You were always stubborn weren't you?"

"No not stubborn, determined."

He nodded. I have made arrangements for everything you have asked. I will be unavailable for the next couple of weeks but if it's an emergency you know how to find me."

"Going after another company?" She asked as the car pulled to her hotel.

"Maybe." He said as he opened the door then reached in to help her out. She noticed his driver had gotten out of the car and saw hi cover a 9mm. She wasn't shocked, as she noticed Preston's when he picked her up. She knew Preston would never be caught off guard again.

"Thank you again Preston."

"You know if I could I would do more."

"You are doing more than enough."

He bent down kissing her cheek, and she turned to walk away as Mercedes made her way to her home. Her meeting Preston was out of the blue in a way she hadn't expected. What most people didn't realize was that he was a married man, but after what happened he kept that part of his life separate from his enforcer persona.

Mercedes was 21 and went to visit family in Tampa she along with another woman, were abducted from the mall and held hostage for three days. What they guys didn't know was that the woman they abducted was pregnant. Mercedes tried to keep her calm, but she ended up going into preterm labor as she was only 30 weeks. Then men were looking to sell the girl's and were thrilled to see the woman was pregnant that meant more money for a child. Keeping track of everything around them, Mercedes took her chance when the other men usually left the house. The plan was simple, Mercedes was to run and get help, no matter what. So while the woman was screaming in pain as if on cue the guard came in, Mercedes hit him from behind, and ran opening the front door but instead of leaving like they assumed she did, she actually just stole one of the burner phones and hid. The guy called his buddies and they left looking for her as Mercedes call the police told them all she knew about where she was and prayed they would track her.

When she reached the other woman who she knew as Lindsey, she helped her as far a down the street from the house before labor started and her water had broken. Mercedes had found a good Samaritan who let them in and it was Mercedes and that good Samaritan who delivered that baby as the 911 operator talked her through it. By the time the police arrive Lindsey had welcomed a beautiful baby boy to the world.

As everything died down Mercedes was taken to a room where everything was explained to her, Lindsay was the daughter of a very powerful man as well as wife of NFL player Preston Waters, this was not to ever get out. Though she refused it they offered her a reward for her silence. Preston was forever indebted to her for bringing his wife of a year and brand new son back to him, so whatever she needed, though she never collected on it, she could have. He had a debt he would never ever fully pay.

Mercedes sat in her room looking at herself in the mirror. That event made her stronger than she ever knew possible and yet she could never speak of it to anyone who wasn't her brothers or her dad. She grew from that experience and learned that she was capable of more than she ever thought.