DISCLAIMER: I own no rights to glee nor it's characters.

plz enjoy.

The next morning, l wake up in a daze. As slay there, staring up at the ceiling I replay the whole evening, I let Brittany... God I can't even think the whole sentence let alone say it out loud to myself. I honestly don't know what came over me and the fact that Sam was sitting right there in front of me is even worse.What if he recognized me and is just waiting for me to fess up? Or maybe he didn't recognize me and just thought I was just Brittany's play toy for the night. Either way I still feel utterly embarrassed for my actions.

Turning onto my side, I look down on the floor and spot the mask.That damn mask That sinful piece of fabric that drove me to step outside of myself and dabble in the world of..well, sin. I yank the covers over my face and groan before sitting up. my messy hair falling over my face. I sweep it back and grab my phone off the nightstand. The frst thing I notice is a text from Sam about 15 minutes about asking me if I want some French toast I start to type no, then I remind myself that I'm starving After typing yes, I get up and shufle to the bathroom. When I'm done and my hair is in a more presentable bun,I pull on some leggings and shirt before heading up to Sam's place. When l get there, I knock on the door and a few seconds later he answers.

"Good morning, Mercedes." He smiles, his hair slightly messy.

"Morning, Sam. Thanks for offering breakfast. I wasn't in the mood for cereal" I laugh as I walk past him.

In my head, I'm trying to keep my cool and not seem as if I have a secret that could possibly ruin the small friendship I have with Sam. The last thing I want is for all of this to turn my life into shambles. I take a seat at his breakfast bar and there is already a plate of food waiting. I give Sam a grateful look.

"You're too kind" I touch over my heart and Sam chuckles.

"l try. Now eat up before it gets cold."

He takes a seat next to me and we eat in silence for the most part other than me repeatedly telling him how good the food is. When I'm done eating. I put the plate in his dishwasher before doing the same with Sam's empty plate. Full and happy. I walk over to his couch and take a seat.

"So, how was the dinner?" I ask, testing Sam. He almost slipped up yesterday.

Flopping down next to me, Sam frowns "Oh, it was boring Just business talk for the most part."

Lies!!! You were in a club seeing ALL my glory. You saved me from a sick weirdo who wanted to whip me.You were NOT having a dinner with old men. Dirty, dirty, liar. But so am I.

"That's good. I hope you accomplished whatever it was for. My night was pretty boring. Netflix and cookies then bed" I shrug and Sam Looks at me.

"You should really get out some time. We should go out for drinks one night"

Oh, we've already had drinks together. We've had more fun than you think.

l immediately shake the thought and nod "Yeah, I could use a drink sometime."

Sam smiles before grabbing the remote to his TV and turning it on. We watch some light movies before the breakfast catches up with me and I fall asleep. I don't know how long l'm out, but when I wake up, I'm lying on Sam's chest with his arm around me. I lay perfectly still and try to keep my breathing the same. I can tell he is still awake because his thumb is rubbing my side. Under me, I feel his chest rising and falling. gently as he focuses on whatever he is watching.

I don't understand how we got in this position, but it's making me feel a little weird. A little too close and personal to him as if he hasn't already seen what's between my legs, but he doesn't know that. Shifting a bit, I inhale deeply as if l'm just waking up and instead of letting me go, Sam pulls me closer.

"Have a nice nap?"

"Uh, yeah. How long was I asleep?"

Sam shrugs. "About 2 hours."

I sit up, letting his arm fall "Why didn't you wake me? l could have gone back to my place."

"It's no problem. It's Saturday. Nothing special going on. I don't have any plans so I let you sleep. It was comforting in a way" Sam eyes me for a moment before turning back towards the TV.

"How!"

"As you may have noticed from being around me these past few weeks, I don't really date or have any women interests so having you sleeping in my arms was comforting. Haven't had that in a long time"

I never really thought about Sam's dating life since l've been so wrapped up in his social life. He's right though. I've never heard him talk about any one special. He hasn't spoken about dates. The only woman I've seen him realy talk to is Brittany. As attractive as Sam is, I wonder why he chooses to be such a loner when he can have any woman he Wants.

"I know what you're thinking." He mumbles.

"And what am I thinking, Ms. Cleo" I smirk and Sam cuts his eyes at me.

"You're wondering why someone like me doesn't have a girlfriend. I just haven't met someone who gets me. I've tried dating, but they only saw my status as a business owner and not as a man and speaking of business."

He gets up and jogs to a room down a hall and comes back with a large envelope. Flopping back on the couch, he opens it and pulls out a magazine. His magazine.

"This comes out in a week. Turn to page 41"

Butterflies erupt in my belly. For some reason I already know what he wants me to see. When I turn to the page, my intuition is proven correct when I see the pictures I took. My eyes scan over the girl I barely recognize and it's shocking to see myself like that. So free and open to someone really seeing me and capturing the moment. I run my fingers over the page, feeling my eyes water. It's really official. People are going to see the pictures and wonder who I am.

"Cedes, are you okay?"

I nod, biting down on my bottom lip. I flip the page and there is another. I look so happy. Happier than l'd been in a long time. Catching me off guard, Sam touches ny cheek causing me to look up at him. We don't say anything for a moment, but Sam takes the magazine from me and puts it on his coffee table before pulling me closer. He pulls me legs over his lap with one hand and slips his hand behind my neck with the other.

"How do we keep ending up like this?" l ask wondering just how long this front is going to last, We try to pretend to be friends and I try to stay professional, but this keeps happening This pull that makes me want to give him all of me.

It only reminds me of how easy I settled for whatever Brody was giving me. I don't that anymore. I don't want to just sleep with someone and act like it's not real. I don't want to go back to that. Pulling back, I look at Sam waiting for him to answer. He sighs softly, but his hand stays at the back of my neck, his thumb rubbing circles in my skin.

"I don't know, cedes. I just can't stop wanting to kiss you. To taste your lips and tongue. I know it's not very ethical due to me being your boss, but I want you to know that l'm not trying to take advantage of you. If you want this then okay, but if you don't then I'm fine with it. We can remain friends. You're one of the few people I can be myself With."

I almost frown at his last statement. It's a lie. If he were truly being himself. He'd tell me about the club. He'd want me to know that side of him, but instead he wants to keep it hidden. It's so conflicting to know, but have to keep it a secret. I don't want that between us.

"I can't give you an answer right now. I should go."

I stand up and Sam's expressicon falls as he stands too. I quickly get to the door before I change my mind and jump into his arms. Opening the door, I turn to Sam and give him a small smile.

"I'll see you later"

Sam nods and from the look on his face I can tell he doesn't want to let me go. I honestly don't want to go, but I need to. I have to think all this through, properly.

I don't see or talk.to Sam the rest of the weekend and on Monday on our way to work, the car is uncomfortably silent. The tension between us is thick and weird. I wish I could just say what I'm feeling, but I don't know how I feel. With the club and Sam, it's complicated. He clearly doesn't know it was me there. He would have dropped some sort of hint or implied something, but nothing.

Halfway to the office, I pull out my journal and pen. I have to get some of the tension off my mind. Clear some space for logical thinking, Out of the corner of my eye, I see Sam eye me, but l ignore it, clicking my pen.

"How can I trust you? How do I know you won't hurt me?" My body shivers beneath his, our bare skin pressed together. His manhood throbbing against my core, waiting to enter my depths. His eyes burn into mine and he cups my face. "I would never want to hurt you. You've given me so much of yourself. I want nothing more than to give my all, body and mind. Let me show you how much I love you. Let me spend al night showing you how to feel again. I want you to come for me. I want every orgasm to belong to me and no one else. I want every sexual thought to revolve around me. Let me be the center of your pleasure and happiness.

I stop writing when I realize that i'm not breathing from focusing so hard. I take a deep breath and close the journal, cursing under my breath. If Sam read what I just wrote, he'd think I was too attached. Too hopeful that we could be together. He said it himself that he hasn't had a woman of interest in a long time. It's obvious that I can't be that woman. I'm no one special to him.

Frustrated both sexual and mentally, I rub my forehead and when I turn to look at Sam, he is staring at me. Studying me."You okay?"

"I'm fine. Just some writer's block." I force a smile and turn away to look out the window.

~~~~~~~~~~

By the time we get to work, the tension has moved to the back of my mind so I can think about work. I sit at my desk and start up my computer. Waiting for it to start up, I put my things in the desk drawer and put my phone on silent. When l'm logged in, I go over Sam's schedule for the day. He has an early more conference in about 30 minutes.

It's nothing serious so he won't need me to attend. Thank God. Sam passes my desk and puts a few folders on the edge before going into his office, only to come out in 10 minutes to head to the meetingWhen he eyes me, l give him a short nod before diverting my eyes back to the computer screen. fuck, I want him so badly.

On cue, my phone vibrates and it's Brittany asking me how l'm doing. I immediately text her back telling her that l'm a wreck. Brittany being Brittany, texts back saying that as long as I keep my legs closed, Sam will never know. I close the text and change her name in my phone to "Smart Ass"

I sit there and text her for a few more minutes. She spends those minutes reminding me of our dirty deed, saying that she can't wait until this Friday. Oh God, I don't think I can handle anything like that again. I'm down for anything once so it's safe to say I can scratch girl on girl action off my bucket list.

I continue to text Brittany for a few more minutes before realizing that she is kind of my friend. If I were nothing to her, she wouldn't be texting me about things like split ends and her pervy assistant Noah. I finally find out that Brittany is a realtor. Which makes her seem more human.

As I'm replying to her text about lunch later this week, the door opens. Glancing up, I have to look twice.

"Brody, what are you doing here!" I sit up straight, sitting my phone down. He sends me a smile and sits a small vase of flowers on my desk.

"l just wanted to apologize for the way I acted. I really didn't mean to upset you. I just thought you were changing without me. I just want you to be the same Mercy."

I stand up, a frown on my face. Is he delusional or just plain stupid? "Brody, you need to leave, now before I calI security. l don't want to see you anymore. You hurt me and damaged my property over some petty jealousy"

Brody's smile falls and he closes the door, cutting off the noise from the rest of the floor. I eye my cell phone and see Brittany replying. A nervous feeling rises in my throat and l have to think of a way to get him To leave without breaking anything.

Brody steps to me and I step back, nearly falling into my chair. His eyes widen a bit and he chuckles.

"You don't have to be afraid of me, mercy. We're friends. We fight all the time."

My eyes widen in disbelief. Okay, he is fucking crazy. Stepping from behind my desk, I smile. "Please, Brody. you have to leave. My boss won't like this at all"

"I don't care about your boss, mercy. He needs to know that you're mine. He doesn't control you"

"And you do! I don't want to be with you, Brody. So leave. Don't come to my job and don't show up at my place anymore or I'Il have you arrested"

Brody turns and paces a bit before turning back to me with a new expression. He's angry. Within a blink, Brody steps in my face and grabs my arm.

"You aren't going to treat me like l'm a piece of Fucking trash. I was good to you, I took you in when you needed me. Your boss is screwing with your head. He's probably the one who got me fired."

Holy shit. He got fired from his job. I don't know what makes him think Sam did it. He sucked as a writer so l'm pretty sure that only justified his termination.

"I'm sorry you lost your job, but Sam had nothing to do with that and it doesn't give you the right to just show up here. Now, leave or l'm calling security. No more warnings" I stand there and look at him as he looks at me. I can't read his expression, but when he doesn't move, I reach for my desk phone. As l'm about to press the button for security, Brody grabs the phone from me and slams it down. I jump back, covering my mouth in shock.

Suddenly, the phone on Sam's desk rings and Brody looks behind me. "You should get that" He mumbles, but I shake my head.

"It's fine. Sam will get it when he comes back from a meeting" My voice shakes a bit as Brody stands in front of me, tense and unpredictable. A part of me wants to cry from fear, but l can't. I won't.

"Please, Brody, leave.There is nothing here for you. I can't help you with anything Just leave and ill forget about all of this"

"You'll forget about me too, huh?"

I don't know how to reply without making him angrier. Breaking my thought, my desk phone rings. When I look at my computer, a conference room number pops up. Sam.

"I have to answer that. If I don't Sam will come check on me." I reach for the phone and this time he lets me.

"Hello" I say, trying not to sob into the phone.

"Mercedes, can you call james Wilks and make sure we're still on for lunch at his office?"

I sit down and make it seem like l'm pulling up information as Brody stands there watching me.

"Uh, yeah I call him for you, I have him on speed dial 1."

"Cedes, speed dial 1 is for security" Sam says.

"Yes, I'm sure he's speed dial 1. l put him in the other day." I press the issue as if l'm correcting Sam, hoping he catches the hint. Out of the corner of my eye, Brody's fists are balled up. It makes me more nervous.

After a few seconds, Sam speaks "Mercedes, is something wrong there?" His voice now very serious.

"Yes,I can make those copies for you too." nod.

"I'm coming up now He says before hanging up.

I sit on the phone an extra few seconds before nodding again, pretending to get more information from Sam. Anything to waste time.

"Okay, sir, I'l get that done" I hang up and look at Brody"Can you leave now? I have work to do"

Brody eyes me for a few seconds before nodding. "Okay. I'm sorry, mercy. I just wanted you to know how sorry I am. I hope you can forgive me"

"I do, Greg. Now. go" I stand and go to open the door when his hand shoots out and grabs my wrist too tightly. I flinch and try to pull away, but he doesn't let up. "You're hurting me!" I say loudly, but still no slack.

"I just want to kiss you before I go. That's all"

He mumbles as he leans in. Leaning away from him, I nudge the desk and the vase he brought falls over

onto the floor. I gasp and Brody's face turns livid.

"Fuck mercy! I said I was sorry!" He yells in my face.

Bending my wrist back forcefully. I yell out in pain and suddenly the door flies open. Sam immediately grabs Brody and punches him in the face, sending him to the floor. I step back into a corner as Sam leans over to punch Brody again.

When blood starts seeping from Brody's nose and mouth, I shut my eyes, frightened by the sight. I've never seen anyone so angry before. I hear people rushing in and when I open my eyes again, Sam is being pulled off of Brody. Security comes in and picks Brody up, handcuffing him.

They take him away and outside the door, people are gathering to see what all the commotion is about. When Brody is being escorted out, Sam comes to me.

"Cedes, are you okay? Did he hurt you!"

I start to shake my head, but when I go to make a fist with my right hand, a pain shoots through my wrist. I hold my wrist up and hold it to my chest, trying to ease the pain. Sam's face reddens even more as he puts his hand against my back to ease me away from the corner.

"We need to get that checked out."

On the way to the hospital, Sam gets a call that Brody is in police custody and was actually wanted before he even showed up. Apparently, he assaulted his boss after being fired. Sam becomes angry all over again. I want him to calm down, but I'm angry myself. When Sam turns to me and asks if I want to press charges, I nod.

"And we're getting a restraining against him too. I don't want him anywhere near Cedes. If he even looks at her from 100 feet away I will kill him"

When Sam hangs up, He turns to me and cups my face. "I'm sorry I couldn't get there sooner"

"It's not your fault. I'm just glad you came when you did. He just wouldn't leave. When I tried to call security, he took the phone then a few minutes later you called. I had to think of a way to let you know."

"Yeah, I figured it out when it didn't make any sense."

I giggle a little and Sam smiles, clearly trying to make me smile. I slide over to him and lean my head on his shoulder as I cradie my wrist against my chest.

"You were so angry." I whisper.

"I hate you had to see that. I just lost it. I kept thinking about that night in your apartment. When I walked in you were crying, because that bastard hurt you. As soon as l got my hands on him, I just let him have it. I think it was built up anger."

"It was scary." I shudder as it replays in my head It all happened too fast.

"I'm sorry, l scared you, Cedes." Sam's turns his head and kisses the top of my head. "He'll never hurt you again. I promise"

After an hour or so in the hospital, I find out that my wrist is not broken, but severely sprained. I get a nice wrist brace and a prescription for some pain killers. The doctor tells me to just take it easy for the week before sending me on my way. It's a relief to both me and Sam.

It's also a relief because I could have never walked into the club with a cast on without giving myself away. I know it's weird to think about that after the day I've had, but I've already taken two pain killers so my thoughts are running a little wild right about now.

On my way home, I get a text from Brittany saying she heard what happen. I discreetly text her back saying that I'm fine and heading home to get some rest. After a few seconds, she calls Sam and repeats to him what she texted me. She asks if she could do anything to help, trying to appear as just a good friend to Sam. She's good. Almost too good at this secrecy thing.

When I get in my apartment, I kick off my shoes and Sam sits my things on the couch before going to the kitchen to make me lunch. I would object to it, but he looks like he needs a distraction so I let him. I go to my bedroom and strip out of my clothes, slowly before pulling on shorts and a t-shirt. With my wrist in the brace, it's hard to pull my hair up so I shuffle to the kitchen.

"Help me" I pout and Sam smiles at my inability to do simple tasks. I turn away from him and he gathers my hair up. He takes the hair band from me and wraps it firmly around my hair, just the way he likes it.

"Perfect" He mumbles in my ear and suddenly. he kisses the side of my neck. He wraps his arms around my waist and rests his head on my shoulder with his mouth at my neck. Taking a deep breath, the warm air sends the hairs on the back of my neck up.

"You sound tired"

He groans, "Just drained. It's only Monday and all this happens."

"You should take a nap. The pain pills are making me a bit drowsy so you can nap with me if you want." I shrug, lightly.

"What about your lunch? Your sandwich is on the counter"

"And it'll be there when we wake up." Turning. I take his hand and pull him to my room. Once in, he kicks his shoes off and undoes his tie, dropping it by my bed. Thankfully, I cleaned up yesterday and all my club essentials are in the back of the closet.

Laying down, Sam climbs in behind me, throwing the blanket over us. He gently wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer. As a few minutes pass, I begin to fall asleep until, I hear my name.

"Hmm" I hum, through my tiredness.

"I said, I'm glad you're okay. You mean a lot to me" Sam's tone is soft, but I can tell he is as tired as I am. I snuggle against him, unable to say anything coherent as I fall into a deep sleep. However, if I could. l'd tell him that he means a lot too.

Please excuse any grammar errors that may occur.

he yal goooooo dang lol. But no really I hope yal enjoy this chapter.