I hope you guys enjoy this Chapter! I know you've been waiting on it, and sorry it's taken so long. But you know my issues, and I so appreciate the well wishes and the patience. You guys are the real goat! I love you all.
Sam leaned in and kissed her deeply. "If you are trying to get me to take you right here, you are doing a great job."
"Sam, I want us to…I want to be with you tonight…."
"Meaning…" Sam asked, wanting to be sure.
"Sam, I want you to make love to me tonight. I want to be yours. As the winner, I do have a room upstairs..."
Sam smiled. "I think...I don't think anyone will mind if we just..."
He took her hand and led her through the crowd; a sea of congratulations and well-wishes slowed their movements as Sam did his best to get her out there patiently. He had wanted her from the moment she walked back into his life, and as crazy as the last few weeks had been, that love he had buried deep down inside of him just floated back to the surface as if it were the most natural thing to do.
They reached the elevator, and Sma let Mercedes push the floor number, pulling her back against him as the elevator lifted them higher. Sam's lips went to the base of her neck. "Are you sure, really sure about this? It's going to be kinda like your first time."
Mercedes closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of Sam around her. "I am sure."
The elevator doors opened, and Mercedes pulled Sam onto the 29th floor. As they entered the hallway, Mercedes pulled him to the room, unlocking the door as quickly as possible. There was an urgency, a need that she hadn't expected to feel.
As the door closed, Sam pushed her against it kissing her hungrily as his hands ran down her body.
"Sam…" She whimpered as his lips moved to her neck. "You feel…"
Sam's hands went to the zipper of her dress before he pulled back and stared at her. "Are you sure? You don't have your memory, and I feel like I'm…I feel like I am taking advantage."
Mercedes nodded. "Sam, I am sure, one thousand percent sure. I know I want this; I know I want you. It's a feeling, a need." She reached up to remove his tux jacket, tossing it to the side as she went to work unbuttoning his shirt. "I have fallen back in love with you, Sam, though I don't think I was ever out of love with you."
Sam licked his lips as she removed his shirt. "You are the sexiest woman I have ever known."
"That's high praise coming from you." She teased.
Sam growled as she removed his belt, reaching behind her and unzipping her dress as he kissed her shoulder. Letting the dress fall to the floor, Sam pulled her to him, hands roaming her body. "Sexy. Crazy. Beautiful." Sam said, hand caressing her cheek as he stared at her, and Mercedes stared at him, some recognition in his words.
"You… you've called me that before."
"Every time." He said softly as he smirked, turning her around and placing her hands on the door. She shivered as he kissed a trail down her spine.
"Sam…" She whimpered.
He kissed his way up her body, his hands roaming around her body. "Mmm, Merce, you still feel so smooth." He said, squeezing her bra-covered breast as his lips nipped at her neck. "Tell me what you need?"
"You, to touch me. Please, Sam…please."
Sam smiled. "Don't move your hands, or I will stop." He hissed in her ear.
"Yes, sir." She moaned.
Sam's hand traced a path down her stomach, her whimpers, and moans fueling him on. His hand moved between her thighs, feeling her squirm as he reached her pot of gold. "Mmmm, all this wetness just for lil ole me?"
"Don't tease me, Sam…" Mercedes whimpered.
Sam reached up, tilting her head to the side and gently biting her neck as his one, then two fingers pushed deep inside of her.
Mercedes rode his fingers, scratching at the wall as her climax built. "Sam! So close…please don't stop."
"I won't." He huffed, holding her, working his fingers until he felt her shutter in his embrace, coming as she screamed his name. Sam turned her towards him, picked her up by her thighs, and carried her to the bed. There was no time to enjoy the room when he only wanted to sink inside her.
Sam laid her out on the bed and stood back admiring her. "You are… still the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on."
"Sam…I…"
Sam smiled down at her, and he could see in her eyes that she wanted him just as badly as he wanted her. "What? Tell me what you want, and I will give it to you."
"You…only you."
Sam nodded, moving to cover her with his body; as he lined himself up with her, he took one of her hands in his. "Mercedes." He said, searching her eyes. "Tell me this is what you want."
Reaching her hand up to cup his cheek, she leaned up and kissed him hungrily, like she was dying of thirst and he could sustain her. That was all the reply Sam needed as he lifted her thighs, slowly guiding himself into her tight walls.
Filling her to the brim, he released a breath he didn't know he was holding. Kissing her as she became accustomed to him again.
"Please…please move…" She begged, swirling her hips to gain some pleasure.
Sam growled, pulling out almost all the way before slamming into her, causing her to scream out, gripping his shoulders. A flash of familiarity hit as he did it over and over, causing her to claw at his back.
Sam released her thigh and placed her hands over her head as he moved faster and harder, building up that tension of absolute pleasure within her.
Mercedes shut her eyes as it started to become too much, but Sam turned her face towards his asking her to open her eyes and look at him, staring at her as he pushed her over that sweet edge falling right after her in a blissful, mindblowing orgasm.
As they both fell back on the bed, panting, Mercedes turned to look at Sam, taking him in.
"What?" Sam asked. "Do I have something on my face?"
Mercedes shook her head no. "No, I just…I don't want this moment to end."
Sam pulled her up to him, holding her close. "I don't either." He said, kissing her forehead. "Get some rest; round two will be starting soon."
She sighed, contently laying on his chest as she closed her eyes. "Mmmm, can't wait."
Sam stared at Mercedes as she fell asleep, his hand lazily caressing her hair. He still couldn't believe that he was with her, right here at this moment. His mind went back over to the last few years and how he hadn't felt at home like he did when she was in his arms.
She snuggled closer to him, and Sam wrapped his arms around her tighter. He wanted a future with her, and at that moment, he made a promise to himself. When everything was over, he was going to make her his wife, and there was nothing that anyone could do to stop it.
"Your honor, this is a clear case of discrimination and retaliation. Ms. Jones is clearly just trying to get back at me for leaving the firm and representing Mayfield." Anthony said as he represented himself.
Mercedes stifled a laugh as she listened to the BS Anthnoy was spewing. She just let him dig himself into a deeper hole because he didn't realize that she had everything recorded—the whole conversation.
"Mr. Rashaad, you are saying that Ms. Jones accused you of assault for revenge?" Judge Marks asked.
"That is exactly what I am saying. She made advances toward me, but I turned her down constantly, and at the event in question, she threw herself at me, your honor. All I could do was push her off of me; that's is the extent of the abuse claim."
"Ms. Jones, would you like to say anything?"
Mercedes looked over to Anthony, a hint of a smug look on his face, making her even more annoyed. But Mercedes was not going to let him get away with what he did. Her mind may not be back, but she knew how to win this case; she studied, and some things came back to her.
"Yes, your honor. My ex-colleague seems to be under the delusion that he can threaten to kill someone and get away with it. Especially when I have proof."
"You have proof, Ms. Jones?"
Mercedes nodded. "Yes, Ma'am." She stood handing the bailiff a transcript. "Here is the transcript of my conversation with Mr. Rashaad at the ball. If it pleases the course, I would like to play it for you."
Judge Marks nodded, and Mercedes hit play on the recorder. "I am starting it to where he put his hands on me, and it was clearly unwanted, to prove he lied to you when he stated I wanted him. That is far from the truth."
The recording started to play, and Mercedes sent her own little smirk to Anthony.
" 'Kurt, you are barking up the wrong tree. I am telling you, he is here with someone.'
'Doesn't mean that I can't try, hell he and his date can join me upstairs for a good time.'
'Well, this is where the party is. You look breathtakingly beautiful.'
That is when Anthony showed up, touching me." Mercedes added.
'Get your nasty ass hands off of me.'
'Oh, baby, you know I love it when you talk to me like that. Boy, have I missed that view? Come and dance with me.'
'And why would I do a stupid thing like that?'
'Because you know you look good on my arm. And that so-called boyfriend of yours left you unattended.'
'I am going to get some air.'
"Objection! This is defamation; that is not even me! There is no proof of it."
"Your honor, if I may continue, that was the recording part of the evening; we are now getting to the video," Mercedes said. "We put it up because we knew he would follow me."
Judge Marks nodded as Sam pushed the monitor forward, and Mercedes pressed play on the remote.
"Why are you running from me, Merce? That man could never give you what I can."
"You mean now that you have officially betrayed me?" She spat faking anger.
"We have worked together for years, and you just decided to take on the man I am representing?"
"Not exactly." Anthony said, trapping her between the balcony and himself. "See, I have been working for Mayfield since before I joined the prosecution office. He needed to know if a case was ever against him, and I was the man to do it. That is until you showed up in all your fine ass glory."
Mercedes shook her head. She wasn't sure if she suspected he was dirty, but the man was dripping off it now. "You betrayed us."
"I did what I had to. It's just that simple. And now I have to do what I have to do. Your case… it's airtight. I don't stand a chance against you, and I can admit that. So I have to do what Mike and his boneheads couldn't. Once I take care of you, Mayfield will get his men out, and I will be invincible."
"Invincible? Really? I don't think so. I think you are crazy as hell if you think you can get away with it. What's to stop me from going in there right now and telling them?"
Anthony gave her a predatory stare. "Because I am going to have my way with you, right here finally, and then, you will fall over this balcony. It's a tragic accident, but it must be done."
Mercedes scoffed. "You got it all planned out, don't you? Down to the last minute?"
"Yes. I am a man who is aware of who he is and what he wants. I have wanted you from the moment you walked into the office."
"You have, haven't you?" Mercedes said.
Anthony moved closer to her, running his hands down the silky material of her dress. "I wish you wore this for me…."
"Yeah, well, I didn't, and there is something you should know about the man I did wear this for."
"And what's that?"
Mercedes ran her hands up his tailored suit jacket and gripped his shoulders as she noticed Sam waiting on the other side of the balcony. "He doesn't like to share." She hissed seductively as she held onto his shoulders, kneeing him as hard as possible so he had nowhere to go but feel the pain.
Anthony screamed out as Mercedes pulled her arm back and punched him with a right hook. Anthony fell over, crying out, and Mercedes shivered off his touch. "You have no idea who you just crossed you, bastard! As if I would ever let you touch me."
Mercedes pushed pause. "Your honor Mr. Rashaad admitted to me that he was spying on my firm to gather information for Walter Mayfield; he also admitted that he was going to kill me on Mayfield's order. I also have witnesses who will vouch that everything Anthony said was true. He is a monster, your honor, and must be locked up for good."
"Please, you have always been jealous of me, you dumb bitch!" Anthony spat.
"ORDER! ORDER!" Judge Marks said, looking out to them. "In light of this new information, I am ready to make my ruling."
"That is not fair!" Anthony said, slamming his fist on the table. "I request a change of judge immediately."
Judge Marks looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Mr. Rashaad, I find you guilty on all charges, and you will be remanded until sentencing in three weeks."
"No! I will go over your head! Do you know who I am? Who I work for!" Anthony bellowed
As three bailiffs walked into the room and carried him out, Anthony screamed that he would kill them all.
Mercedes turned to Sam and smiled. "I did it."
"I had no douby Merce. And you are ready for Mayfield."
Mercedes chewed her bottom lip. "Going against Anthony was easy, but going against Mayfield, I don't think I am ready for that."
Sam kissed her softly before escorting her out of the courtroom. "You have been studying and readying like you were back in law school, baby. You got this. And with Sebastian as your second chair, you got this."
Mercedes nodded, trying to build her confidence up. She knew Sam was right, somewhere deep down, but no matter how hard she tried to remember who that person was, it wasn't her, not anymore. Feeling her phone vibrate, she cleared her throat before answering.
"Hello?"
"Merce, we are needed at the prison," Sebastian said on the other end of the line.
"What? Why? Why do we need to go there?"
"Mayfield wants a deal, and Roz said we should at least hear him out."
"Wait..what? No! No, we can't do that. He's a monster; why would we even consider that!?"
"Mercedes, he is going to file a motion that you shouldn't represent him because he was accused of kidnapping you."
Mercedes shook her head. "Sebastian, I don't know if I can face him." She looked at Sam, who held her for support.
"Mercedes, if you want to have the most impact, then you need to do this. I know it's a lot to ask, and I know you don't remember this, but Mercedes, you are a badass."
"I'm…"
"You are!" Sebastian assured her. "You are a badass who can handle a pathetic man like Mayfield."
Sam kissed her forehead. "He's right. And you won't be alone. I promise, baby. Sebastian will be in the room with you, and I will be right outside. I know you don't remember, but she's still in there. You proved it in that courtroom. Anthony was a pig bastard, and you made him pay. Mayfield is worst; make him pay, baby."
Mercedes stared at Sam and nodded. "Okay, tell me when, and I will be there, Bas."
"That's my girl. Tomorrow morning. 9 am."