May 28/29, 2022 (continued)

"To Sam Evans! The dude who's about to be taken off the market for good. Congrats, man."

The future groom grinned and raised a shot glass in Finn's direction, along with an already drunk Blaine, Artie, Jay and Mike. After they all tossed back their Hennessy, Mike ruffled Sam's hair and Artie leaned across his wheelchair armrest to throw a playful punch at the blond's arm. He missed.

Sam leaned his head away from Mike's reach but looked to Finn and said, "Yeah you're next!"

"Don't know yet. We were thinking winter but it gets crazy cold in Chicago. So we might wait til next spring."

"Cool dude," was Sam's response before his eyes scanned the booth and then asked, "Any advice you guys have for me?"

"Yeah don't fuck up," his friend Jay bluntly said. The rest of the guys laughed and Mike fist bumped him.

Sam loudly called Jay out, "Dude, you're not even married!"

"Tsh, well don't look at me," was Artie's response. "You know I ain't never been married."

Mike turned his half-lidded gaze on the bespectacled male, "Yeah but you got a girl…uh…"

"Monica."

"Yeah! Monica," recalled Mike. "How long have you two been together now? Three years?"

"Four years. Ever since I started at Apple." Leaning against his armrest for support, he looked to Sam and said, "You're gonna have to pass the tips down to me one day."

Sam coughed an obviously inebriated cackle, "You got it."

The conversation and jeering carried on a bit longer before Sam pulled himself to his feet and said, "I'mma go order another round of shots for us." He took one wobbly step out of the booth and then quickly staggered to the nearby rail for support.

"Uh, maybe I should go Sam," offered Blaine as he started to stand. "This is your bachelor party after all."

The future groom waved off his friend, "I got this dude."

Mike grinned devilishly and left the booth as well, "I'll…I'll go with him."

The two best friends leaned on one another as they walked with messy coordination, away from the VIP area and headed to the bar. While they swayed and waited to be tended to, Sam was approached by a young woman. She was unnaturally tan with platinum blonde locks and a firey red cocktail dress.

"Hey Sam," she purred.

Mike's brows shot up while Sam's pair knitted. "Uh…do I know you?" he asked.

"It's me, silly. Hannah?"

Sam's confusion deepened, "…Sorry, doesn't ring any bells."

"I saw you come in earlier tonight. You and I went to middle school together…you don't remember?"

As Sam gave one long shrug, she stepped closer to him, "Here, let me remind you."

With one firm grip on his shirt collar, the girl named Hannah smashed her lips fervently to Sam's.

The girls had no trouble getting into Pure Nightclub. The waiting crowd outside got riled up and several flashes went off at the sight of Mercedes, Rachel and Tina when they emerged from the limo with their friends. Right away, the bouncer at the door greeted the ladies and let them inside.

"Hey um, I'm gonna go find a restroom," announced Rachel as soon as they walked in.

"Me too," said Brittany. "I have to pee out my margarita before I start dancing."

Tina started digging in her purse as she told the remaining girls, "I think I'll go with them. See if it's quiet enough in there for me to call and check on Mikey and Sawyer."

Mercedes' brows came together, "Tina, it's 2 in the morning."

"Exactly," responded the fashion designer. "Sawyer will be up right now. We'll come find you guys in a sec."

As she followed after the two, the remaining members of the group started sifting through the crowd with their eyes to try and spot a familiar face. As Mercedes rose up on her toes to try and see over some of the people on the dance floor, one guy—around 21 or 22—nervously approached her and fumbled over his request for a picture with her.

"Sure," Mercedes said back. When he held up his phone, Mercedes shook her head, "Uh-uh, hold up." She looked to her friends, "Kurt can you take this picture please?"

Wordlessly, Kurt took the phone and prepared to snag a photo. Mercedes stuck out one hip and cast a sassy smirk while the club-goer put a hand on her shoulder. After getting the picture, the guy repeatedly thanked Mercedes, told her he loved her music and then nervously shuffled off into the crowd.

Mercedes then made her way to Kurt and rested her head against his shoulder, "Okay can we just find the guys, say 'Hi' and go? I'm not even pregnant and I'm already getting tired." She looked at Santana and Quinn who hadn't moved since they entered the club. The diva raised her head from her best friend's shoulder and waved her hand in front of the other two women's faces, "Hellooo? What's with you two?"

Quinn blinked and turned a nervous gaze on Mercedes, "Um.."

"We found Sam," said Santana, jutting a finger straight ahead.

The singer followed her friend's point until she saw Sam, clear across the other side of the club. Her eyes nearly fell out of her head when she saw him. Whoever he was with tilted their head in such a way that Mercedes could no longer see their lips mashed against each other, but she saw Sam's hands go up as if he were surrendering a battle.

It was like watching a car collision for Mercedes; she wanted to look away but her eyes wouldn't allow it. For one second she waited to see if Sam would end the kiss, but he didn't. Mercedes saw him stand and take it! His back bowed away from the girl but their lips were still together.

After getting past the initial seconds of shock, the diva's entire frame filled with fury. From the top of her head, to the tips of her fingers, right down to her toes, she burned with rage.

Without further thought, Mercedes wove her way through the gyrating bodies until she was directly behind the girl. Santana, Kurt and Quinn followed closely behind her. She gripped the blonde's shoulder and turned her around with one finger held up to her face.

"I'm giving you to the count of one to step off my man."

The platinum blonde clicked her tongue in doubt and disgust at Mercedes. "Your man?"

"Yes, my man."

"I'm sorry, but who are you?"

From over her shoulder, Mercedes heard Santana loudly ask, "Who the hell—does this bitch live under a rock?"

At her other shoulder, Quinn joined in the conversation, looking just as annoyed as Santana. "Are you stupid? We all just saw you kiss her man and you want to know who she is?"

The blonde cut Santana and Quinn a look but spoke directly to Mercedes, "So, what? Are you afraid of some competition? Because trust me, sweetie I'm sure he's wanting more of what I have to offer." She looked back at Sam, whose face was still caught between shock and anger.

Unable to help herself, Mercedes barked a laugh at the same time that her Latina friend said, "Just let me take one swing at this bitch. 'Cedes knows I still got that LHA hospitality." The singer didn't bother check her back, but she only guessed Quinn and Kurt were trying to keep Santana from further engaging into the fight.

"Girl don't bother. I got this," Mercedes said with a fleeting look over her shoulder. When she locked gazes with the blonde, her gaze intensified with her tone. "Take a good look, Slut-hoe Barbie." She turned her wrist to display her engagement ring, "Now unless you want this stamped all over your face, I suggest you get to steppin'."

The blond took one step to Mercedes, but stopped herself from challenging the singer's threat. At that moment, Rachel, Tina and Brittany had returned from the bathroom and curiously joined Mercedes' flanks.

"Is there a problem here, Ms. Jones?" asked a husky voice.

The group looked to their right where one of the club's burly bouncers now stood.

Mercedes glared at the girl she'd deemed a slut and then smiled kindly at the bouncer. "No, we're fine. Thank you though."

"Alright," the bouncer warily answered. He eyed the platinum blonde and waited for her to walk away before he himself departed from the group.

Mercedes let out a shaky, angry sigh, rolling her eyes shut. When she opened them again, her eyes saw Mike staring stunned over Sam's shoulder. The Asian man shook his head and said, "Damn, Mercedes, you were a beast!"

"Shut up, Mike," ordered Tina. Her husband swiftly looked away with reddening cheeks.

Sam looked back at his best friend—knowing he wasn't helping—and then back to his fiancée. He wiped his lips with the back of his hands, "Mercedes, I thought you all were at Margaritaville toni—"

Whatever else he was going to say was halted by the open-palmed hand Mercedes put in his face. After a few seconds, she closed her fingers into a fist and lowered her hand to her side while she glared up at the blond male and asked, "What the hell was that?"

Utterly taken aback, Sam's eyebrows came together, "What? I didn't—"

"Damn straight you didn't! You didn't even try to push her off you!

Sam's brows instantly shot up. Was she seriously blaming him for what just happened? He found himself quickly sobering up. "Mercedes! Are you kidding me?"

"I am not smiling, Samuel. Not even a little bit."

By now he knew getting his full first name from Mercedes was never a good thing. "I didn't kiss her!" he insisted.

Her voice raised while her eyes burned narrowly at him, "So what? You were just gonna stand there and wait for her to stop kissing you?"

"Pfft she'd suck his big-ass lips off before that'd happen," muttered Santana.

"Stay outta this, Santana!" growled Sam.

"I can't believe you," seethed Mercedes.

Outraged and offended, Sam threw his hands up, "Do you remember what happened last time something like this happened? I almost got a lawsuit for pushing that chick offa me! This girl could've tried pressing charges too!"

"I don't give a damn about an 'almost' lawsuit—let that slut press charges! I care about you cheating on me!"

He angrily blurted out, "Don't be stupid—I wouldn't cheat on you!"

Visibly taken aback, yet still incensed, Mercedes asked, "Oh, so now I'm stupid?"

"I didn't say you were stupid! I said you're being stupid!"

If Mercedes eyes were narrowed any further, they'd be shut. After breathing in her fair share of his alcohol breath, she started to say something harsh to him, but the sudden flash of a camera stopped her. The thudding bass of the music and the pungent smell of sweat and alcohol should have kept her well-aware of her surroundings, but up until the flash, she'd practically forgotten that there were others around. After huffing out a deep breath, she shook her head, removed her tiara, and promptly turned to leave. Her party of friends followed while a lurking bouncer passed by to find the person with the camera.

Sam started to go after Mercedes, but Rachel noticed and whipped around, putting her hands to Sam's chest. "Sam m-maybe you should leave her alone. Just…l-let her cool off tonight and come by the Luxor tomorrow."

"I didn't cheat on her, Rachel," Sam gritted his teeth.

Rachel opened her mouth to tell him her thoughts but she lost the opportunity.

"Berry! Three seconds, or you're walking back!" called Kurt.

With sad eyes, she snapped her mouth shut and hurried off to the limousine, leaving Sam at the doors.

Please leave reviews! Are Sam and Mercedes going to be able to work this out before the wedding? Is Rachel right—does Mercedes just need a night to calm down and sleep off the margaritas? Is Sam going to dig his heels in on the incident? Let me know what you think!