Enjoy!

Book Twenty-Four: Be Mine

Mercedes stepped out of the dressing room, wearing a red floor-length gown with a cinched waist that flared out over her hips. She looked in the mirror and then turned around, staring at her mom, Tina, and Quinn.

"Well?" Mercedes asked. "What do you think?"

Ava shook her head. "It's beautiful, but come on, Merce, you are covered from neck to toe in this dress."

"Your mom is right," Quinn said. "Let's find you something sexier, get the attention of your date…"

"Speaking of which…" Tina said. "What's happening on the date front? You and Biff going together or what?"

Mercedes looked at another dress, shaking her head. "Nope, not going with Biff…I am actually going with Sam."

"Sam who?" Tina gasped.

"Sam Claflin…who do you think? Sam Evans T!"

"Well, it's about damn time," Ava smirked. "You two have been dancing around each other for years."

"Mom! We are just…friends."

"Please, I saw you two in the living room," Ava stated.

Mercedes stared at her for a moment. "Mother!"

"Oh, Miss Ava, tell the details!"

Ava smiled as Mercedes rolled her eyes and walked into the dressing room.

"James and Sam had just kicked those two vipers to the curb. James pulled me out of the living room to calm me down, but I forgot my purse; as I walked back into the living room, I kid you not, Mercedes and Sam were going at it like animals."

"We were not!" Mercedes yelled from the dressing room. "It was a few kisses, and then we went our separate ways."

Ava smirked. "Please, those two gonna be bumping uglies soon, mark my words."

Quinn and Tina giggled, giving each other a knowing look as Mercedes walked out of the fitting room wearing a one-shoulder, crystal-beaded waist with a ribbon-high split, floor-length orange gown. The way it flattered her skin and danced around her curves left the woman in front of her speechless.

Smoothing down her dress, she looked at herself and then back to everyone. "Come on, don't keep me in suspense!" Mercedes said as she turned back to them.

"I don't care what relationship you and Sam have; if you show up to the Gala in that dress, every man and a few women will have all eyes on you."

Ava smiled with tears in her eyes. "I've known you were grown for years, but seeing you in this dress…"

"Absolutely not!" Came from behind them.

Mercedes turned to see her brother standing there. "You will not go outside dressed like that!"

Mercedes raised an eyebrow. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Dad asked me to pick Mom up. He was running late, and I am glad he did; you were gonna have my sister out here looking like a tramp."

Ava frowned. "Okay, that's enough out of you! Mercedes looks amazing."

"Mom, she is going to be embarrassed showing up like that!"

"Why?" Mercedes said, looking at him. "Why would I be embarrassed? You weren't embarrassed by Bree when she wore something like this to that wedding you attended a few months ago. No, actually, you called her a Goddess."

James frowned. "Don't make this about something it isn't."

Ava stood between them. "Let's not do this now."

"No. It's time I stopped hiding behind my fears!" Mercedes growled. "Did you tell Bree I was a loser?"

James let his jaw fall. "How could you think I did."

"Because I saw your face when she said it. So my own brother thinks I am such an ugly loser."

"Mercedes, no! All I said was that you weren't like them; you were smart. You chose intellect over looks, and there is nothing wrong with that."

"Why can't I be smart and beautiful? Why is it that my own brother stopped supporting me when I needed him most? What is so wrong with me?"

James shook his head. "Mercedes, you don't need to change who you are to get a man to notice you! You were perfect the way you were. Wearing stuff like this is just inviting in trouble."

"Maybe I want trouble! Hell, maybe I want a man to look at me and want me, and I would let him have me!"

James fumed. "Mercedes." He said in a warning tone.

"I have spent my entire life living by the rules and trying my best never to stray. I never stepped out of line, yet I wasn't happy. When I finally do something for me, I get called a slut by my own brother. You know Kitty and Bree were bitches, but at least they weren't family, and they didn't lie to my face. What you did is far worse than anything they could ever do to me." Mercedes turned away from him, walking into the dressing room.

James went after her, but Ava pulled him out of the store. "What the hell is wrong with you? Your sister needs our support, and instead, you go acting like one of those hateful women in our house!"

"Mom, you saw what she was wearing!"

"And she looked beautiful. James, you have spent your whole life being the protective big brother, and Mercedes made it easy for you because she kept a low profile and she did everything she was supposed to. But now she is finally coming out of her shell, and you are going to have to accept it, or you will lose her." Ava said, shaking her head.

"I didn't mean to hurt her feelings."

"Yeah, well, you did, and you need to fix this. And let her be no matter what she chooses to wear or who she decides to date."

James looked at her with a curious frown. "Who did she decide to date? What does that mean?"

Ava shrugged. "I am just saying, make sure you have an open mind."

Mercedes stared out the window at her mother and James as Quinn held her hand.

"Merce, it will be okay; I know James is an ass, but seeing you like this was a shock."

"Maybe I should go with the red dress; it was less showy."

Tina shook her head. "Absolutely not! Do you like the orange dress?"

Mercedes beamed. "I love it. It's the most beautiful and sexy I have ever felt, and I didn't even do my makeup."

"Then get the dress; you deserve to feel how you want; screw James," Tina said firmly.

Quinn smiled. "Let me film you for the Gala, Merce. You will inspire a whole new generation of women who let men tell them they aren't enough and shouldn't do this or that. Be the voice that you would have loved to have growing up."

Mercedes chewed her bottom lip, thinking about it as she looked back out to her mom and brother. James looked at her and then turned, walking away.

"Yeah, I'll do it." She said softly. "It's time to make sure that people realize it's okay to be just you."

Sam smoothed down the Armani all-black tux jacket before he grabbed the bouquet as someone knocked on his door. Checking his watch, he sighed. Seeing the time, he needed to leave in the next five minutes if he wanted to pick Mercedes up in time.

Opening the door, he was shocked to see James standing there. "Hey man, I was just about to head out."

"I know; I know you are taking Mercedes to the Gala, and I just need a word with you."

"I know how to treat a woman on a date, James."

"A woman." James laughed. "Still not used to that."

"You do know how old she is, right?" Sam asked, confused.

"I always looked at Mercedes as my baby sister. Not a girl or woman, just my sister. But now…now she's dressing differently and attracting attention from men…I have no right to ask this…maybe I am crazy."

Sam looked at him, confused. "Talk to me…I am confused."

"Sam, I need you to treat this as a real date," James said, running his hands through his hair. "Mercedes needs to see that there are good guys out there so she doesn't go after the wrong one."

Sam let off a laugh because James had no idea that what he was asking was what Sam had intended to do. "Are you asking me to date your sister?"

"Sam, you are my best friend; you are also a good dude who has a sister. I know that you will treat her right. Sam, I know that Mercedes isn't your type, but just a date or two."

Sam shook his head. "It surprises me that you can't see it."

"See what man?"

Sam grabbed his wallet and keys. "See how absolutely beautiful your sister is. She's smart, gorgeous, vibrant, and can go toe to toe with the both of us when pushed."

James frowned. "I know that she's special, Sam; I just… she's changing too fast,"

"It's not for you to judge her changing; you just gotta support her. She deserves that, don't you think? And for the record, I am going out with your sister because I like her, not because you asked, not because I pity her, not because I am bored. Now excuse me; I don't want to be late."

James moved to the side, letting Sam shut and lock his door. "Just don't hurt her, okay?"

"I wouldn't dream of it, and the fact that you would ask me not too, means you don't know me." Sam said, walking to the town car he had hired for himself and Mercedes. As he headed over to her place, he hesitated a moment before leaving and knocking on her door.

Mercedes stared at herself in the mirror, taking in her appearance. Unique had styled her hair in an updo French roll with curls around her face. Her makeup was subtle except for her smokey eye.

Hearing a knock, I checked and added a little more gloss before answering Sam and all of his handsomeness. "Sam, wow…you look handsome. But I shouldn't be surprised."

Sam stood in front of her with his jaw practically on the ground. His eyes went from the way the dress clung to her to her exposed thigh; his mind couldn't compute for a moment; he had to refocus, but as he met her face, he was in awe of her beauty. "Mercedes, you look…I am trying to be a gentleman, but the thoughts running through my head aren't gentlemanly."

Mercedes smiled with a blush on her face. "I knew I looked pretty, but I didn't think I thought I looked that good."

Sam moved closer. "If you didn't have to be at this event, and I knew it wouldn't matter if I messed up your sexy face, and hair, I'd show you that you don't look 'good'...you look, and excuse my language, but you look fuckin' gorgeous."

Her breath hitched as he spoke, shivers ran through her as his hand ran down her arm, and she closed her eyes at the feel. "We should go, but…the night is young."

Sam nodded, removing his hand and showing her the bouquet he bought her. "These are for you."

Taking the flowers, she was beyond touched. "Sam, they are beautiful, thank you." She brought them to her nose, smiling as she inhaled."Let me put these in water, and then we can go."

Sam nodded as he followed her into the kitchen, his eyes watching the way her hips swayed as she walked. He couldn't take his eyes off of her as he watched her put the flowers in the vase and add water. He wasn't sure he could go the entire night without touching her, but he would do it for her.

Mercedes turned and offered him her hand. "Shall we?"

"We shall; the town car awaits."

"Town car?" She asked.

"Yes, you are a Queen. You should arrive in style, and I thought a Limo would be a tad too much."

"Well then." She smiled. "Our town car awaits."