Page 7 of Merci

Instead of texting back, I called her. The remnants of her chuckle ended as she answered with, “Hello?”

“I have a proposition for you, sweetheart.”

“Hmm, I’m intrigued. What is it?”

“I get three strikes, right? Three hearts?” I confirmed, referring to the three hearts she’d saved my number under.

“That’s right.”

“So, how about I get three chances to prove why you should leave him and be with me?”

Merci didn’t respond right away, so I took a few puffs of the blunt while she considered my request.

“Depends on what you want from me. I don’t want to give up something good just because you want to chase me and release me once you get me. If all you want is sex, I can spare you the trouble now.”

I wasn’t offended by what she said, because a lot of men these days operated from a state of self-indulgence and a lack of discipline. Pussy was good—that, I’d never deny—but it didn’t control me. I knew the power a woman could possess over a man, good and bad, and I spent a great deal of my life strengthening my discipline and character to avoid being set up or used. Women were influential as well. The last thing I needed was to be blinded by pussy, letting the wrong woman sway me.

“I’m a real man. I protect and invest in what I want. Who I’m interested in. Lust and rushing would destroy what I intend tobuild with the next woman I commit to. All I’m asking for is the chance to see if that will be you. I believe it will be. Let me prove how serious I am.”

She grew quiet again, and I was patient with her. I wouldn’t suggest it was no love-at-first-sight shit, but I would be lying if I said there wasn’t something about her that I was pulled toward. If for nothing else, I wanted the freedom to explore her and see why and what it was.

“Fine. I’ll give you a chance to prove yourself, but I’m not making any promises.”

A slow smile spread my lips. “I’ll take that. Sleep well, Merci. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Good night, Mr. Hammer.”

“Good night.”

After ending the call, I got lost in my thoughts. It wasn’t until Cujo came and sat next to me and chuckled that I came back to the moment.

“Yeah. You about to get us into some shit, young one. I hope she’s worth it.”

5

MERCI

I’d forgotten my brothers wanted to take me shopping this afternoon, so I ended up pushing lunch with Alia back until after that. I knew I’d be ravenous after spending hours hopping from one store to the next, spending their money. It surprised me to learn Ariel wasn’t at home after the shopping trip because she’d been spending a lot of time cooped up in her room at my parents’ home. I wouldn’t say she was depressed, but she was definitely isolating, and I could understand and respect that. Since I didn’t know what time she’d be coming back, I set the gift I’d gotten her on the bed and headed out to meet Alia at the Korean barbecue restaurant that we often frequented.

On my drive to the restaurant, I called David a second time, and for a second time, the call went straight to voicemail. The man hardly ever had his phone off, and that was alarming to me. It would have been different if it was just ringing and going straight to voicemail. I knew he was with his brothers last night, but that was the last time I’d heard from him. A low growl escaped me as I pulled into the parking lot. David had waited until I’d saved his name in my phone and gave him access to my pussy to start doing shit I didn’t like. That was fine, though.

Once I made sure he was alive and well, I’d likely call things off with him. I didn’t like the way he communicated. Or, I guess I should say, I didn’t like the lack of communication. It was like he was starting to get too comfortable and didn’t think he had to be as present anymore, and that certainly wasn’t the case. I had never been the kind of woman who held on to men if I wasn’t satisfied, and David was about to quickly learn that lesson.

As I cut my car off, I received a text from Hammer. I smiled before I even read it. I’d changed him out from hearts to a hammer, which was an indication that I already liked him more than I should have.

: I’m not much of a texter except to finalize plans and check in. Let me know when it’s a good time to call Ms. Merci.

I’m about to have lunch with my sister. Maybe in like an hour?

: Okay sweetheart. I may be in a conference meeting but I’ll hit you up after.

I reacted to the message with a heart, then tossed my phone into my purse and headed inside the restaurant. Not to my surprise, Alia was at our usual table on the left side of the restaurant. She’d already ordered our drinks, and I was sure she’d probably ordered our first round of meat as well.

“Hey, pookie,” she said with a warm smile as she stood.

“Hey, pookie,” I replied, pulling her in for a hug. “How are you?”

“I’m well. How are you?”