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“You got it, Mercer. My attention. Fuck, you’ve got it.” He nuzzles into my neck and I don’t hate it. I opposite of hate it.
My eyes close, but I’m still latched onto his hand like he’s going to disappear.
“I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
Lies are pretty when they’re bred from insecurities and come from sexy lips.
“Such a good boy, Mercer. Look at you down there on your knees for me, giving me everything I want. So perfect, baby.”
Fuck, Mercer Bentley! Do not fall in love with a thirty-year-old assassin!
When she’s gone, Blake leans right in against my side, lips almost pressed to my ear. “I’m the only one who gets to call you a slut. My slut.”
“Please be jealous. I’ve never made anyone jealous before.”
“Oh, I want him to notice. I want him to know that while he neglected you, I accepted you. That he wasn’t strong enough to handle someone as fucking incredible as you, but I’m strong enough to embrace you. I want him to know that his fuck ups are my rewards. You, Mercer, are mine, and I want him to know it.
I’m fucking worth something.
“Tell me how to dominate you while never making you feel like you’re less than me. I want you to rise to the top of whatever you see for yourself in life. You’ve been beaten down since you were a kid, and I refuse to do that to you. Tell me the right way to give you what you need without ever making you feel worthless.” He leans in to press his lips to mine.
I think it’s his love and attention that has this new version of me clawing to the surface, fighting tooth and nail to break free so I can become someone who accepts his love and knows how to love him back.
Blake is the ultimate bad boy because he knows how to handle himself and he does the work to make sure I’m handled like I want to be.
I want him to see me and still look at me because I’m worthy of being looked at. I want him to look under my mask and understand why I wear it. I want him to notice me because every outward part of me shows the truth of all the inward parts of me, and then I want him to peel my layers back and still give me all his attention because the mess he finds underneath is still worth it.
“Because you thrive on being unhinged, and I never want you snuffed out. Because, in order to respect who you are, I first had to get to know you. Guess what I found?” He sets my ass down on the bench and pushes my wet, cold mouth to the material over his cock. “A smart, bratty little boy with so much fire, but no idea how to keep it burning. I’m going to make you burn, Mercer.”
“I respect you,” he tells me, making me whimper. “But I will fucking use you like you want to be used. I can do both. Understand?”
It’s all I’ve ever wanted, to be respected for who I am and seen because of who I am, and Blake does both.
I’m suffocating blissfully, blacking out from pleasure, and choking on the only man I’ve ever fallen for.
“Don’t leave me.” “I’ll never leave you, baby.
“Blake, don’t leave.” “I’m not going anywhere. I promise.” “I mean ever,” I say, knowing it’s psychotic. We barely know each other. “You’ll break me.” “I won’t break you, Mercer. Stand up and look at me.”
“You’re going to ruin my life,” Blake says with a smile on his face. “And make it fucking fun. You’re going to be my brat when you want to be, my partner all the time, and my good little boy when you need to be reminded how fucking important you are. You know what I’m going to be for you?” I shake my head, crying again. Desperate to know what he’s going to be for me. Wondering if he’s as psychotic as I am, falling this hard this soon. “Everything. Yours. You fucking own me, Mercer. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’m so fucking proud of you, little demon,” he rasps against my neck, fucking me hard against the wall. “Tell me you’re proud of yourself. Say it.”
“I’m proud,” I admit honestly. “You make me stronger.” “No,” he groans, wrapping a hand around my throat. “I remind you that you’re strong. Everything else is all you.”
“Blake?” “Yeah, baby.” “Thanks for… seeing me.” He smiles at me, still sweaty and exhausted. “I’ll never stop looking, Mercer.”
I won’t be yet another person to treat him like a child. I pause for another second. But on the other hand, he is my precious little baby and I will stop at nothing to ensure he is safe.
I’m grateful that you’ve taken him on as your… project.” “I haven’t. He’s pretty fucking perfect just how he is.” My smile is
Wherever the fuck he is, I’ll find him. I don’t care who I have to burn to get there. Mercer is mine, and nothing is going to take him from me unless he wants to leave on his own.
Mercer Bentley is my only priority. Because I fucking love that little brat.
My life might have been pointless, but Blake saw me. He sees me. He understands and respects me, and the few weeks I’ve spent with him have been enough to settle my breathing, pull my fingers away from my mouth, and meet the barrel of that gun with readiness in my heart. Blake helped me live, and I’ll greet death grateful that I got him in any small capacity. I got to be his little demon.
I stare straight into his amber eyes, filling him with strength he doesn’t even need because he already has his own.
“Hey, baby.” I smile at Mercer, stepping over the dead body to get to him. At the sound of my voice and the pet name, it gives Mercer’s mind permission to shut the fuck down. “Blake,” he whimpers, barely holding onto himself. “Blake.” I catch him as he falls, lowering with him. “I’m right here. I got you.” I cradle him, promising myself I’ll never let him go again. “You did fucking good, little demon.”
“I really wanna go home now, Blake. Please.” He shakes in my arms. “Please.” “Where’s home, Mercer? Tell me where you feel safe.” “With you.”
Mercer intrigued me with lacy lingerie and a smoking grilled cheese sandwich, and now I’m a fucking goner.
“I won’t let anything happen to you, do you hear me? I’ve got you. You’re safe, Mercer.” I cup his cheeks and bend down to be at eye level with him.
it’s mine. Mine to love. Mine to protect. Mine to own. And I never want to see it dead again.
“I’m not going anywhere, baby. I promise.”
showing me that deep blue gaze that’s become the lighthouse in all my storms.
I just want his attention, maybe his love. I want to be seen by him because he’s the only person I feel comfortable being around without fully knowing who I am. I’m not wearing a mask. I’m not faking anything. I’m just me—confused, uncertain, not-okay, bratty me.
“I’ve never been as afraid as I was last night.” “Why?” Yeah, I’m an insecure bitch and I need to hear him say it. He bucks his hips a bit, leaning against the headboard and bringing me with him to stay on his lap. “Losing you isn’t an option for me anymore.”
“Remember how I said I wanted to make you scream as you clawed your way to the top?” he asks, massaging my scalp. “This is our starting point. Me and you, Mercer. Wherever the fuck you wanna go in life, no matter who you are or who you want to be, it’s me and you.”
“B-but?” I ask. “Look at me.” He tugs on my hair and tilts my chin. His blue eyes meet mine, and with absolute conviction, he says, “There are no buts to the way I feel about you. Do you understand what I mean?”
“Fuck knows how you did it, little demon, but you did.” His lips move against mine, kissing and confessing together. “Did what?” “Made me yours.”
He stands, pulling the headphones off. “You think you can out-brat me, Blake Carter?” “It’s kind of fun to be an asshole.” I shrug, grinning at him. “I see why you do
“You are sexy all the time, sweetheart. In anything you wear, and completely naked, you are a fucking wet dream.”
“My brat. All. Fucking. Mine.”
“Hey, Siri,” he says. “Play my road chase playlist.” The Fast and Furious soundtrack starts playing, and Mercer slips on a pair of sunglasses. “Don’t worry, boys. It’s not Tokyo Drift.”
“You need to learn some chill if you want to be the next me,” Aaron tells him. “I will chill when I get the job!” he shouts. “This mission is my life, so excuse me for not being a goddamn cucumber about it.”
He’s attached to my hip and clingy as hell, but I’m more than happy to be his safety net.
“Good try, little demon. You’re mine, and I have no problem staking my claim.”
As soon as he picks up, I feel Mercer tugging on the back of my shirt, trying not to get in my way, but being clingy because that’s who he is. A boy with abandonment issues and a fear of being alone. I smooth a hand over his hair, showing him he isn’t bothering me.
