“It’s not nearly enough for you, Querida,” he said coming up behind her, pulling her back against his chest, and placing a kiss in the crook of her neck. He instantly felt her relax into her embrace.
“What does that even mean?” She asked.
“What?”
“Querida. You always call me it. I figured it was Portuguese because I’ve never heard it before. What does it mean?” Raul smiled. He’d been calling ‘querida’ for months. It just felt as natural as calling her by her name.
“It’s just a term of endearment, like ‘sweetie’ or ‘baby’ in English,” he explained.
Mercedes nodded and turned, looking up at him. “Oh, is that right? So, am I your ‘sweetie’ or ‘baby’?” She asked. Raul stared down into her upturned face.
“Yes, you are my Querida.” Raul felt her arms tighten around his waist as she laid her head against his chest. From that angle he could see the smile that passed over her face.
Later that evening the couple opted to dine at the hotel’s Criollo Restaurant. As they entered the restaurant, Mercedes spotted Jazmine, a regular performer from the Black Kitty. She dined with an older woman.
“Hey, there’s Jazmine,” Mercedes told Raul at the same time the other woman looked up at the same time. She smiled and waved at Mercedes causing the older woman she was with to turn around.
“Let’s go say hi while we wait,” she said grabbing Raul’s arm. They had booked a private dining space that the restaurant staff was still readying for them.
“Hi, Jazmine,” Mercedes said as they reached her table. Jazmine stood and greeted Mercedes with a brief hug and shook hands with Raul upon introduction. She’d met him before at the club, but it was a brief encounter.
The older woman raised an eyebrow. “Jazmine?” she asked. Mercedes forgot that most of the dancers at the Black Kitty didn’t go by their actual names at the club, mostly using their stage names with one another.
“Aunt Ruth, this is the performer I was telling you about, Black Dahlia. We all usually go by our stage names at the club,” Jazmine explained to her aunt. Jazmine’s full stage name was Jazmine Noir, but her actual name was Stacey Coleman.
“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am. You can call me Mercedes. That’s my government name,” Mercedes joked and the table laughed. “This is Raul,” she introduced, and Raul shook hands with both the women.
“We didn’t want to interrupt, we’re waiting for our table and I just saw Jazmine and wanted to say hello.”
“Oh, it’s no interruption. Sit and have a drink with us while you wait,” Jazmine encouraged. “And since we’re not at the club, you can call me Stacey. That’s my government name,” she said smiling.
Raul pulled out a chair for Mercedes and sat in a seat across from her. The waiter came and took their drink orders. Mercedes ordered a white wine, and Raul got a scotch on the rocks.
“I didn’t know you were performing here Ja-uh Stacey,” Mercedes said as she sipped from her glass.
Stacey shook her head. “I’m not, but I’ve wanted to come for a few years now just to watch. This year, my aunt was finally able to take the trip with me,” Stacey said nodding towards her Aunt Ruth.
“Yup, we’re here for the shows, the crawfish, and the beignets,” Aunt Ruth said excitedly, and the table laughed. After another ten minutes of light banter and conversation, the hosts came to let Raul and Mercedes know their dining space was ready.
“Well, thank you for letting us crash your dinner. Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to meet up with one another again before either of us leaves,” Mercedes said, standing.
“That sounds nice. Here let me give you my cell. Stacey jotted down her cell number on a napkin and handed it to Mercedes.
“Enjoy your dinner and the rest of your night,” Stacey’s aunt smiled as the pair left following the host.
****
“You didn’t know she was going to be here?” Raul asked as they sat down to their table in the private dining room.
Mercedes shook her head, “No, but it was nice to see her.”
Raul nodded, “And you didn’t tell anyone where you were staying, right?”
Mercedes looked up at Raul confused. “How could I tell anyone? I didn’t even know we were staying here until we arrived, remember?” She asked getting curious. Raul had kept their hotel reservation a secret from everyone including her. Mercedes was starting to feel like he was holding something back from her.
“Is something the matter?” She asked. “And don’t lie to me,” she told him straightforward.
“And you haven’t told anyone since we’ve been here, right?” He asked ignoring her last statement.
“No, Raul. I haven’t told anyone. I haven’t even talked to anyone else,” she said growing tension in her voice.
“Okay,” he said blowing out a breath. Mercedes felt whatever he was preparing to say she wasn’t going to like.
“When we were in Chicago, there was an attempted security breach,” he stated calmly.
“What kind of security breach?”
“Someone tried to hack into the hotel’s guest list and get the room number you were staying in. They weren’t successful and security immediately came and told me. Even if they found your name on the guest list, they would have had the wrong room. I placed your name on the list as a decoy, and booked the room we actually stayed in under an alias. You were never in any danger,” Raul took a moment to let what he’d just said sink in, before telling her more. He figured if he was going to be upfront he might as well tell the whole truth.
“There’s more,” he said. Mercedes peered at him intently, waiting for him to finish. “There’ve been letters. Your stalker has been sending letters to your PO Box for the past few months. My team has been intercepting them,” he explained.
“What do the letters say?” She asked.
Raul didn’t want to say the vile filth that was contained in the letters. They were filled with threats of violence and innuendos blaming her for the destruction of a family. Raul had spoken with all her recent exes, and even some from her past. None of them had been married or even had children. Mercedes was definitely nobody’s homewrecker, so he couldn’t understand how this person blamed her for the breakup of a family.
“You don’t need to know about that,” he tried to mollify her.
“Don’t need to know?” She asked incredulous.
“Mercedes calm down.”
As soon as the words left his mouth he knew he’d made a mistake. Any man knows that telling a woman to calm down when she became agitated often had the opposite effect.
“Don’t tell me to calm the fuck down. I’m the one who’s being sent threatening letters! What if this sicko had gotten my room number in Chicago? Why didn’t you tell me? God, I’m so sick of this shit, why won’t this asshole just leave me the hell alone?” she asked a mix of fear, anger and frustration in her eyes.
Raul watched as her eyes glossed over. He had expected this. He’d worked with a number of stalking victims, and they all had their breaking point. The fear of being the target of someone, not knowing how or why they chose you, or how to make them stop can become unbearable. Many cracked under the psychological strain, even becoming physically ill due to the stress. So far, Mercedes had been a trooper. Raul knew she was strong but even those of us who were strong needed a shoulder to lean on when things got too overwhelming. He stood and made his way around the table, pulling Mercedes out of her chair. He pulled her in close. She tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t let her. Eventually, she gave up and let herself be held. She sniffled a few times into his chest as he embraced her. Raul didn’t know how long they stood like that, him providing the emotional comfort she needed. When their waiter came in to take their orders, Raul waved him off, as he continued to hold on to Mercedes.
“I won’t let anything happen to you,” he whispered into her ear, over and over again. When he felt her body relax, and her sniffles lessen he pulled back to look down
at her. Her eyes were reddened from the tears she shed. He picked up a napkin from the table and dabbed at her cheeks to wipe the tears away, before handing it to her to let her wipe her face and blow her nose. He tilted her chin to make her look up at him.
“I won’t let anything happen to you. You’re safe. Okay? This will be over soon,” he promised. It was a promise he was dead set on keeping. Her lips quirked up into a brief smile.
“Thank you. I’m so--”
He growled in a warning, halting the apology on her lips. “Don’t you dare apologize. You’ve been through a lot in the last few months. It’s a lot for anybody, and you’ve handled it better than most.” He palmed her face in his hands and placed a kiss on her forehead. “I promise you’re safe with me. This trip will be everything you expected it to be and more, and when we get home I will find this person once and for all. And when I do, they will regret the day they ever tried to fuck with you,” he said menacingly. Raul leaned down and took her lips in a powerful kiss that by the end had both of them panting. Mercedes gave him that smile that always brought out his protective instincts.
“Thank you,” she whispered her lips grazing his. It took every ounce of strength he had not to rip her clothes off right then and there, but he showed restraint. Stepping back, he pulled Mercedes’ chair out for her to sit, before returning back to his own seat. The waiter re-entered the room a few minutes later and took their orders. While they waited for their meals, Raul continued to reassure Mercedes, telling her of the security detail he hired for this trip, and reminding her that Nikola and Devyn were joining them in a couple days. He knew she was looking forward to seeing Devyn after spending almost the entire summer apart. Minutes later the two were feasting. It was almond crusted speckled trout for Mercedes and grilled Angus sirloin for Raul. He managed to bring an upbeat mood to the conversation when he asked about the different sights Mercedes was looking to seeing while here. She smiled and told him that one thing she really wanted to do, that she’d never gotten a chance to do before was a swamp tour. Raul was game, and made a mental note to check out swamp tours and run them past his security team, right after he assigned his team to get him information on one Stacey Coleman. Raul was a man who readily didn’t believe in coincidences. He just wanted to make sure that Stacey Coleman and her aunt were on the up and up, and their surprise run-in was actually a surprise and not planned. Stacey’s connection to the Black Kitty gave her access to Mercedes while at the club, and she likely knew of Mercedes’ performances around the country. Raul was nothing if not thorough when it came to doing his job, and he was even more resolute in keeping the woman he loved safe.
Sometime around the time he’d heard Mercedes deliver her speech to the committee members of her school, the small piece of his heart that she didn’t already possess, up and fled from his chest and fell right into her hands. His entire heart and soul was hers. He’d loved women in the past, but nothing like this. This woman was the one for him. Now, he just had to convince her of the same thing, and keep her safe while doing it.
Chapter 12
“Dev, you look gorgeous!” Mercedes exclaimed as Devyn and Nikola entered their hotel suite. Their friends were staying in the same hotel in another one of the luxury suites. They would only be there for two nights, having just returned from their long stay in Brazil. They’d left their twin boys with Iris in Atlanta. Devyn was dressed in a pair of teal colored shorts, paired with an orange sleeveless top, and a wide, light tan belt, that cinched at the waist. She was glowing, and it wasn’t just the outfit or her tan, but Mercedes couldn’t put her finger on it.
“Thank you, but you are rocking that dress,” Devyn returned. Mercedes, herself was dressed in a form-fitting, black and blue summer dress with a peek-a-boo cut out, that showed a bit of cleavage. The dress stopped a few inches above the knee, showing off Mercedes long, toned legs, accentuated by the four inch, peep-toe ankle boots she wore with the dress. The women embraced as Nikola and Raul greeted one another, and placed kisses on the women’s cheeks in greeting. Nikola and Devyn arrived in New Orleans only an hour earlier. Tonight, the quartet were doing one of the local dinner cruises on the Mississippi River. Raul’s security team had already checked out the cruise to make sure there were no security issues. Before she knew what was happening, Mercedes felt herself being pulled towards the bedroom by Devyn.
“Where are you two going?” Nikola asked both women, but was staring at his wife.
“To the bedroom, we need to catch up. Don’t worry, babe, we’ve got plenty of time before our reservation,” Devyn said over her shoulder. “I’m sure you and Raul want to catch up too,” she finished saying.
“Not really,” both men said at the same time, jokingly. Both Mercedes and Devyn rolled their eyes at the two men.
Once inside the bedroom, Devyn immediately started with the questions. “So, how are you? Is everything okay?” she asked, worriedly. The two had corresponded via email over the last few weeks, so Devyn knew about most of the latest updates regarding Mercedes’ stalker.
“I’m fine. I had a mini-breakdown last night, but Raul held me through it,” Mercedes sighed, remembering how safe she felt in his arms. Devyn raised an eyebrow.
“Well a mini-breakdown is to be expected. You’ve gone through a lot in the last few months. But tell me more about Raul ‘holding you through it’.”
Mercedes shrugged. “I don’t know what to say. I’ve told you how close we’ve gotten in the last few months. Shit, the man opened his home up to me. He’s sweet and charming, but aggressive at the right moments. I feel safe and cared for when I’m around him. Aw hell, I’m starting to sound like you gushing over your hus-” Mercedes stopped short realizing she just compared her relationship with Raul to Devyn and Nikola’s. That can’t be, Devyn was deeply in love with Nikola, and if it’s one thing Mercedes didn’t do it was love. She didn’t miss the surprised look on Devyn’s face.
“Don’t even start that shit, Dev,” she said warning her friend.
Devyn threw her hands up defensively. “I didn’t say anything. You did all the talking.”
“Yeah, but I know what you’re thinking and I want you to cut that out right now.”
“Oh really, what am I thinking, then?” Devyn countered.
“You’re thinking that over the last two-and-a-half months, I’ve fallen head-over-heels in love with Raul and it’s time to start the wedding planning, but you’re wrong. Give up those silly little notions. I mean, yes, he’s really smart and charming, and the sex if off the charts hot! Just one look instantly makes my panties wet. He’s supportive and encouraging, and underneath all the looks and charm and hell, money, he has one of the biggest hearts of anyone you’ll ever meet. He seems trustworthy and devoted to family values, which is important to me given my family background, and…” Mercedes trailed off. She looked up at Devyn who wore a smug grin on her face.
“And maybe, just maybe, you more than like him,” Devyn finished Mercedes’ sentence.
“Shit!” Mercedes said falling onto the bed, next to Devyn.
“Look, Little Miss Commitment Phobe, maybe you don’t have to figure it all out now. Maybe you can just be honest enough with yourself to admit that you like-excuse me, more than like him, and figure the rest out along the way.” Mercedes glanced over at her best friend.
“When the hell did you get so good at giving relationship advice?” she asked flippantly.
Devyn offered a smile. “Since that tall, sexy half-Greek out there made me his. But, even before him, I had a best friend who let me cry on her shoulder through one of the worst break-ups of my life,” Devyn said referring to Mercedes being there for her after her break-up with her emotionally abusive ex. “I’m just trying to return the favor,” Devyn winked and pulled Mercedes in for a hug. The two women spent a few more minutes catching up, and discussing upcoming plans for the fall. Devyn was planning to start a part-time event-planning business. She told Mercedes all about her plans to drum up business,
and how she already had a list of inquiries resulting from her previous work as Andre-Nikola’s younger brother’s assistant, and having worked on the company’s annual Memorial Day Ball. Mercedes told Devyn about being taken off leave, and the plans she already had for the curriculum for the school year. Mercedes anticipated on beginning her planning for the school year as soon as she returned to Atlanta.
Black Dahlia: Book 2 of the Black Burlesque Series, BBW, BWWM romance Page 15