Page 23 of Merc

I gave him the courtesy of letting him know when I was leaving, and I also cleaned up, though a part of me wanted to leave the house a mess since he wanted to be so damn messy.

As I headed out to the garage to get in my car, he was pulling up with China and Asia in his. Asia couldn’t wait to get out and taunt me with, “I’m glad your ass is finally gone so I can come back to where I rightfully belong.”

Under normal circumstances, I would never fight over a man, but when I punched her silly ass, it had nothing to do with Steven and everything to do with the way she’d been disrespecting me. Innvy came rushing into the garage as China screamed for her mama, daring Asia to get up and try to swing back.

I told her crazy ass to go back to her car and let me know when she made it home. My parents wanted me to trail them to their place, but I wasn’t ready to settle down just yet. Even though the random party had briefly put me in good spirits, the weight of my reality hit my heart as I pulled out of the garage and driveway.

My relationship was over, my store was taken from me, and I had nothing to call my own other than my car. Figuring a drive would help me ease my mind, I told my parents I’d let them know when I was on my way to their place so they wouldn’t be startled by my late arrival. Daddy asked me if I was sure because it was supposed to start snowing soon, but I didn’t care. It didn’t snow too bad in Memphis anyway, so I was sure I would be fine.

So maybe leaving in the middle of the night wasn’t the best idea. It wasn’t my intention. Had I known Steven would give me an ultimatum—accept his bullshit or give up my home, business, and the life we were building—I would have been more prepared to make my escape. No part of my mind or heart wanted to believe the man I’d spent the last two years with could be so heartless and selfish. He knew how much music and my vinyl store meant to me. That was why he’d given it to me for our anniversary one year ago. I preferred it over an engagement ring, and now, I had neither.

It didn’t matter how much I told myself it was better I get away from Steven now after seeing the real him—my heart still hurt over how the man I loved could treat me this way. It also didn’t help that I had “Nothing But Love” by Lu Kala on repeat. Tears blurred my eyes as I belted the lyrics. It was as if she’d written the song just for me.

I had no real destination in mind as I drove. I could have gone to a friend’s house or to my parents’ home, but I didn’t want to talk about what was going on with me and Steven. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t be driving in the dark or while it was snowing.

The further I got into my drive, the worse the snow got. I’d filled up my tank before hopping on the interstate, and though I didn’t check the time I started driving, since I would soon be out of gas, I assumed I’d been on the road for at least five or six hours. Unintentionally, it seemed I’d taken a familiar trail to a mountain town like Gatlinburg from my home in Memphis. Because of how windy it was and how heavy the snow was falling, I didn’t want to risk driving through the mountains.

My decision not to continue driving was finalized when I got stuck in a snowdrift. I didn’t think anything could make my night or my life worse, but here I was, stuck in the middle of nowhere in a huge pile of snow. Curses and cries left me as I yelled and punched the steering wheel. I was mad at Steven for betraying and abandoning me. I was mad at God for making this godforsaken snow. I was mad at myself for not paying attention to where I was driving and ending up in a snowy town so late at night.

Checking the time, I sighed at the sight of 10:39 p.m. Wiping my face, I inhaled what I hoped would be a calming breath. I tried to request a tow truck, but my insurance company’s app didn’t work. My outgoing calls weren’t working either. If the sun was out, I’d sit in my car and hope help would drive by. Because it was pitch black out, I didn’t want to risk a car coming and hitting me.

So, I got out and grabbed the two bags I packed in my car before leaving and headed north. I couldn’t remember the last house I’d passed, and there were only two lights shining ahead. I had no idea what I was walking into, but anything at this point would have been better than being stuck with no service in the cold. As I headed toward the lights, I prayed they wouldn’t lead to a serial killer who planned to make me their next victim.

Chapter

Thirteen

Merc

The world must be ending, just like mine. It was the first day of spring, yet there was a snowstorm happening. I checked the time on my phone when I thought I heard knocking. That couldn’t have been the case. Not only because it was so late at night but also because my cabin in Massie Manor was miles away from anything and anyone. I’d specifically purchased this cabin because it was secluded. Regardless of the season, this was where I came when I had a lot on my mind and needed time away to figure things out.

This time around, the biggest thing on my mind was my son. Aries was dead set on moving to Atlanta with Omar, and outside of crippling him, there seemed like it was nothing I could do stop it. We finally sat down and talked two days ago because they wanted to take Marz back to Mississippi. I was cool with that because it was the weekend before his spring break. I didn’t know it was going to be snowing in Memphis, but it worked out because I planned to take him to Orlando anyway.

They used the horses and cows to bait my little man into spending his spring break in Mississippi of all places. Even though I didn’t want to be away from him for an entire week, I agreed in hopes to get things back to normal between me and Aries. But the conversation we had before they left changed all that.

“Aries said you have some reservations about them coming to Atlanta with me,” Omar said, getting comfortable in the chair on the opposite end of my desk like he’d be around for long.

“Yeah, I do. First of all, you didn’t approach me and ask me like a man. Second, I don’t know what you plan to do for money while you’re there. You’re asking me to let you be a primary guardian for my son in my absence, yet I know nothing about your intentions or the move.”

“Look, I’ma be honest wit’ ya. I don’t mind Marz staying here with you, but Aries insists on him coming with us.”

Chuckling, I sat back in my seat. Rolling my tongue over my cheek, I had to keep myself from telling him to get the fuck out. That alone was reason for me to not let Marz go. If he had truly bonded with my little man and wanted him to come along, his attitude would have been different. From the sound of it, Marz was an inconvenience instead of an added gift that came from loving his mother.

“You do know that’s her son, right? Of course she’s going to want him to go with her.”

His eyes squeezed shut as he sighed. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just mean Marz is stable here, and it don’t make sense for us to uproot him and take him there.”

Even though I agreed, I wanted to see where his head was at, so I continued.

“You don’t think the environment you provide there will be stable?”

“Not as stable as I want it to be in the beginning.” Sitting back in his seat, he crossed his arms over his chest as he grinned. “I’m going there to pursue my rap career. I got enough money saved for bills for a year. After that, it’ll have to be up with my music ’cause I ain’t gettin’ a regular job. So I’m thinkin’ if he stays here, Aries can travel with me when I need her to. We gon’ have a lot of late nights and early mornings, you feel me?”

Clearing my throat didn’t hide my chuckle. Some men were merely little boys in grown up bodies. There was no way this nigga was sitting here saying he was going to start a rap career at his big ass age of thirty-five with a wife, stepson, and baby on the way. I wasn’t saying it wasn’t possible, but the man had never mentioned wanting to rap before. He probably wasn’t even any good.

Squeezing the bridge of my nose, I pulled my smirk in.

“I don’t see how Aries will be able to be on the road with you. She’s pregnant, Omar. And y’all about to get married. Have you factored in the costs of the wedding? It sounds like you putting a lot on your plate with this move.”

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