Mercedes Bends

Mark flashed another killer smile.

"I bring good news my lady. Three days ago Felicia called me and told me your latest submission was amazing, that we're all going to love it."

"I figured you would," she pointed at him, "Now dear brother, tell me my efforts were not wasted."

"They were not!" he told her. "I spoke with Mistress Scarlett and by tomorrow a certain very nervous poser is going to be calling you asking where and when you want him."

Mercedes sat back in her chair and closed her eyes, savoring what she'd just heard. After a moment she opened them and saw Mark smirking at her. "I like that look my sister, I really do."

"But Amado is your brother, Lovecraft!" she laughed.

"One that never paid a fair price for his misbehavior."

"So, tell me Mark," Mercedes asked, unable to resist, "How did you get Scarlett to change her mind, she denied both you and Felicia previously."

"Oh, well." He shrugged, "It's the right thing Mercedes, rules are rules and..."

"That wasn't the case before." She sighed and said, "I guess maybe you were more persuasive this time out."

She was looking into his eyes when she said it and saw him blink, before he gave her a small smile and another shrug. "I guess."

"Bet it was a long conversation." She added. Then let him off the hook with the question she was dreading the answer to, "So what are my restrictions, I know Scarlett fears what I will do."

"She does, but she has left that to my discretion. I'm to tell you that if I feel you exceed the limits, I punish you."

"It might be worth it." She said quietly, "So tell me, what are the limits?"

"My lady." Mark began softly, "What he put you through was uncalled for and his getting away with it added to what was already a ridiculous air of entitlement even amongst the group. As enforcer it is my job to make sure rules are adhered to, but also to protect my sisters, even from their brothers. In his case I was unable to do so until now."

Leaning forward and crossing his arms on the table he said quietly, "The limit is there are no limits, I don't care what you do to him."

Mercedes felt a wave of excitement, but tried to reign it in. "The video will be seen, Scarlett will..."

"The video will be seen by Loki and he and I will edit out what should not be seen. If he tells Scarlett you did more, then I guess he's just lying isn't he?"

"You're serious?"

"No one hurts my sister's Mercedes, not even my brother. But I will set one rule upon you."

"What's that?"

"That if I don't think he's suffered enough, I will punish you."

"There will be no danger of that happening, I can assure you."

"Good." Mark nodded as he glanced at his watch, "I am greatly looking forward to your show," he smirked, "The unedited one."

While he spoke he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small rather cheap looking cell phone.

"Lose your phone, Mark?"

"No, this is for you, I did say I came bearing gifts no?"

"I have a phone," she told him "And I dare say a better than that one."

"Nope." He told her. "This one is special at least for the moment." He glanced at his watch again, "So I do need to get going if I'm going to you know, suffer through a favor for you and entertain your attractive assistant."

He was sitting there smiling like the cat that ate the Canary and with shrug, Mercedes picked up the phone on her desk and called Sheila's suite. It was barely seven pm and Mercedes new she wouldn't start taking clients until later.

"Yes my mistress."

"Sheila, are you busy?"

"Not at the moment why?"

"Because it seems that my friend Mark is feeling a bit lonely and could use some company. Do you think..."

"It would be my pleasure!" Sheila exclaimed.

"It will be your pleasure, my loyal friend." Mercedes said softly, "Mark is going to take very good care of you."

"But its for me to please..."

"No, Mark is my gift to you for all that you do, so enjoy as you wish. Meet him at the bar in five minutes okay?"

"Thank you Mistress!"

"Thank you Sheila."

Mercedes hung up the phone to see Mark holding the cheap phone to his ear.

"You can't stay off the phone for a ten minute visit?" She asked.

Mark shook his head and asked, "This a good time for you? Seven on Tuesdays?"

"I...time for what? What the hell are you doing?"

"Hello?" He spoke into the phone. "Yes, its Mark, we all set?" he listened for a minute then nodded, "Great, so once a week at this time will be good? Okay, I'll hold on..."

Mercedes rolled her eyes and sat back in the chair waiting for him to get off the phone.

"Hi!" He exclaimed in an odd tone, "Um, no, but hold on..." he frowned, "Um...yeah that's great...but hold on one second."

Mark removed the phone from his ear and held it out to her.

"Who is it?" she asked, taking it from him, "Someone from the group?"

"Just answer the phone Mercedes." Mark told her as he stood up, "But before you do remember, nothing in the Circle is free. For years you've made our group strong and for that I owe you." He leaned over and kissed her forehead, "This is how I've decided to pay that debt, now say hello."

Mark turned around and quickly walked towards her door. Mercedes lifted the phone to her ear and said, "Hello, this is..."

"Hi aunty!" Jennifer's voice chirped in her ear.

"I..." Mercedes, felt her throat tighten and looking up she saw Mark turn just as he was leaving and wink at her.

"Aunty?"

"I...I'm here." She whispered, "How are you honey?"

"I'm really good! School's really good!"

"Its good to hear your voice." Mercedes told her, "And I saw your picture, you're a beautiful young lady!"

"Mommy says I look like you!"

"I...I think you do."

"I do, I saw your picture, you're reeeelly pretty."

"Why thank you!" Mercedes could feel tears running down her face, but at the same time she was smiling so hard her cheeks were beginning to hurt.

"Thank you for my school stuff!" Jennifer exclaimed, "I got fun stuff too"

For the next few minutes Mercedes sat and listened to Jennifer ramble on from one subject to the next. She heard all about her teacher, the hamster her class had for mascot and how they had snack time and mommy kept sending her with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches' even though according to Jennifer peanut butter 'kind of sucks'.

The entire time she spoke Mercedes sat there smiling, she couldn't remember the last time she'd been this happy. At one point Jennifer mentioned going to the playground with daddy and started talking about Roger.

Mercedes let her mind drift a little at that point and wondered how the hell Mark had done this. Victoria had obviously told him the story and she would not have put it past him to fly down there and make some insane threat to her brother. Then again, maybe he just contacted the New Orleans group, their Mistress Aphrodite had visited The Velvet Rope several times and knew Mercedes well.

With a sigh she decided to not worry about it and just enjoyed listening to Jennifer talk excitedly about anything and everything. Every time Jennifer came to an S it came out in a lisp and Mercedes thought it was the cutest thing she'd ever heard.

Jennifer kept coming back to school and Mercedes said, "I'm glad you enjoy school honey, its important."

"That's what mommy says!" she told her in that insanely cheery voice, "she says you were really good in school."

"I was." Mercedes nodded, "And you will be too."

"You're really smart huh, aunty?"

"I suppose I am, but only because of school."

"Mommy says I'm real smart too." Jennifer giggled and added, "I'm going to just like you aunty!"

Mercedes closed her eyes and with a sigh said, "No honey, you're going to be much different than me."

*****

At three in the afternoon between lunch and dinner Café' Reggio was far less crowded than it had been when Mercedes had met Victoria for lunch last week. This what she'd been hoping for when she arrived and as she made her way through the maze of tables on the patio she saw Jack at the far end of the bar speaking with the customers sitting there.

Going over to the other end of the long bar, Mercedes sat down and placed the gift bag she'd brought with her in front of her and gestured to the other bartender.

"Yes ma'am, what can I get for you today?"

"I'd like two apple martinis please."

He looked at her strangely, probably wondering if they were both for her and she added, "One's for a friend."

With a shrug he began to mix the drinks and Mercedes watched Jack's back, hoping he wouldn't turn around. As she watched him gesturing with his hands, the men and women in front of him were laughing and Mercedes caught herself smiling. She'd been smiling a lot lately, her conversation with Jennifer two nights ago had been one of the best moments of her life over the last few years. After Jennifer had chatted herself into repeating things, Michelle had taken the phone and promised Mercedes she would have Jennifer call once a week.

Mercedes asked her why there was a sudden change of heart and Michelle told her all she knew was that Roger had told her he felt he was wrong to keep Jennifer from speaking with her aunt and to have her call once a week.

Before she'd hung up, Michelle had made her night even better by saying that Roger had told her to pass it onto her that as long as she was paying he would allow Mercedes to fly Michelle and Jennifer up to New York for a few days during Christmas vacation.

Mercedes had been unable to hold back from catching Mark as he'd left Shelia's suite and after practically throwing herself into his arms, a scene that garnered more than few odd looks from the people around her, asked him what the hell he'd done.

Mark was evasive, then finally admitted to flying down to Louisiana the previous weekend and taking a trip to Bridge City where he had a long talk with her brother. When she pressed him for details Mark just gave her the smug smile that always made the people who knew him want to smack him, and uttered his trademark phrase "Dirty little secrets are best when they're kept secret."

She'd let it go at that and told him she owed him anything he wanted. Marks eyes widened when she said that offer included a night with her, if he so chose, telling him she would ask Scarlet for the granted time, but with a smile he declined, saying his sister being happy was enough for him. Mercedes nodded and wondered if it were truly that or would Scarlett not be willing to share her pet?

Compared to the idea that she was going to meet Jennifer in a few months her payback with Amado was just going to be icing on the cake. As Mark had promised, Amado had called and Mercedes had told him it wouldn't be for two weeks. As bad as she wanted him she wanted him to squirm and worry about what was in store for him, before he got there.

All in all Mercedes was feeling quite good and she'd found herself replaying her session with Wilson over and over. To her surprise she was feeling pretty horny the last couple of days, but fact remained Wilson was a sub who had received the night of a lifetime and she couldn't give in to him again.

She'd thought of Marcus, but again she could not play that game. As she'd lied there in bed, a silver bullet vibrator between her legs she'd recalled Victoria's comment about just fun and had been reminded of Jack.

"Here you go ma'am." The bartender placed the two drinks in front of her, "Will that be all?"

"No, what I'd like you to do is give one of these to Jack down there."

"You want to give the bartender a drink?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes."

"We're not supposed to accept..." he stopped, when withdrawing a fifty from her wallet she handed it to him, "Keep the change of course."

"Thank you!" he gave her a big smile and picking up one of the martinis headed over to Jack.

Mercedes took a sip of hers as she watched the bartender approach Jack, who turned to him and looked down at the drink he was being offered. Jack looked over the bartender's shoulder over to where she was sitting.

Mercedes lifted her drink in a cheers gesture and gave him a wave. Jack looked at her, a slight smile on his face, and then said something to the bartender who returned still holding the drink.

"He...he said he wasn't interested." He said nervously, "Um...sorry ma'am."

"That's okay." She said still looking at Jack who now made a shooing gesture with his fingers as she had done to him. "I understand." She took another swallow of her martini and putting it down grabbed the gift bag and sliding off the seat began to walk away.

"Hey hold on!" she heard Jack call out behind her. Turning around she saw he was now at her end of the bar, "Wow. You give up easy!"

She turned back and returning to her seat, shrugged as she sat back down. "I figured you were serious, not like I wouldn't deserve it."

"Well yeah, you would actually." He gave her wink, "But maybe I like the abuse."

"Careful with that." She said softly.

"What was that?"

"Never mind, private joke. But I'm glad you came over."

"Me too." He said with a big smile that Mercedes found far more engaging than she had last week. "Nice trick with the drink, but you could have made it better."

"How so?" she asked

"You should have sent me a glass of Wild Turkey."

"Wild Turkey?"

"Yeah, because you told me too.."

"Oh yes!" Mercedes clapped her hands delightedly and laughed, "Oh that would have been perfect!"

"That's a great sound." He told her, "Last week you looked like someone who forgot how to laugh."

"You know, I think you're right about that, but I'm trying to remember how." She gave him a wink, "I'm trying to remember all the things I used to do for fun."

"Really?" he turned serious and made a show of stroking his chin. "I might just know someone who can help with that."

"Yeah? Okay, but make sure he moves slowly, I was told I probably couldn't handle it if it was in front of me so..." she trailed off.

"Sorry about that." He told her. "I was having a bit of bad day myself, trust me you look like you could handle anything you wanted too."

"You don't know the half of it." She laughed.

"Is that another private joke?"

"Maybe, but maybe one I'll share with you another time, but for now." She pushed the bag over to him, "This is for you, a small way of saying I'm sorry."

Jack gave her another smile and Mercedes noticed the smile also touched his blue eyes and found herself smiling back as he reached into the bag. He un-wrapped the tissue paper and whistled at the sight of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue Victoria had appeared on several years ago.

"Damn,I...hey its autographed!"

"I told you I'd get you one."

"Jack held up the magazine and read the inscription, "To Jack, New York's hottest bartender, keep pouring it on, love Victoria." He laughed, "I'm going to frame this and put it up behind the bar! Damn, Victoria Redding."

"Well I hope that makes us even then." She nodded, "Victoria wearing very little can make men forget pretty much anything."

"Well she is fine, but, well..." he gave her a mischievous smile, "I think I'd rather see you in a nice bikini."

"Yeah?" she shook her head. "Sorry, not much of beach person," she sighed, "I burn too easily."

"Oh, well..." he stopped and seeing her smiling broke out laughing, "Oh, I get it! But okay, no bikini for me, my loss."

"Perhaps lingerie would suffice?" she asked, "maybe something white or yellow to enhance my," she laughed, "Exotic skin tone?"

"Lingerie?" he whistled, "Wow you really know how to apologize."

"Jack you would be amazed at what I know how to do." She reached out and put her hand on his arm, "But seriously, I work most nights, but tomorrow's Friday and I took it off, do you like to dance?"

"I like to do whatever you like to do." He told her.

"Again, watch your words Jack."

"Am I ever going to get these jokes?"

"That's up to you, because trust me, there's a hell of a punch line to them."

"I'll take my chances."

"Hmmm" she made a show of thinking, "Well, we'll see, but for tomorrow what I need is to laugh and have some fun."

"Hopefully you won't be laughing during the fun."

"No, hopefully I'll be moaning, but that's up to you." She laughed at the look on his face then sliding off the stool handed him her number written on a piece of paper, she'd thought of giving him one of her business cards, but wanted to keep this separate from that part of her life, very separate. "Give me a call after five tomorrow."

"I will," he nodded, "But um...one thing?"

"What's that?"

"What's your name?" he held up the paper where she had just written her number.

"You don't know?"

"Well unless your name really is "not interested" I never caught it."

"Oh." Mercedes laughed, "That's right!"

"So, let's start over." Reaching out Jack took her hand and bringing it to his lips said, "Why hello beautiful, I'm Jack!"

Leaning over the bar, Mercedes put her arm around his neck and drawing him close to her gave him quick kiss, then pressing her cheek to his, whispered in his ear, "Nice to meet you Jack, you can call me...Tonya."

*****

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this look into the world of The Circle. If you are curious and would like to know more about it, feel free to contact me with any questions. In the meantime as I always say this is a free site and the only way we authors receive our payment is through votes and comments so please take the time to let me know what you thought about this story. Thank you for reading, Lovecraft68