Page 82 of Built for Mercy

I shrugged when my attention snagged on a pair of white gold teardrop earrings and a tennis bracelet next to them. I pointed at them. “I’d like to try those on, please.”

“Certainly.” She unlocked the case, and I ate up the attention as I tried them on and looked in the mirrors, obsessed with the blinding sparkle against my skin.

“I’ll take these,” I said, carefully putting them back on the small mat on the counter. As the saleswoman cleaned the jewelry, I spotted something I most certainly didnotcome in here for. I paused, mesmerized by the midnight blue ring encircled by diamonds, the color reminding me so much of Maverick’s eyes.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” the other saleswoman remarked, noting my lingering gaze, then pulled it out of the display case.

“Stunning,” I breathed out, slipping the ring onto my finger and watching it catch the light. It fit perfectly, like it was made for me. Like how I felt he was made for me. Like how I wanted this with him more than I’d ever wanted anything.

Fuck,I really needed to figure my shit out.

Reluctantly, I removed the ring, handing it back to the saleswoman. She gave me a knowing smile as I turned back to the counter, the image of the ring on my hand haunting me.

I added two necklaces, now feeling borderline rebellious and bratty for not caring about the cost. I wondered what Maverick might do to me for taking his request toindulgeandhave funa little too seriously.

“Ma’am, this is quite a significant purchase,” the saleswoman hesitated, eyeing the credit card’s name before picking up her phone and dialing a number with trembling hands.

I narrowed my eyes at her. “Who are you calling? The credit card company? This isn’t the 90s.”

She flashed me a curt smile before turning away. I heard her murmur, “Hi, Mr. Mercer, it’s Gwen down in Crown & Carat. I have a young woman here making a rather large purchase using your credit card.”

I rolled my eyes. Great.

Her eyes flicked to mine, then down to the boxed jewelry. She meandered further away from me, still speaking quietly, before returning a moment later.

“All good?” I said with a smirk.

She cleared her throat. “Yes, of course. I just had to be sure. Mr. Mercer has never shopped for a woman here before.” She paused, her cheeks warming. “He told me to let the love of his life buy whatever she wants.”

I felt the blood drain from my face, feeling woozy all of a sudden. “Thank you,” I managed, my voice a mere whisper. “But I-I need to go.”

I half ran out of the store, ignoring their shouts about not completing my purchase, which I left behind along with Maverick’s credit card. I needed a minute alone. I felt off-kilter in so many ways, my legs wobbly as I wandered aimlessly through the casino before going back to our suite.

The love of his life.

Fear returned, clawing at my insides—an awful fucking reminder that falling for someone like Maverick was as dangerous as it was inevitable.

36

Maverick

The finality of the meeting washed over me as I shook hands with the last designer. The vision for my exclusive sex club was about to come to life—a playground for the senses, where trust and exploration could meld into one intoxicating experience. Every inch of it was designed to perfection, to safety, to indulgence.

But there was a key part missing: Sophie’s approval. I wanted her to feel the excitement that this place promised; I wanted to see it through her eyes before we opened the doors to others. And of course, I wanted to experience it for the first time with her.

I’d told her earlier to make sure she ate, both out of concern and preparation for what awaited us tonight. Hopefully she listened, but I hadn’t seen her nor heard from her. I was antsy to get back after the morning we’d had together.

It was a great morning, but she seemed wrapped up in her thoughts, like I was.

Then, there was the call from the jewelry store… I found myself striding down the shopping wing with an unsettling feeling in my gut.

“Mr. Mercer, thank goodness,” a flustered saleswoman greeted me. “She just ran off.”

“Ran off?” My brows knotted together. In my world, things were controlled, calculated. Spontaneity wasn’t common, especially not in the form of panic. But Sophie was always throwing me for a fucking loop in some way.

But I’d thought we’d moved past the goddamn flightiness. And now my brain was concerned that she was doubting me, doubting us, doubting… all of this. It made me sick to my stomach.

“Yes, she was here one moment, looking at the jewelry, and after your call, she just… left,” she explained, motioning towards a display case with a hint of desperation.