Oh Have Mercy!

Mercy.

"Deok-su!" his mother screeched from his phone's speakers, rousing him out of his thoughts. The phone was at his side and he stood in front of the gentlemen's club, muscle memory carrying him.

Damn.

"Yes, Mother," he said, lifting the device and giving her a placating smile.

"Halmeoni is right," she huffed, arms crossed across her chest pulling the cream satin blouse tight around her shoulders and forcing the seed-gray pearl necklace to sit on her forearms. "You're already thirty-four. It's well past time."

He'd been thinking the same thing, but he didn't dare tell his mother. "For what exactly?"

"Marriage," she said coolly, eyes narrowed to slits. "Hal-abeoji thinks so too."

Doubtful. Despite the man being seventy-two, Deok-su's grandfather still ran the company as if he was going to live another fifty years. Still behaved with all the focused ruthless ambition that he'd had in his thirties, or so Deok-su had been told. He didn't know much about his grandfather besides what he learned in their business interactions. Rare was the day the entire family was all on the same continent, much less in the same house to speak and hassle each other.

That's why Skype was invented.

"He does," she insisted, catching his disbelief in the expression he didn't keep blank. "Your sister's been married nearly five years now and she has two children. Even your cousin Se-jun got married."

He wished the poor woman who married his eccentric cousin good luck. Se-jun was forever living life like there was no tomorrow, as if the family bank account didn't have a bottom. The enabling of his parents didn't help either; for all their gripes and frowns they still let him run roughshod over everyone.

"We'll discuss this another time, Mother."

"Now is fine."

"I'm busy."

"You just said you weren't going anywhere. How can you be busy if you have nowhere to be?"

"Have a pleasant evening, Mother. And give my best to Father."

She waited a heartbeat before pressing her lips in a thin line and cutting the video call without another word. It was his mother's way. When she didn't get what she wanted, she stewed, calmed, and pestered again. No doubt a call would come again soon. Maybe from her, maybe from his father. If Deok-su was truly unlucky it'd be his grandmother. Considering the fact that Lauren, after an orgasm on his fingers, had blatantly said "no," Deok-su wasn't exactly feeling lucky.

He clutched the phone tight in his hand as he stared at the innocuous black door of the club. She said no.

For three days and a handful of hours, Deok-su fixated on Mercy, the stripper who said no. The woman who said no. The creature that came on his hand then got up and walked out.

He'd gone back to the club twice, but there'd been no sign of her. The owner had informed him that Mercy had Sunday and Monday night off. But that didn't work for Deok-su because he left Monday night. The contracts had been signed, hands shook, champagne poured. There was no reason for him to stay in America any longer. As it happened, there was more reason to get out; his grandfather didn't find the phrase "I need more time" acceptable.

He had six hours. Six hours left with no information on the stripper Mercy and the worst case of blue balls. At first, he thought he just wanted sex. But after a very sour attempt with a call girl Lemair had on speed dial Saturday night, Deok-su knew that wasn't it. Whatever his affliction, only Mercy had the cure.

"Welcome back," one of the bouncers said as Deok-su flashed his ID and strode through the entrance.

Please be here, he thought, scanning the club for any sign of long black legs and curly hair. He was gritting his teeth and mentally cursing, when someone thumped his back. "Like a dog with a bone."

Of course. "Lemair." Deok-su slowly turned to face the man. "What a surprise."

"Not really." He shrugged. "Billy told me you'd been coming here every night looking for--What was she going by? Mercy?"

"You know her real name?"

Lemair laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "Course I do. I come here enough. Didn't recognize her at first with all that shit on her face."

Deok-su remained quiet, waiting for the man to tell him her name, but Lemair just smiled wide. "Now, come on. Don't look like that. If you want to know her name, just go over there and ask her. She's waitin' for ya."

Looking to where Lemair nodded, he saw the top of a curly head sticking up from a booth. That was her. He'd know the hair anywhere. It'd been in his face while he'd finger-fucked her and was branded onto the back of his eyelids. Turning his head back to Lemair, he watched as the man walked away, waving over his shoulder. Deok-su's smiled, grudgingly grateful. Americans.

"Hey," the owner said, stepping in front of Deok-su's path. "I don't know why you're interested in her, but she's one of my girls. I take care of what's mine. So you do anything to hurt her and you won't live to regret it."

He took the threat at face value. "I understand."

Steps separated them, but Deok-su thought it was an ocean. Three days and three painful nights. Jerking off only made it worse. His dick was hard and chafed, and he was pretty sure there'd be calluses on his hands in a week if he didn't get inside her. But it wasn't just sex. It was her mouth, the way she talked. That sass, that ass, that smile.

He slid into the booth across from her, the leather squeaking with the movement and drawing the eyes of the few patrons in the club at five in the afternoon. Taking a deep breath, he tried to compose himself before he looked at her. That failed.

Christ! She looked better now than she had in the nipple tassles, corset, and knickers. No makeup, a worn t-shirt with her hair in a ponytail. Dark circles rimmed her eyes, and she had a red nose and flushed cheeks. Had she been as miserable as he'd been? Cried herself to sleep? Tried to get him out of her mind? Good. That'd make getting into her bed easier.

Mercy opened her lips, but instead of the plea to lay her on the table and screw her brains out he expected, she sneezed. All over him.

"Oh my God!" Her voice was nasally as she reached for the napkin beside him and tried to wipe her snot off his face. "I'm so sorry. I'm getting over a cold and I wasn't even supposed to come today but Billy asked me to."

"It's fine," he said taking the napkin from her and finishing the job. The illusion he had about tears and begging burst like a bubble. "Are you alright?"

A small smile flitted at the corners of her lips as she wiped her nose with a balled up tissue. "You asked me that same question when we first met."

"And as I remember it, you never answered."

"Nope."

"Are you going to answer now?"

She frowned and wiggled on the seat, pulling out her phone. It vibrated in her hand, and she frowned as she looked down at it. "Is there a reason you wanted to talk to me?" she asked, glancing up quickly.

He leaned closer, waiting until she met his gaze and held it. "Do you remember what else I said that night? It wouldn't end with kissing."

Something passed through her eyes and for a second he thought she was going to slap him and leave. But Mercy didn't. She placed her phone on the table, leaned forward, grabbed his lapels, and kissed him. Quick and brutal, a tease from the queen of teasing.

"It didn't," she murmured, drawing back.

His hand snaked around her head, fingers fisting in her hair, holding her in place. "But it did not end the way you--What is the word?--promised." If Deok-su had to beg her he would. He'd feel the shame tomorrow along with a healthy dose of satisfaction.

Mercy opened her mouth, but her phone rang again and her eyes strayed away from his to the Caller ID. "I have to get that."

He didn't let go of her. "By all means."

With a sardonic smile, she answered the phone, "Hey, Mom. Little busy right now."

Mercy's phone was loud enough for him to hear her mother's response. "Lauren! I've been trying to reach you for days. Where have you been?"

So her name is Lauren? It suited this version of her.

"I've been sick. What's up?"

There was a huff before the woman answered, "You should've told me. I'm only your mother."

A smile touched her lips. "Sorry, Mom. Next time I'm sick, I'll call you."

"Hopefully there won't be a next time." There was a brief pause. "Charlene and Durrell are going to be in L.A."

White lines appeared around Lauren's mouth and her fingers tightened around her phone. "Don't. Care."

"For God's sakes, Lauren, they're your family."

"Was family. They're not mine anymore. And ya know what, Mom? I'm really sick of having this conversation."

"I gave them your address," her mother responded flatly. "They're only in L.A for a few--"

"Khlr, khlr, khlr, breaking up, khlr, can't--" Click. She hung up.

Deok-su watched Lauren close her eyes and breathe out a long suffering breath. Her lashes were still dark, but they didn't leave smudges against her cheek. And for some reason those lashes gave him an idea, a completely reckless one that was half-formed by his dick.

"Lauren?" She opened her eyes at the mention of her name. "Whoever is coming you do not want to see them."

"No. I--I don't."

"I have a proposition for you."

She raised a brow and smirked. "Sex?"

"In time. But you are an event planner. I am in need of your services."

"Really? How...fortunate."

"I want you to come to Korea with me and plan an event for our newest merger. I'm sure with your portfolio and my recommendation you would be hired immediately."

"Well, considering I've never been to Korea and I'm certain there are other event planners more suited there, I'm going to have to ask why?"

He didn't miss a beat. "Because I want to fuck you."

"At least you're honest."

"But also," he murmured drawing her closer, "because I think you can do it."

"After all, you've seen me work. Oh wait. You haven't. You've just seen me strip. And I was hoping that walking out would have given you a clear indication that I won't sell myself for money."

He tightened his hold on her hair. "I will draft a contract. You will be protected. And if, along the way, we end up in bed I will be very happy. I'm not buying you, Lauren. I'm giving you an option and myself a better shot at seducing you."

"Draft a contract? Because you have that kind of authority."

"I do," he said with absolute conviction. He didn't tell her that his grandfather owned the company and that he was in line to take the Seoul branch since his father managed the one in London while his sister handled Hong Kong.

There was so much conflict, so much worry and uncertainty on her face that he could practically anticipate her answer. But beyond that, reflected in her eyes he saw a woman who liked the challenge and was ready for it. There was steel in her bones, iron in her words, and that made him falter. Honestly, he wasn't sure what she'd say and that both excited and terrified him.

Lauren was a mystery, one he wanted to thoroughly explore and enjoy.

"You're serious," she whispered softly after a long moment. "Who are you?"

God she looks good. Deok-su leaned forward and kissed her, much more slowly than she'd done with him. He let his lips linger, sampling her. The peppermint taste was still there under the sugary-sweet bite of cough medicine. She was too hot and tasted like chemicals, but perfection had never been his aim. Messiness made life interesting, uncertainty made the days worth trudging through, and sex with her--Deok-su was betting that sex with Lauren would be worth all the problems in the world.

Pulling back, he looked in brown eyes almost black and licked her taste off his lips. "What do you say?"

CHAPTER SEVEN

Lauren

I stared at the man in front of me. I mean like really examined the hell out of him. You'd think there'd be more telling signs for a crazy person, but it was just my luck that crazy looked hot. Very hot.

Shut up, self! None of that.

"Lauren?"

He was offering me a job. What a way to get into a girl's pants. "Yeah?"

It suddenly occurred to me that me knew my name and I didn't know his at all. "What's your name?"

"Deok-su Park."

"Lauren Eckles," I provided, because if we were going to talk about jobs and fucking the least we could do was have each other's name down pact.

"Lauren, come to Korea with me." Deok-su blinked slowly, a smile creeping up the sides of his face. Dastardly man was enjoying this. "For work...and hopefully more."

Not once, but twice now the man looked me dead in the eyes and offered me a job. Accepting wasn't even on my radar, making sure that I wouldn't catch his crazy was. Maybe lust was a better word. The man was obviously thinking with his dick.

But I mean, if I did take the job--No, I couldn't even think that. Did I want to have sex with the man in front of me? Surprisingly, still yes. Did I want a job that didn't ask me to take my clothes off when a few employees called in sick? Of course. Did I want those two things mixed together? No. Definitely no.

"Look, Deok-su," I said after a second, setting my elbows on the table. "I appreciate the offer, but it's unrealistic."

"How so?"

"For starters, I don't know you. Don't know your business. Don't even know if you have the authority to offer me a job. If nothing else, mixing business and pleasure sounds great in theory, but it never works out." I gestured between us. "This will never work out."

He scowled across from me and ran a hand through his hair, sending the strands a million different ways. He muttered in Korean, obviously working out what he wanted to say in English. "I have to be at the airport in five hours, Lauren."

I thought about that. Thought about the lack of future I saw sitting across from me. Deok-su wasn't really promising anything, all he was doing was offering. And it was a lot easier to take an offer than to hold onto a promise. "Why are we still talking?"

"Because I want you to come with me."

"But I won't, so how about we go back to your hotel and screw our brains out until the absolute last moment before you leave."

"I checked out of my hotel."

"My apartment is close." Pushing out of the booth, I held out a hand to him. "We're wasting precious time we could be licking each other all over."

Deok-su shook his head and looked up at me like I was equal parts miracle and the worst decision he had yet to make. "You--What's that word?--confound me. I don't know women like you."

I took that as a compliment. "I don't know men like you either. Now are you coming?"

His smile was feral and the look in his eyes was anything but tame. He slid out of the booth and wrapped an arm around me. His fingers sank into the flesh of my hip as he all but carried me to the front door. Billy ignored us, except for a quick nod to let me know he saw us leave. I thanked my lucky stars I worked nights, because the look on Deok-su's face guaranteed I wouldn't be walking in the morning.

"See you found her." I turned to see Mark leaning against the hostess podium, an eat shit grin splitting his face. Mark Lemair was well known in the club and as well liked as someone going to gentlemen's clubs could be. He tipped generously, wasn't ass-grabby, and knew almost everyone's name. The millionaire had been a thorn in Billy's side ever since he'd come to the club half a year ago because he was notorious for stealing girls and giving them jobs in his company.

"Lemair," Deok-su greeted at the same moment I stepped out of his embrace.

"Mark, why am I not surprised to see your hand in this?"

His eyes twinkled. "What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic." Those wouldn't be the words I'd use to describe him. "How are you, Lauren? You bumped your head pretty hard last time I saw you."

I cringed and unconsciously reached for my forehead. "Thank God I'm hard headed or that would have hurt. And don't think I didn't hear you, Mark. 'She's bad,'" I mocked.

He stuck his tongue out at me and grinned. "Well, if I'd known it was you, I would have cut you some slack. I swear every time you wait on me you trip in those heels."

"That's because they're so--"

"Lemair," my shadow interrupted, drawing our attention back to him. "If you will excuse us."

"Yeah, yeah. I know." We were turning to leave when he called out. "Oh. Meant to tell you, Dick. Planes are grounded at LAX. You won't be leaving tonight. Weather, you know."

Deok-su's muscles tightened and I shivered. His words were strained, enunciated to a tee, "Good evening, Mr. Lemair."

We were outside a moment later, the chill eating through the jacket I'd tugged on. Cabs meandered down the street while across restaurants started to close up shop. The club wasn't in a bad area, more of a business one. A nondescript black door separated office cronies heading home from work with the ones coming to the club to relax, unwind, and take in more risque entertainment.

"Shall we hail a cab?"

"Why not just back alley it," I said saucily. "Sure your friend wouldn't mind."

The look he cast me said he had no clue what I was talking about. "Pardon?"

Drop it, Lauren. Don't want to give the guy ideas. What if he doesn't have a condom?

"Lauren?" Deok-su asked softly, brushing my shoulder with cool fingertips.

"Let me just call a Lyft."

"A what?"

"Car service," I supplied, whipping out my phone and punching my address into the application. A notification popped up letting me know my driver was a minute away. Perfect.

Before I could let Deok-su know the good news, his hand was around my waist again, his lips smashed against mine, and his tongue in my mouth. God, he smelled good. His cologne might as well have been a warm blanket, his body a built in heater. I rubbed against him, trying to get closer, craving something that would get me slapped with an Indecent Exposure ticket.

A car horn beeped, the blare pulling us apart. I blinked up at him, oxygen deprived and dazed before turning to the navy blue van. A man squinted at me through a rolled down window. "You Lauren?"

"Oh, uh, yeah." Gesturing for Deok-su to get in the minivan, I waited as he opened the door and let me climb in. He shut it and moved around the van to the passenger side. Those few seconds gave me all the time I needed to get my shit together. I could not have sex in the back of someone's car, especially not with the car seat I saw peeking out of the trunk.

As Deok-su climbed in, the driver rattled off my address and I confirmed it was correct. Once Deok-su was settled, he took off and I was excruciatingly aware of every second of the ten minute drive.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Deok-su

It very nearly killed him, but Deok-su didn't touch the woman beside him the entire car ride. It was more for her benefit than his, since he assumed having sex in the backseat of a minivan wasn't how she wanted the night to continue. Touching Mercy was off.

Lauren, he reminded himself, crossing his legs and openly regarding her across the aisle. She was lovely. Dressed down, hair in a hasty ponytail, face free of any make-up. Women like her didn't exist in his world of perfectly coiffed beauty achieved through expensive treatments, cosmetics, and creams. Lauren was a natural dandelion among chemically enhanced roses.

"Just to let you know, I don't do this."

"What?"

"One night stands." She winced. "And whatever that was a few days ago. Temporary insanity."

There'd been an edge of formality to their conversation in the Cognac room, but now that barrier was broken. Her colloquialisms, while a tad hard to follow, allowed him an insight into her character. She was intelligent, educated, and had been raised well. Interesting that the only job she could get was at a gentlemen's club. He found that went against what she presented, how she acted and behaved.