Mercy was running late, a first for her. She'd made it halfway to work, early as usual, and stopped to get a coffee. Light cramping and a bit of movement had sent alarm bells off and she'd fled to the bathroom to discover her period was a week and a half early. She was NEVER early. Worse, she had leaked through onto her skirt. A black skirt, but if you looked you could still see.
Racing back home, she'd changed quickly, taken care of her needs and ran out the door stuffing tampons in her purse.
She was newish in the building, the most new employee at the medium size firm. Still, she'd been there a month now and made a few friends. All had warned her about today and how they liked to play small jokes on the newer people or young women. April fools was a day to cut loose and have a little fun in a normally reserved and quiet office full of younger attorneys and employees.
Instead her body decided to get in on the fun and make her day into an even bigger joke.
Turning on her phone to look at the time, she waited impatiently for the slow elevator.
16 minutes late.
She was NEVER late!
It stressed her out and made her absolutely sick!
When the elevator finally arrived, she lept in and hit her floor, then spammed the 'door close' button.
As it closed, a calm hand intercepted it and forced it to open again, irritating Mercy to no end.
She immediately schooled her expression as the doors opened to reveal an attractive young man in an expensive suit, obviously a client. She knew he didn't work here, she would have seen him. Noticed him. He was exotic looking and ridiculously hot with his tied back longish hair and dark eyes.
Peeking at him again as the doors closed, Mercy frowned. There was a curve of a tattoo just visible above the man's collar. This was NOT the sort of place that did business with men who had neck tattoos, no matter how nice they cleaned up in expensive suits...
Was this part of some joke?
Looking him over again, the man turned to her and looked her over, his lip curling in an amused sort of disdain.
He looked... dangerous. Not like a joke at all, but like someone here for trouble.
No one here would deal with a man like this, would they?"
The man reached out and hit a button, stopping the elevator, then turned to Mercy and grabbed her by the throat, his hand moving like a viper. Pushing her back to the wall of the elevator, he leaned over her menacingly.
"It seems to me that girls with too much curiosity today may need a lesson in minding their own business," he growled, his accent odd. "Will you need a lesson?" he asked, reaching down with his free hand to fish in her purse as she gripped his wrist, hoping he didn't choke her out. Tampons tumbled out to the floor, horrifying her even in this situation as he finally pulled her wallet out and flipped it open. "Mercy?"
"I won't! I was late getting here and I never saw a soul! I rode up alone," she promised him, terrified of the dangerous look in his eyes. She was staring into the face of a killer, she knew that.
"Mercy Covington," he murmured, looking over her ID. "I will remember you. If things do not go as planned, I will come for you. Do you understand?"
"Sir, I swear, I never saw you," she promised, closing her eyes as he moved closer, his lips on her ear.
"You will stay silent," he hissed. "You will go about your day like it is a normal day."
Standing back, he released her, then dumped her purse out on the floor before hitting the button on the elevator. Stepping off on his own floor, he never looked back at all as Mercy let out a half sob. When the door opened on her floor, she was on her knees trying to pick her things up, shaking like a leaf.
No one seemed to notice she was late in her office, everyone laughing over a joke someone had pulled in the coffee room with donuts.
"Who even falls for that on April fools?" Marney demanded, rolling her eyes. "Never eat what someone brings in today! Especially not donuts that aren't even in a box from a donut shop."
"Mers? You ok?" Jeremy asked, his humor wilting as he looked over Mercy.
"Fine," she managed, turning on her computer.
"Someone get you already?" he asked, moving closer and hovering like he liked to do. Jeremy was her boss, but he'd made it clear he'd like to be a lot more.
"Only mother nature," she managed a tight smile. "Sorry I'm late, I had to run back home when I started my period and bled through," she told him, hoping the TMI would make him back off.
"Shit, that sucks," he commiserated. "You need anything? I can have my intern run and get you some midol or some coffee? Anything you need, say the word."
Mercy let out a small sigh, but smiled. "Thanks, Jeremy, but I have it covered," she told him, hating that he was just such a nice freaking guy for a lawyer. Hating that she had no interest in him at all. It wasn't just that he wasn't attractive, he was just always there and didn't know how to back off. Hovering and forcing his presence on her constantly. He never crossed the line into inappropriateness, but he also never backed off an inch or just let her have some breathing space.
"Still, I know you always bring your coffee in with you from One Bean Hombre, I will send Kelsey to grab you one, ok? I know your usual order. Do you want anything besides? A croissant? Do they have pastries there? Some chocolates maybe? I heard girls like chocolate when they're cramping and feeling..."
"Jeremy, back off of her," Joel laughed. "When a girl is bending over backwards like that, it means you're too close."
"Sorry!" Jeremy breathed, taking a step back, his face horrified.
"I don't need anything, Jeremy, really. Thanks," Mercy promised him, opening her emails to start her morning work.
"I'll still have Kelsey grab you a coffee. I want one too, so it's no big deal."
"From One Bean Hombre?" Mercy asked, an eyebrow high. "You know they don't do fancy stuff there, it's just pure black coffee, strong and..."
"Oh, yeah. I know," he smiled.
Mercy shrugged then, smiling at her computer. Jeremy was NOT the type to drink black coffee, not at all. Especially not as strong as they made it at her favorite place. Still, it would be fun to watch his face when he tried it.
As soon as he backed off to go text Kelsey, Mercy stared at her screen and thought about the man in the elevator. The terrifyingly scary hot guy. Who was he? What did he want? Why was he here?
A message popped up, a memorandum about mandatory softball leagues and everyone had to sign up by the end of day.
Mercy rolled her eyes and closed it. These people had no imagination when it came to pranks.
Or did they?
Was dangerous hottie a prank? A prank they were playing on her? Waiting for her to come in and send up the elevator with her?
Of course he was! That made so much more sense! Hazing the new girl, covering with stupid little pranks that were worthy of 3rd graders.
Laughing it off, she wondered who had thought that one up.
At lunch time, Jeremy came out and hovered, leaning over her like only a tall man could do to a tiny woman. "Hey, Mers," he smiled, blushing furiously. "A bunch of us are going up to Shenanigans for lunch. It seems appropriate. You could ride with me if you want?"
"Who else is riding with you?" Mercy asked, turning to look up at him.
"Oh... ummm... anyone who wants to, I guess?"
"Marney? You riding with Jeremy to lunch?"
"Where's lunch?" Marney asked, lighting up. She was never invited to go with to lunch, she was always so sour and grumpy.
"Shenanigans."
"That place is lousy, we should go to Applebees!"
"Everyone decided on Shenanigans," Jeremy grumped.
"I didn't, we should re-vote," Marney demanded.
"It's April fools, Shenanigans just fits the day," he sighed. "It's where we're all going, you can come if you want to, or not."
"Fine, but I get to ride up front, I get motion sick."
"Kelsey!" Mercy called to the awkward girl bringing up inner office memos to Jeremy. "Are you riding with us to lunch?"
"Me?" she asked, gaping.
"Yeah, of course. Jeremy's driving."
"I can't afford it," the girl blushed.
"I'll cover it," Jeremy shrugged, giving Mercy a forlorn look.
"Great, let's go!" Mercy smiled, hooking her arm through Kelseys.
Kelsey looked astonished, but excited as they piled into the elevator.
Jeremy's coterie of coworker friends seemed completely confused as Jeremy led the three women in to their large table. A few of the men had a woman with them, ones they were flirting with in office and in John's case, his secretary that everyone knew he was cheating on his wife with. Jeremy's secretary, Marney, was almost three times his age and a complete buzzkill. Kelsey was the niece of Mr Livingston and that was the only reason she'd gotten the internship that was usually reserved for someone much less awkward and... a little smarter. Perhaps a lot smarter.
They'd all expected him to show up with only Mercy and she knew it as she looked around the table. The important men in the building and their 'side pieces' or girls they were wanting to get into bed. No one was bringing extras.
Jeremy looked sick as he sat down and Mercy put Marney between them.
Derren snorted a laugh. "Happy April Fools," he sneered at Jeremy, lifting a glass of beer to him.
Jeremy flipped him off grumpily from the other side of his menu.
The lunch was awkward with Kelsey talking the entire time about the boy she had a crush on and asking for advice. The men kept chiming in with ridiculous advice and Kelsey was taking it all to heart until Mercy finally spoke up.
"Don't listen to any of them, Kels. It's April Fools and they're all acting like 12 year olds, don't listen to a word they say today. Ok?"
"Oh... yeah, I guess it is, isn't it? Is that why you invited me along? As a joke?"
"No, Kels, it was to include you on a fun lunch. I don't play those kinds of jokes and I would never mess with a guy who did. They're childish and petty and cruel, not funny."
