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I woke up to the sound of the doorbell ringing, blinking against the sunlight streaming in. I glanced down to see Blake asleep on my chest, her hair tousled and face relaxed. A small smile crept onto my face, but I quickly stifled it; I didn't want to wake her Carefully, I shifted my body, trying not to disturb her as I swung my legs over the side of the couch. The living room was a disaster, with piles of books scattered everywhere. I winced at the thought of Mercer seeing this chaos.
I padded quietly to the door, heart racing a bit as I pulled it open. There stood Mercer, looking as composed as ever, though a hint of something calculating lurked in his eyes.
"Damien," he said, nodding slightly. "Just checking in after that incident at the exhibition."
"Everything's fine," I replied, trying to act natural as I blocked his view of the messy living room. "Just been a bit tired."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly assessing my demeanor. "You don't look so great. You sure you're alright?"
"Yeah, just catching up on some reading," I said quickly. "What brings you by?"
"Thought I'd see how you were handling everything," he said, glancing over my shoulder as if trying to gauge the situation. "Can I come in?"
"Maybe not right now," I said, hesitating. Just then, I felt a presence behind me.
"Who is it?" Blake's voice broke through the morning haze. I turned to see her standing there, still half-asleep but alert. When she caught sight of Mercer, her eyes widened in surprise.
"Blake?" Mercer said, clearly taken aback. I could sense his surprise shift into something more suspicious as he took in the scene.
"Uh, hi," she said, stepping closer, her posture instinctively protective. "What are you doing here?"
"Just checking on Damien after... everything," he replied, his gaze shifting between us. "You two seem to be spending quite a bit of time together."
Blake narrowed her eyes slightly, sensing the underlying tension. "Yeah, just catching up on some reading."
Mercer's expression was inscrutable as he considered her words. "Interesting choice of activities. I was actually hoping to invite Damien to lunch this afternoon. I'd like you to join too, Blake. I think your perspective could be valuable."
"Lunch?" I echoed, trying to keep my voice steady. "What do you need help with?"
Mercer smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Just some logistics for an upcoming deal. It'd be nice to have both of your insights."
Blake glanced at me, and I could see her unease. "I'll have to check my schedule," she said cautiously.
"Of course," Mercer replied, his tone smooth but with a hint of something sharper underneath. "Just let me know. I'd hate for you to miss out on an opportunity."
"Right. I'll run it by her," I said, eager to get rid of him.
Mercer nodded, but his eyes lingered on Blake a moment longer. "I'll be in touch. Take care, you two." He stepped back, but I could tell he wasn't entirely convinced.
As soon as the door closed, I turned to Blake, who looked a bit pale. "Sorry about that. I didn't expect him to come by."
"He gives me the creeps," she admitted, crossing her arms.
"Maybe it's something about his bald head" i try to joke, just to lighten up the mood that mercer fucked up
