A Little Sane

Chapter 85

Jerome stepped back. He dissented from Mercedes's opinion on what should happen next. She looked at him with jumbled feelings. Jerome parted his lips and shook his head before speaking.

"You're not seriously going through with trying to run the Gotham underground are you?"

Mercedes tilted her head in confusion. She opened her mouth, but couldn't find the words. Broken breaths and syllables came out as her arm shook. She gestured towards Diablo.

"Then what did I just kill him for?"

Jerome groaned and turned away angry. Mercedes grabbed his arm and turned him around. Her voice was slightly raised.

"Hey, I can't just let anyone else take over. Who knows how they'd treat us? My family's safety comes first."

Jerome shook his head laughing. He gave her a dark glare.

"Bull fucking shit! This may have started about our family, but that's not what you care about anymore! You just want the power! You really think they'll even let a woman be the boss?!"

Mercedes's eyes turned black and stepped forward angry.

"Excuse me?! What does me being a woman have to do with it?! And how dare you question my concern and love for my fam..."

"Oh shut the fuck up!"

Jerome got inches from her face.

"What are you going to fucking do?! Huh?! Threaten me like you threatened Abbe?!"

Mercedes stepped back. 

"That's not..."

Jerome laughed as he stepped forward to get back into her face. His voice was loud and rang with a deep tone.

"What?! Can't speak now?! I'm not some other female you can feel power over so please go ahead and attack me! You have powers, but we know what happens when we get into physical fights! We know who is the one that cowers! You act like a woman so higher than the man, but you're fucking scared of your own husband! So please act up! I have no problems with entertaining you right now!" 

Mercedes wasn't looking at him. His hot breath blanketed her face. She finally fixated on his face.

"Fuck you..."

Mercedes pushed away from Jerome and started to walk away. He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her back against his chest. He wrapped his other arm around her waist. He held her tightly. Mercedes turned her head to the side and Jerome was giving her a wicked grin. She watched his eyes fall on her stomach and an even more sickening grin graced his face. Mercedes gasped and instantly fell into defense mode. She threw a fireball at his arm. Jerome groaned in pain and let go of Mercedes. She quickly made her way to the other side of the room. She turned to face him. Jerome was holding his arm that was burnt. Mercedes instantly wrapped her arms around her stomach. Jerome glared when he lifted his gaze.

"You fucking bitch!"

Mercedes noticed her dagger lying on the ground close to Jerome. She looked back up nervous. She watched as his eyes followed hers to see what she had found. He gave her a twisted smile. Within three second Mercedes took off out of the door just as her dagger flew past her. 

"Mercedes you come back here now!"

She could hear Jerome running after. She kept her pace forward. 

"Mercedes! I swear when I catch you!"

She turned around and threw several fireballs at Jerome to slow him down. He dodged every one of them. Mercedes finally made it outside and quickly looked around before locating their car. She made it to the door and gasped in frustration.

Wait! Where are the fucking keys?! Does he have them?! 

She searched herself praying that she had the keys. She heard a voice that had just stepped out of the building.

"Oh doll face look at you."

Mercedes finally found the keys in her pocket. She turned and took one look at Jerome grinning as he slowly walked towards her. He stopped and noticed the keys in her hand. He glared and started running at her. Mercedes felt that it took forever to fumble the key into the door, sit inside the car and safely lock herself inside. Jerome laughed when he tried to open the door. Mercedes just stared at him. 

"Come on. Open the door."

Mercedes continued to stare in silence. Jerome banged on the window.

"Open the fucking door Mercedes!"

Mercedes jumped and stuck the key in the ignition. Jerome clenched his fists.

"You better not!"

She went with her gut feeling and started the car. Jerome banged on the window several times.

"Turn it off and get the fuck out!"

Mercedes knew he was about to break the glass so she stepped on the gas. Jerome yelled after her.

"You goddamn bitch!"

She finally pulled over on a random side street to catch her breath. Her heart was racing. She looked down at her stomach and instantly started crying. She could feel a presence walking behind their car. She looked in the review mirror and shook. She slowly stared at the window. Jerome found her. His voice was stern, but not loud. He had a slightly stern expression.

"Open the door."

Mercedes shook as her tears continued to fall.

"Jerome..."

"Open. The door."

Against her better judgment she slowly unlocked the door. Jerome swiftly opened it and yanked her out of the car. She back up into the car. Jerome ignored her hands glowing as he stepped close to her. She watched his hand closely. She left out a heavy breath as he gently wiped away her tears. 

"Go get back in the car. Passenger side."

Mercedes was confused when he stopped in front of the building that used to belong to Diablo. 

"Get out."

Mercedes turned him confused. Jerome nodded.

"Get out. You can stay here tonight."

Mercedes shook her head.

"Jerome what..? What are you..?"

Jerome gave her a firm glare.

"You are not coming home tonight. So get out."

"You want me to stay... here.. by myself.. with random criminals..."

Jerome laughed.

"Oh no remember? You're a big shot who can take care of yourself. You got what you wanted. It's all yours. So go enjoy it."

Mercedes gently shook her head. Jerome groaned and glared.

"Mercedes get the fuck out. Now!"

Mercedes watched as Jerome sped away. She slowly walked back into the building. Everyone watched her as she went back up to Diablo's room. She stared at his dead body. She slowly started to clean him up.