Page 26 of Ruthless Beasts

Her eyes grew wide; her hand trembled. “I?—“

“Anything I should know?” Her reaction was so intense at the mere mention of the name.

“I—“ She didn’t speak after that. Her lip trembled. What was it she feared? Surely it wasn’t my reaction? I wasn’t a complete monster, despite the look she was giving me now.

“We’ll leave around eight.” I gave her a curt nod before I closed her door and walked to my office, feeling the stare of the haunting photos looking at me.

How would Elizabeth feel knowing what I was about to do? Would she hate me for the choices I made after she was gone? For the family I took on, when all I really wanted was the one sheand I created together? My stomach coiled to where I questioned if I’d be sick. I betrayed her, my wife.

No. That’s not quite right. My wife is on the other side of the house, carrying a secret, that even now she refuses to tell.

I rested my face in the palm of my hands, breathing hard as I tried to gather myself. What the hell was I doing? I’d offered her up to my best friends, offered to share her, to protect her, and now… with the new addition in the mix. I didn’t know if I was strong enough, if we were solid enough, to keep them safe.

My phone buzzed on the desk, and I watched it for a moment, deciding if I wanted to pick it up. I had meetings today, and all I wanted to do was cancel them all. When I flipped it over, it was Mercer’s name, and an illuminated message.

Mercer: Not sure what happened, but Bellamy is upset. What do we do?

Well, that took him no time at all to zoom in on my wife’s emotions. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. I gave him permission to care. Hell, I all but begged him to. I just hadn’t realized he was already there.

Me: She’s upset because I reminded her about an appointment she has today, one she made prior to our marriage.

Mercer: Oh. Finally.

Finally? What the hell did that mean? Had my wife confided in him before she came to me? If so, why hadn’t he told me? He wasmybest friend, not hers.

Me: You knew?

Mercer: Only an educated guess. The signs were there.

What the fuck did he mean the signs were there? I saw no signs. Not a single one pointed toward the appointment she was about to have, one that still had me feeling woozy about it. But then again, I’d actively avoided her, hadn’t I? Not wanting to come to terms with how deeply I betrayed Elizabeth.

Me: We leave at eight.

He didn’t respond after that. I suspected I’d find him babying my wife, trying to brighten her day, because that’s the type of person he was. A fucking killer with a heart of gold. My suspicions were confirmed when I approached the front door where Ace stood, scowling, and Mercer stood with Belle, his knees bent to be eye level with her, talking so softly I couldn’t make out the words.

“Having fun?” I barked, annoyed that he could get so close to her while she looked at me like I would rip her heart out at any moment.

Mercer’s back straightened. “Just a pep talk.”

“Do we need a pep talk, Belle?” My voice was hard, and I instantly regretted it. When she didn’t answer, I ordered, “Belle, you’re with me. The boys will drive separately.”

“Is that wise?” Mercer questioned my orders, something he never did.

“I’ve got two guards' vehicles, one in front, one in back of us,” I informed him. “We’re protected.”

The thought of not being protected didn’t sit well. Having a repeat of what happened with my wife — only with Belle laying on the pavement, broken and bloodied, burned and lifeless, our child no longer moving in her womb — was a new nightmare of mine. I’d not let it happen. Never again.

But as we got into our vehicles, our cars set in motion, it was all I could think about. Acid clawed up my throat, fear curling so tight it stole my breath, and beside me, my young wife sat, looking frightful for her life because of me. I had no love left to give her. I’d lost that ability long ago, but her fear gnawed at me, making me feel like less of a man for causing her dread when she had nothing to worry about. I’d not harm her. I’d protect her with my life.

I just hope I do a better job now than I did five years ago.

CHAPTER TEN

BELLAMY

Breakfast was tense. We ate at a tiny diner just outside of town. They crowded me into a booth, and all I wanted was fresh air. It was too much;theywere too much. I felt suffocated, stifled, on the verge of a complete panic attack. A panic attack that had been just under the surface, waiting to burst free, ever since my husband’s subtle hint that he knew my secret.

I toyed with telling him the truth, but every time I opened my mouth, words wouldn’t come out. I was frozen, unable to speak what I knew he wanted to hear. I told myself we’d talk about it in the car, but one look at his scarred, disfigured face that was set in a permanent frown, and I couldn’t do it. I was scared to do it.

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