Page 29 of Ruthless Beasts

“That looks a little invasive.” His eyes were glued to the tray.

“It’s nothing. She’ll feel just a little pinch here and there. Nothing major. Our records showed she’s due for her annual. We’ll get that done, then we’ll move on to the reason she’s here.”

What a fucking liar she was. A little pinch? It was never a little pinch.

She patted my leg. “Scoot all the way down. More. There you go, put your legs up.”

Can I just fucking die now?

I avoided eye contact, already mortified that practical strangers were hanging out while my legs were spread as wide as possible. I only hoped they were polite enough to not look. I inhaled, then exhaled, trying to take deep breaths, while biting down on my lip so hard I was sure I tasted blood.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa…” Ace held up a hand. “What are you doing with that?”

The doctor sighed. “Sir, how else am I to do an exam if she’s not open?”

“Jesus fucking Christ, you’re kidding me, right? This can’t be real.”

“Ace. Sit the fuck down. Now,” Adam growled, clearly losing patience with him. “Let her do her job.”

He gave me one last squeeze before his palm left mine and he moved away, leaving me completely vulnerable. I hated this. I hated that I was all alone in this world. Hated that the little comfort I’d gotten was from a man who otherwise hated me. And I hated most that my best friend wasn’t here with me, because I was scared, and she was all I wanted in this moment.

The doctor went to work, shining her vaginal strobe light at my pussy while the three strangers looked on in horror andindifference. After a few painful moments, she stood, burying her fingers in my body and checking around. I’d never be able to look at these men again. Never. Not like I’d be around long enough. After she confirms to them that I carry an Accardo child, I’m sure to be left on the side of the road.

She removed her gloves as she came around to the side of the exam table. Her too cold hands examined my breasts before feeling around my stomach. When she was done and I was sure things couldn’t get worse, she clapped her hands together and cheerfully asked, “Does Dad want to see his little bundle?”

I couldn’t look at the man who was legally my husband. I didn’t want to see the disgust on his face. But the doctor didn’t wait for him to answer. Instead, she was already pulling a machine toward me, setting it up so everyone could see the screen.

“This will be cold.” She gave me a full two-second warning before dumping gel onto my stomach. She got herself comfortable before adjusting the wand against my skin, rubbing it around at various angles until she was digging painfully into the bone. She flipped on the screen for everyone to see. “There it is. See that? It’s moving around, happily.”

She flicked something and a heavy rhythmic sound filled the room.

“Is that…“ Mercer was breathless as he asked, never finishing his sentence.

The doctor knew what he was asking, though. “A heartbeat. A healthy one sixty.”

The room was soundless for the rest of the time. A needle could drop, and it would be echoing in the heavy silence. She clicked a few buttons and a few photos popped out of the machine. She tore them off and handed them to me. “Everything is perfect. We’ll see you back in a month.”

Then she was gone, closing the door and leaving me in a room with three men that I didn’t even know well enough to know their middle names. The moment the door clicked, Ace stepped forward, taking the sonogram photos from my hand, and bringing it to his face to examine every detail.

“This is fucking insane.”

Fucking insane is the trend of my life.

“Let her get dressed,” Adam instructed, as he stood from the chair he had been silently stewing in and turned around to give me privacy.

“I’ll go make her appointment,” Mercer offered, already out the door.

“Ace?”

There was a pause. “I’ll go help him. Can I take these?”

I stared straight at the wall, motioning with my hand for him to take them. I just wanted clothes on. I needed clothes as the thinnest of guards to help me feel less vulnerable. Another click of the door and I was alone with my husband, wearing only a paper gown and humiliation. I got dressed as quickly as I could.

When I was fully dressed, I finally spoke. “I’m decent.”

He turned slowly, his eyes roaming over my body. “Anything you’d like to tell me?”

I would not cower under his piercing eyes. “No.”

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