Page 40 of Ruthless Beasts

Before he could open his mouth to spout out more bullshit, I gave into my weakness and took out a few of his teeth, while rendering him unconscious. Whatever bullshit he wanted to say, he could speak to her husband right before he dies.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

ADAM

I hated leaving her, after seeing the complete mental meltdown the video caused. But I couldn’t let the crimes of her family go unpunished, either. To treat my wife with such disregard was disgusting. The way her father went about it, repulsive. Had he not done such a heinous thing, I might have let him live, at least for a little while.

We barely caught her when she passed out. I was thankful Mercer’s reflexes were as good as mine. When we had her steady, I scooped her in my arms, brushing the strands of hair out of her face before looking to my friend. “She’ll be okay, right?”

He nodded, making me feel reassured. “It was a shock.”

I closed my eyes, trying to rein in the rage bubbling inside. “Should she see a doctor?”

“I’ll call our on-call doctor. See if he’s able to make a house visit.”

The stone lodged in my throat made swallowing a struggle. My clammy hands made it feel as if I’d drop her at any moment. “I’m taking her to my room. Send in the doctor when he comes.”

Mercer raised a brow in question, but didn’t say a word as I walked down the hall and kicked open my bedroom door. That fucking dog was on my heels the whole time. Inside my room, I laid her on the bed, then took a throw and covered her. The dog jumped up, and I growled at it. “Off.”

It didn’t listen, only walked in a circle before collapsing in a position next to Belle, laying its head on Belle’s stomach. I glared. “You think I don’t know that? It’s why I have the doctor coming.”

The dog huffed, and I flipped her off. Fuck her and her judgements. I was doing what needed to be done, even if Belle couldn’t handle it. It was best for her, best for the both of them. They wouldn’t have her toxic father lurking in the background, always a danger. I didn’t know what power play Accardo was working toward by sending that video, but if he wanted to go back on his alliance and eliminate the threat, I’d gladly do it for him.

I pulled up a chair and sat, watching my wife. She was beautiful, and admitting that felt like a vice was squeezing my heart. I loved Elizabeth, and it was a betrayal to watch Belle and feel something, anything at all.

I looked around the room, the one my wife had never slept in. I’d never taken her in here, never invited her into any of my private spaces. I don’t know why. This room never belonged to Elizabeth. That one was locked away behind a closed door in the west wing. Still, I wondered if Elizabeth would be angry that I laid Belle on my bed, even if my intentions were pure enough.

“She looks good on your bed,” Mercer commented as he walked in, not bothering to knock.

“Your dog is not sleeping with me.”

“I wasn’t talking about Lady.” And he was right. Belle’s creamy skin and brown hair were like a portrait against my black sheets.

I didn’t acknowledge what he was hinting at. “Your dog refused to move.”

“She’s worried about her mama.” He reached the edge of the bed. “Doctor will be here in twenty.”

“Her mama, hum?”

He shrugged. “She’s the only gal in this house and Lady is a baby still.”

“For a second, I thought maybe you reconsidered my offer.” I kept my voice low as Belle stirred.

“I’ve thought about it. It is all I can think about, really.” He sighed as he reached forward and petted the dog's head. “Isn’t it up to her to decide, anyway?”

“I can’t give her everything she needs.”Hell, I doubt I could give her much of anything that’s not financial. I’m doing a shit job as it is.

“Shouldn’t you let her decide what she needs?” I hated that he was right. What she needed was up to her to ask for, to take, and I didn’t know if she’d ever ask for more than any of us could give her.

Her eyes fluttered for a moment before she squeezed them together, and I leaned forward. “Hey sweetheart, just rest, okay? We’ve got a doctor coming to check you out. You’ll be good as new. You just fainted, is all.”

She was struggling to wake, her eyelids moving as she fought to grasp consciousness. Then Lady snuggled closer and Belle sighed, relaxing under the weight of the pup. I guess, even though I’m not fond of animals, the dog could stay. Anything to make our girl comfortable.

Five hours later, the doctor had come and deemed Belle healthy, suggesting plenty of rest and fluids. The baby's heart was strong, and when Belle finally woke, she seemed perfectly fine. Though I’d still not let her move. I didn’t want to risk it.

Ignoring her protests, I left her with Mercer in my room, watching a movie, and stomped my way down the stone steps to the basement. It was cold down there, wet, dark; the perfect place to keep a prisoner until I wanted to deal with them.

And Vinnie Crusiaux was a prisoner.

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