Page 87 of Ruthless Beasts

“You have doubts?” His brow furrowed, like the thought of me not believing him truly bothered him.

“No.” I shook my head. “I trust you.”

“Trust and doubts are two different things,” he reminded me, and I knew he was right.

I wanted to say more, but Mercer was there up on the stage, the light beaming off him, and for a moment, I forgot how my lungs worked. He looked so damn beautiful, fucking angelic. He had no business looking that serene when I knew the hands that could belong to an angel were also coated in blood. Watching him made my heart pound, and I couldn’t look away. I didn’t want to.

When a hand touched my thigh, I jumped, my body not prepared for the touch. Ace leaned in. “Adam gave me special instructions to take care of you.”

I tore my eyes away from Mercer, who had spoken into the mic, and leaned into Ace. “Haven’t you been doing that the whole night?”

“Minimally.” He tilted his chin. “Eat your food, little Belle.”

I picked up my fork, dipping it into some creamy mashed potatoes, but the moment I brought it to my mouth, Ace’s finger moved slightly, a twitch that I might not have noticed if the thin silk didn’t give way to the warmth of his hand searing into my thigh. I froze, the fork hanging in the air as I wondered, internally begging for his finger to move over just an inch, even as I prayed it didn’t.

Ace leaned into me again. “Eat. Your. Food.”

I brought the fork up, wrapping my lips around the creamy mashed potatoes as I brought them into my mouth. Ace’s finger moved again, swirling gentle circles over my inner thigh, makingme fight a squirm. I looked over at him, not needing to speak, as the question was clearly written on my face.

“You eat, I continue, little Belle. I’m taking care of you, remember?” His voice was the closest thing to a purr that a man sitting at the top of a bloody empire was capable of, and that only made his words hotter.

I fought a shiver as I spoke. “Surely, this isn’t what Adam meant.”

“Specific instructions, and you know I like to obey. Look at Mercer, up there, eyes on you, knowing exactly where my hand is right this moment. Do you think he’s jealous? I know he is. He’s always wanted what others had. Think he’s up there, thinking about your skin under this dress, wondering when he could watch it fall to the ground around you? What about Adam? I wonder if he’s up there, waiting to speak, thinking about what you taste like. I can’t wait to find out. Eat your food, Bellamy.”

I was on fire.

My skin flamed.

My core pulsed.

Was this my life right now, or was I dreaming? Because there was no way this was real. Except the fingers on my thigh reminded me that this very much was my reality, and I got out of it what I wanted only if I obeyed.

I brought another fork full of food to my mouth, and his finger moved again, rubbing the slowest torturous circle that I thought I’d eventually die if he continued at this pace. I finished my plate, followed instructions, and still his finger danced just outside the V of my thigh, not going further than teasing me.

Leaning forward, not caring who was around, I practically begged into his ear, “Please, Ace.”

“Patience, sweetheart,” he cooed, his eyes on the stage. “Look at how much they want you. So fucking much that they don’t even care that their cocks are solid rocks on that stage.”

I followed his gaze to my men as they stood off to the side, letting some old man who looked like a bear hyped up on cocaine have the stage. But even from here, I could tell they were hard as a rock. Their eyes burned into me. “They are watching us.”

“They can’t even concentrate on the mayor, knowing how bothered I’m making you.” His fingers scrunched up in the silk for a moment before he let it fall. Then, he shifted his hand, bringing his thumb over the junction of my thigh and pressing down. “No fucking panties. You dirty girl.”

“The—“ Shit, I was losing my mind. I couldn’t even form a coherent sentence or thought when he nudged his finger between my folds, pressing into my clit with such a delicious pressure that I had to use all my will not to pant.

“The what, sweet girl?” he cooed.

I searched my mind, trying to remember what we were even talking about before I formed a sentence. “They left a line.”

“I see.” His breath against the shell of my ear made gooseflesh rise on my skin. “Do you think we’d care about a little line when you look this fucking hot?”

“I… No.”

“That’s right, baby. It’s not the clothes. It’s you.” His teeth caught my earlobe for a moment. “And you’re so fucking perfect.”

He pressed down, rubbing slow circles around the sensitive nub, and the feel of the silk against my skin only intensified the sensation. I’d made a mistake not wearing anything under this dress tonight. I knew that now. Because with his fingers pressed between my thighs, there was no way I’d be leaving here without a wet spot gracing the silk of my dress and giving away just how much I wanted these men. There was no way I’d be able to walk out of this building without feeling my flesh sticky with the want that was consuming me.

“Focus,” he demanded. “The mayor is talking.”

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