Page 114 of Ruthless Beasts

"Twenty minutes?" I taunted. "That seems like an old man's time frame."

"Really?" He silently chuckled as his teeth sunk into my neck. His voice was faint as he spoke against my skin. "That was the time I planned to give you two orgasms. But maybe... I should make it three."

God. My body was liquid lava at the thought of it. I challenged him still, knowing damn well what he was capable of. "I don't think you could do it."

"I guess we'll see, then." Then Ace dropped to the floor before me, his best friends watching, as he pulled down my panties, tossing them to the side before he lifted my leg over his shoulder, forcing my pussy to be completely exposed. Before I could argue further, his tongue was on me, his fingers inside of me, and he only proved to show me just what benefits could come with loving a man ten years your senior.

Three fucking times.

CHAPTER FORTY

ACE

Bellamy looked back at me, her hair over her shoulder as she craned her neck. "Can't keep up, old man?"

Sassy little thing we had for ourselves. I loved it. I loved her. Though I hadn't gotten around to telling her all of that yet. In time. We had all the time in the world. She was ours, and she wasn't going anywhere.

"I thought you took back all the old man jokes this morning while you screamed my name in the kitchen."

"This morning doesn't count." She blushed.

"Sure as hell counted to me. Three times," I pointed out. "And I can keep up, even with my arms full of bags."

"Need I remind you, those are yours." She laughed, and it was true. I might have gone overboard shopping for our little girl, but fuck. If this was the closest I'd ever be to being a dad, something I hadn't even realized I wanted, then I was going for it, all in.

"Hush up with the finer details unless you want me to bend that perfect ass over my knee later," I threatened.

"I wouldn't object." She wiggled the ass in question as she walked in front of me, taunting and teasing. Fuck me, I should have kept my mouth shut.

"Jesus," Adam cursed, then glared at me. "We're in public."

"Don't yell at me; I can't help that she's irresistible. Yell at your wife for being a temptress," I declared.

"Don't victim blame." She laughed. "Look, I think I see Mercer."

I followed her pointed finger and sure enough, there he was, chatting with one of our men we had stationed along the mall. He looked up, and a carefree smile I'd never seen on his face took over, softening him up. He patted our man on the back before he jogged toward us. He had changed, which I suspected had to do with blood that probably coated his skin, rather than because he wanted to. He had a job to do, and it was bloody, but he did it right every damn time. No one killed like Mercer. No one enjoyed it so much. It was why he always volunteered for it. Except this time, he seemed too reluctant to leave our sides.

"Baby," he cooed, his hands instantly on her, pulling her in for a kiss. She didn't resist. She never did. Any time our lips found hers, she returned our affection greedily. "I missed you."

"It's only been a few hours." She laughed and swatted at his chest.

"Seems like a lifetime." He smiled down at her. "What did I miss?"

"Shopping. Lots of shopping." Adam held up bags.

Bellamy groaned. "I swear, they are leaving out the part where they were the ones grabbing up any and all baby items. If I picked it up to see what it was, we now own it."

"Better to be prepared." Adam shrugged. "She'll want for nothing."

"I never doubted that. Not the way you men hover over me, coddling me," Bellamy huffed.

She loved it. It was clear. She wouldn't change us for the world, and we'd not change her either. Mercer leaned down, biting her ear for a second before whispering, "Our baby wants ice cream."

"Does she? It appears her daddy does."

A strange expression crossed over him, like he'd never thought of it that way. Then a goofy grin took over. "Yeah, he does."

He took her hand and led us toward the ice cream shop, leaving Adam and I behind them, lugging all the bags. Hell, even Max and Drew were loaded down, but I couldn't complain because, for something as simple as shopping, this had to have been the best day we'd had in a long while. Adam was smiling, a cheesy grin that was pasted on his face from ear to ear, and fuck... I couldn't describe how much I’d missed that. I’d missed my best friend being happy.

---