Page 14 of Ruthless Beasts

“We all have chains. Prove to me I can loosen yours.”

We stared at each other. Neither wanted to blink first. Both of us were equally stubborn, but only I had the power to back up my stubbornness. She could challenge me all day and I wouldn’t budge. Why would I? I had nothing to lose. But for her, she had absolutely everything.

She gave in first, looking down at the plate she hardly touched. “And when you kick me out, toss me away like you’re bound to do, do you promise to at least send me off with more than the clothes on my back?”

“Which is it? Do you want to leave or stay?” I challenged because she was giving me mixed signals.

“I- “ She paused. “I don’t know.”

That I would believe. “Neither do I.”

“I don’t know you.” She bit her lip again.

“Hi, my name is Adam Ferrari, but I think you know that. Next to you is Mercer Alexander.” I used my chin to gesture to Merc. “And on your other side is Aiden Barrett, but I don’t need to tell you this information. You already know it, don’t you?”

Ace cleared his throat, not approving of the use of his given name. “Ace.”

She nodded silently.

“What do you want to know?” I prompted.

She had the look that said she wanted to know everything, but was too afraid to ask. That was on her. I’d given her the opportunity. More abuse to that damn lower lip, and I could barely watch the torture anymore. Finally, she released it. “Yesterday, I wanted to leave.”

“Won’t happen.”

“I-I think I know that.” Her finger came up, picking at the orange peel.

“I’m not kicking you out either.”

“Yet,” she said under her breath. “Listen, I don’t want to go back to my father, and I don’t want to be a part of the Accardo family. But I also don’t want to be your wife.”

I stood, not caring any more to continue this conversation. She said what she had to say, and so had I. She knew we weren’t a threat. She knew she was going nowhere. She was only the prisoner she created.

“Well, two out of three isn’t bad.” Mercer tried to lighten the mood. It didn’t work.

“I’m going into the office. Be a good girl and don’t give my men trouble today. Think you can handle that?”

She didn’t answer that one simple question. “In my bag I received last night, my phone was gone. I need it.”

I laughed. “Not going to happen, little Belle.”

“I can’t make a call?”

“I can’t trust you to make a call,” I reminded her. Her eyes flashed, letting me know that not making that phone call was the right decision. She had plans, but so did I, and my plans didn’t involve hunting down my new wife after she made a planned escape. “You can make a call when you earn it. Until then, your cell phone is mine.”

“But—“

I walked out of the room before I could hear further arguments. Had she forgotten that she may be my wife, but she was the blood of my enemy and because of that fact, we could not trust her? I’d give her anything she asked to make her comfortable—starting with clothes that didn’t belong to my friend—but I would not give her an opportunity to scheme.

CHAPTER SIX

BELLAMY

Crusiaux.

Accardo.

Ferrari.

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