Page 132 of Ruthless Beasts

Elizabeth.

I used my shoulder to wipe at my eye, even though I most definitely was not crying.

"Elizabeth. She would have liked that." I smiled down at the baby, who now carried a piece of my sister with her. "Rosalie Elizabeth. So perfect for the perfectest of girls."

I couldn't stop staring at her. My eyes were only fixated on the little girl who I knew already had the three of us wrapped around her tiny little finger. We were screwed when she was older, already willing to give her absolutely anything she asked for. Any want she could desire, we'd hand over on a silver platter.

"Is she coming home before Belle?" I asked as the little princess held tight to my finger.

"By a few days. We've got it," he assured me.

Still, I was nervous. "I've never been a dad before," I confessed.

"Then we learn together." Mercer grinned. "You get first day diaper changes."

"Absolutely not." I booped her nose. "I don't care how cute you are, or how much you already look like your mama. Cuteness cannot weaken me."

"He's already a sinking ship." Mercer laughed before pushing himself up. "I'm going to go check on Belle. Ace will give you a ride home tonight, Adam. I'll stay here."

We'd all been alternating staying with Belle each night. And though Adam spent a few days in the hospital himself, he still insisted on being here every day, all day. He needed rest. We all did. Though I knew that rest would never come until Belle was at our house and we could finally feel relief.

The door closed behind him, before I dared to ask, "Is he good?"

I gently bounced the bundle in my arms, not able to stop the grin when her little nose wrinkled in her sleep before her face relaxed.

"He's... processing. He won't admit it, but almost losing Belle brought him to the edge of a terror he'd never experiencedbefore." Adam adjusted in his chair, his leg outstretched and under layers of wraps and dressing.

"And you?"

"I keep reminding myself we all made it." He toyed with a piece of lint from the fluffy blanket that had settled on his pants.

"But?"

"But you both weren't there and fuck, I'm glad you weren't. If you had been, had seen Belle moments before she lost consciousness... I can't get the image out of my mind. It haunts me."

"I've never been more thankful for that slightly annoying friend of hers." I leaned down, kissing Rosalie’s — Rosie's — forehead.

"And Mercer's even more annoying dog," Adam added. "I ordered that fucker so many treats. If she hadn't gotten Hannah, we wouldn't be here. Neither of us. Not even that little girl."

"Hannah deserves a bonus." I stroked the tiny little cheeks. Shit, I’d been so petrified to hold her, and now I wanted to do nothing but. What was this voodoo this tiny little charmer was performing?

"She'll get one. Probably triple because now Max and Drew refuse to leave her side at all. It appears I'll be assigning Belle some new protection."

"They are smitten." I laughed. "Who would have thought we'd see the day?"

"Smitten and useless," Adam confirmed. "I'm heading outside. Come find me when you're ready to leave." He watched me for a moment. "Take your time. I'm in no rush, and I know how addictive she can be."

"I'll just be a few minutes."

He stood, struggling as he balanced himself, and grabbed his crutches. He had just begun to leave when he turned back around. "Ace?"

"Yeah?"

"I had never thought I'd see the day when the likes of us became dads."

"Me either," I agreed. With all we had done in our past, all we were capable of, no one deserved us as their child's father. And yet...

"It looks good on us."

---