Page 53 of Ruthless Beasts

“Clearly, her husband doesn’t care if he’s forming his own proposition,” I mumbled, earning myself a glare from Adam.

Mercer continued on, “It’s okay, baby, we all have our thing.” Jesus. Stop with the pet names. I scrunched up my nose, my face pulled in disgust. “For instance, mine is?—“

“Enough,” Adam growled, clearly not wanting to know what Mercer’s kink was. I’d thank him later for that, because I could die and not be more thankful I’d never received that bit of information. “I want to be clear that we are not forcing you into anything, Belle. But you have a choice. All or one. Either way, I wouldn’t be mad. I understand my strengths and my weaknesses, and I think you deserve nothing but strengths. But it’s your choice to make when you’re ready.”

Her eyes were solidly on her plate, not daring to look at us and give away any of her emotions. After a silence that was heavy enough to suffocate us, she finally asked, “Is this a trap?”

Adam put a single chip into his mouth, the crunch echoing through the room before he asked, “Why would you think that?”

She finally raised her head to meet his eyes. “I’ve never had a boyfriend before. Now, I’ve got a husband who might hate me, and two men who follow me around to keep me company out of some obligation I know nothing about or would never fully understand. And that doesn’t even include the addition of the two men at this table who I can’t decide if they want to be my friends because they like me or because you told them to be.”

“Belle—“

But she held her hand up, cutting off Adam as she pushed her chair back. “I’m actually not hungry. I think I’m going to take a nap.”

“Belle, you need to eat,” he argued. But she was already up, leaving us as she sought the safety of her room. When she was out of view, Adam groaned, “Well, that went well.”

“Could have been worse.” I smiled, loving the torture of the moment.

He glared. “Doubt it.”

“She didn’t say no.” I shrugged. “I think you’re more annoyed that everything she said was true. She pinned it all perfectly. Ourlittle meek queen is more observant than you gave her credit for.”

“Things need to change,” he mumbled.

“Clearly,” I laughed. “You think just because you ate pussy once she’d fall to her knees and praise everything you do? You put no real work in, nothing physical at least. Nothing intellectual, that’s for damn sure. And you expect optimum results.”

“You’re in a shit mood.” He pushed his plate away. “I’m going to the library. If I’m going to start fresh, at least I could do it in a big fucking way. What a shit show I’ve made things.”

I wasn’t about to hold his hand and tell him things were going to be alright. He should have talked to her before now. Before he even offered his wife, his fuckingwife, up as a side piece for us. Would she be a side piece? I wished I could say yes, but everything in my soul screamed I could never. I could never have another woman when I had her waiting at home for me.

But she wouldn’t be waiting at home forme, really, would she? Not when she had Adam, her husband, and Mercer, the lapdog, always at her call. Was I jealous? Was this what it felt like? Hadn’t we made some progress in the garden?

Mercer was unaffected by my mood, like he was unaffected by most things. “Well, she’ll pick us. Maybe not at this moment, but she wants us. And listen, those books she reads… fucking criminal. There is no way a girl would have the opportunity to live that out and not take it up. How would you feel about touching my cock?”

He asked that question right as I drank a mouthful of water, which I ended up spraying over the table as I choked out, “Excuse me?”

“Okay, damn. I’ll touch yours, I guess. Don’t need to be dramatic.”

“No one is touching anyone else’s dick,” I clarified. “What’s wrong with you?”

“She’d like it.”

“I bet she’d like a pony too, but I’m not buying one.” I stood, grabbing the plates of uneaten food. Max and Drew would eat it. I swear they’d eat nearly anything put in front of them. “I don’t care how much you beg, Merc. I’d never touch your dick.”

His laughter followed me into the kitchen before his voice drifted in. “Famous last words.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

BELLAMY

“You’re not in my bed.”

I startled awake at the sound of Adam’s voice as he stood over me.

I didn’t fear his presence, though maybe I should have. Instead, all I could concentrate on was the fog of sleep that tried to pull me under again. I closed my eyes, drifting when a hand touched my bare thigh. The warmth had me leaning into it, my body yearning for the comfort it could bring.

“Belle.” I squeezed my eyes, not wanting to wake. “Belle.”

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