Page 63 of Ruthless Beasts

“You’re still handsome, you know.” And he was. I wouldn’t lie about that. When I first joined them, his icy demeanor and scarred body scared me. But now that I knew him, I knew it was an act. He’d never hurt me. His coldness was a way to protect himself. When I allowed myself to look at him now, I appreciated the soft edges and hard lines, finding them both equally attractive.

“Flattering. But I disagree.” He reached for the frame, removing it from my hand, staring at the image like he was lost in thought.

“I’m sorry,” I spoke softly.

“Sometimes I forget Ace lost someone, too. That I wasn’t the only one who had pain. I used to think I died then, that my life had ended and I’d be a shell of who I once was for as long as I lived.”

“Used to?”

“I’m trying to change, be better, live more.” He looked down at me as he reached up, putting the frame back where I took it from. “Have patience with me. It’s a big change.”

“I…“ I bit down on my lip hard, afraid to speak and working up the courage I needed to say what was on my mind.

“What? You what, little Belle?”

“I don’t want to be a replacement,” I confessed, knowing the confession was selfish. He lost his wife, the love of his life, and I was worried about being second best.

“Replacement?” His brow pulled in confusion. “Is that what you think?”

“Isn’t it true?”

“No one could replace Elizabeth,” he confessed, and though I expected it, my heart still sank. But then he continued, “And no one could replace you. She was from the past. You are the present. They are different times in my life, and neither mean more or less than the other. And I’m sorry, I truly am because I haven’t done the best job of showing you that. But I’m trying, and there are days I’ll still struggle. You understand, don’t you?”

His hand wrapped around me as he pulled me back to his chest. His palm rested against my stomach. “I think so.”

“These shelves are my past, but my future…” He turned me around, letting me see a snapshot he had taken of me without knowing that was propped up on his desk. “My future is never behind me, and always before me.”

The faintest of flutters danced through me. “You have my picture.”

“I do.” His palm moved in a slow circle. “You let her touch you.”

I knew what he was referring to. I didn’t need to ask. But Hannah was my best friend; her touch was familiar as my own. We’d been friends for far too long to not be comfortable with each other. “Jealous?”

“Yes,” he admitted.

“I’ve never told you no.”

“You’ve never told me yes, either.” He had a point.

“You’re touching me now,” I reminded him.

“And I think I’m obsessed.” He rested his chin on my hair. “You’re changing. He’s growing.”

“She is.” I smirked, knowing his mind was already made up on the gender.

“I want more.” His fingers clenched against my skin.

“I’m sorry, what?” I tilted my head to look at him.

“More kids. More babies.” His gaze dropped to where his hand rested on the bump of my stomach. “I like this look.”

Another flutter. “You know, I believe in the smutty book world, the heroine would accuse the hero of having some sort of a breeding kink.”

He chuckled. The vibration did things to my body that had my toes curling. “Are you shaming me?”

“I’d never.”

“Then that’s a yes?” I swallowed hard at his question, then wondered if he could hear my gulp.

---