Page 77 of Ruthless Beasts

“Fathers,” Belle corrected as she blew a strand of hair out of her eyes. “All of them are as stubborn as hell.”

“I’m sorry.” The lady laughed. “Guess we can’t have it all, right? Good looks and willingness to bend are never in the same bodies.”

I fought the urge to bring my hand up to my cheek and cover the scar. Once I had good looks. Now, all I had was the memory and the fears it left me with. The deformity that made me stand out instead of blending in with men of my standing. Without me realizing it, Belle had grabbed my hand and squeezed.

“Holy shit!” Mercer blurted out and Belle’s hand dropped mine, instantly grabbing Ace’s.

“What’s wrong?” Belle whimpered as she looked at the screen, her fear clear as she watched.

But Mercer’s eyes sparkled. “Do you see it?”

I looked to the screen, not sure what I was looking at, but I saw the movement, the waves of limbs as the baby shifted and fought the pressure of the wand. “Yeah, I see it. Well, I think. There’s a lot of movement happening in there.”

Movement I was jealous of because I never had time to feel, but I wanted to. I wanted to feel it squirm under my hand and for it to know it was safe with us before it was even born.

“She.” Mercer smiled at the screen. “Not it. It’s a fucking girl.”

Belle’s head whipped toward him as her fingers squeezed Ace’s hand so tight, his fingers were turning white. “What?”

“There’s a burger!”

I had to laugh at that. “What the fuck are you even talking about?”

“I was reading up on it yesterday, anticipating our visit. I wanted to make sure it was safe for Belle. And that’s a fuckingburger for sure. A fucking girl. Wow!” He blew out a breath before he looked at the technician, excitement literally radiating off of him. “Tell me I’m right. I know I am.”

The tech looked at Belle, waiting for her to confirm that she did, in fact, want to know the gender. “I want to know.”

“He’s right.” She punched a few buttons and typed in something, printing out an image. “It’s a girl.”

“I fucking knew it!” He whooped excitedly before grabbing Belle’s jaw and holding it tightly as he laid a kiss on her. His excitement was palpable, pulsing through the air, making it nearly impossible not to feel the joy.

And when the tech handed me the grainy photo, displaying what was definitely a “burger,” that’s exactly what I felt. Joy. Until the uncertainty rolled in, twisting my stomach with nausea, and making my legs buckle with weakness.

“A girl,” I whispered, clinging tightly to the image.

“I fucking knew it.” Ace leaned down, not caring that his hand would get the slimy gel over it when he rubbed the top of her stomach. “I can’t believe it.”

For the rest of the appointment, I felt like a statue at her side. My mind raced with thoughts. My heart ached with fear. Everything I had fought past in the years since my wife died had reared its way back into my mind, and I was scared. Terrified that history would repeat, and I’d lose them both just when I was falling.

“Hey.” Belle reached up, cupping my cheek as we waited on the curb, waiting for Ace and Mercer to bring the car around. She stood on her toes and kissed my jaw. “It will be alright.”

I couldn’t let her see my doubts, even though doubt was all I felt in this moment. Doom. The realization that this was all too real was finally hitting, and I wasn’t sure how to handle how I felt. I pushed it down, instead allowing myself the comfort of leaning into her palm. “A girl. I guess you were right.”

“I had no doubt.” She smirked. “Are you… okay with that?”

“You’d think I wouldn’t be?” I grabbed onto her hand, tilting my head to kiss her palm before placing it back on my cheek. “Baby, I don’t care about gender.”

“Mr.,” she deepened her voice, “’Mafia men don’t have daughters.’”

“Looks like these three men do.” I shrugged. “Besides, who else is going to keep Mercer and Ace in line, if not for a little female crooking her fingers?”

“But not you?” She brought her hand down from my cheek, then took my fingers and laced them in hers.

“Oh, I promise I’ll be wrapped around her little finger, too.” I bit my lower lip. “While her mom is wrapped around my cock.”

“Eww.” She punched my arm, and I laughed, enjoying the lightness in the action.

“I’m joking.” Sort of. “Do you think any of us could deny any little girl anything?”

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