Page 82 of Ruthless Beasts

She took it, her painted nails wrapping around my bicep as I led her out of the house. “I thought I was queen among the beasts?”

I couldn’t help it. I threw my head back and laughed. I shouldn’t say it, I knew, but I couldn’t resist. “Princess in public, queen in private, where we can worship every gorgeous curve and do your bidding.”

“Is that so?” She hummed, the sound vibrating in her throat as she took a step down toward the waiting vehicle. “Well, in that case. I’ll walk by your side tonight, Mr. Barrett, like the good princess I am.”

“Go on?” I knew it was coming, something more to that statement. I felt it knot in my stomach as an alluring taunt.

She took a step below me and looked at me over her shoulder. “If you promise to spend your night bowing at your queen's feet.”

“Jesus Christ.” The curse left me and she smirked. “Anything.”

It was all I could get out. I’d do anything for her. Anything she asked. With a promise like that, how could I deny her? The answer? I couldn’t. She was my best friend’s wife, and I’d bow down before her with a single snap of her manicured fingers.

“Such a good boy.” She reached up and patted my cheeks. “So fucking good.”

Then she took Adam’s hand, and he helped her into the back seat while I stood there, dumbfounded and hornier than I’ve been in my entire life. All for this girl.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

MERCER

I watched her through the mirror as I drove. A goddess tucked between my best friends, beautifully cloaked in silk and sparkling gemstones. My eyes couldn’t stay off her. I found myself constantly glancing at the mirror, getting lost in the reflection of an angel sitting in the back seat. The drive was longer than we’d normally take her, but she didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she leaned into the bodies next to her, chatting and talking, and I wished it was me. Wished that I wasn’t the driver, and it was my hand on her silk-covered thigh.

“We’re almost there,” I announced when we were a block away. There was traffic, which should be expected, I guess. Every car in front of us was heading toward the new resort. Each person was anxious to be seen at this gala, rubbing shoulders and making deals.

Everyone in this car was just eager for it to be over with.

“We’ll hand off the car to the valet. Make sure they deliver it to the owner’s spot. I’ll be damned if we get paint dings from drunk fuckers later tonight.”

“Sensitive about paint like you can’t replace it,” Ace pointed out to Adam.

“I could replace it,” he agreed, “but the time is what I don’t want to bother with.”

I turned into the circle driveway of the resort. “Ready, little girl? There are a lot of big bad wolves in there, ready to lay their eyes on the sweet likes of you.”

Her eyes met mine in the mirror. Fucking gorgeous. “I’ll have you three close by, so I think I’ll be fine.”

“Close by?” I laughed. “Gorgeous girl, we’ll be practically attached to you until we’re back home.”

“Remember,” Adam supplied as we pulled to a stop in front of the valet, “you don’t have to talk to anyone if you don’t want to. We owe them nothing, not even a conversation. There will be a lot of powerful people here trying to get on our good sides and fuck them all. We don’t care about what they offer.”

“Fuck them all, hm?” She beamed at him.

“You know what I mean,” he growled before toying with a strand of her hair. “Besides, I prefer you didn’t talk to them. You’re ours, and I hate to share you with anyone who isn’t these two bastards.”

“So kind,” Ace mumbled as the back door opened and Ace put his foot on the pavement outside the door. He turned back to add, “I’m antisocial, Bellamy. Any time you wish to sneak away to an invisible corner, say the word and I’m leading the way.”

I opened my door and stepped out, handing my keys to the valet before I informed him on where to park. It was going to be a hike back for the kid, but I’d prefer our car be left by our personal elevator for our private offices, rather than in public parking. Behind our vehicle, Drew got out and Max remained, probably following our car to park.

Walking toward us, Drew stopped, waiting for our group to move forward before he tailed our back. I led the way, lettingAdam and Ace slide up to Bellamy, putting her in the center of our group. Keeping her safe.

The attendant pulled the doors open and music instantly flowed toward us, a beautiful melody as we stepped into the low light area. Bellamy gasped when she stepped inside. “This is gorgeous.”

“This is the part of the resort that’s adult only. On the other side, we have it designated for family fun and events,” Adam explained. “When our children get older, we can arrange for them to partake in activities there. Also, probably biased since we own this place, but I heard it’s a great place for parties. Not like we’d really be throwing any, unless it was our children’s.”

This man really liked the idea of kids. Who the fuck knew he would turn into this? I certainly didn’t. Not with all the dumb things we’d done in our youth. Not when we grew up without a family to care for us or show us what it meant to be loved. We knew nothing about caring for children and showing affection. Yet, it was almost an obsession now. Like the thought of a family had gripped him and he couldn’t let it go.

I didn’t want him to.

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