Page 100 of Ruthless Beasts

“They are mine.”

She cursed under her breath. “Those motherfuckers.”

I’d spent a lot of time around those guys. Mostly they were quiet and minded their business. But I’d never seen them so riled up as they got when Hannah was around. I could say the same about her. The dynamic was interesting. And by interesting, I meant sex starved tension meets denial.

“Something wrong?” I tried to hide my smirk, but I was failing miserably.

“Yes. The bastards lied,” she spat out, before kicking at the ground.

“About?” I bit my lip, knowing damn well what Max and Drew had lied about.

“I thought they were hovering on Adam’s orders. I lost so much fucking tips because of those jackasses. Just last night, I was about to get a fifty and fucking Max interfered because the customer wrote his number on it, claiming ‘our staff can’t accept customers' numbers,’ then he showed the guy to the door like the mere thought I could be attracted to the guy was reason to get him expelled from the building.”

“Babe.” I patted her back, still trying to hide my amusement. “I don’t think that’s it.”

“As soon as we're done here, I’m going to have a word with those fuckers. I swear to God, Bellie. I could have used that fifty.”

“Have you forgotten that you were staying here?” She rested her head on my shoulder, and I placed my chin on the crown of her head. “You don’t need that fifty bucks.”

She sighed. “Just like old times, eh? Always taking care of each other?”

I closed my eyes, relaxing into the comfort of my friend. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Some time later, Mercer wandered into the garden, insisting we come inside before we got eaten alive by mosquitos. I knew it wasn’t mosquitos he feared. It was the dark, and the things seen and unseen that lurked in the shadows. Something happened, though none of my men would tell me what. Instead, they walked around the house, looking intense as they got lost deep in thought, unaware of my eyes on them. But I knew, pieced together slivers of things I’d overheard, and concluded that they were working on something. And it was something big, dangerous, risky, and reckless.

We parted ways with Hannah, with the promise of donuts for breakfast tomorrow, courtesy of Mimi. When Hannah and Drew were out of sight, Mercer took my hand, leading me inside. “You can come with me, if you want.”

“Come with you?”

“Yeah.“ He looked almost shy. “To Mimi’s. She’s heard of you. In fact, she keeps asking when you’ll come.”

“Will Adam and Ace allow it?” I was trying not to get my hopes up, trying to contain the excitement that bubbled up inside of me, but it was nearly impossible. I wanted this. I wanted to escape for a few minutes and meet someone from Mercer’s past who clearly was important to him. But ever since the gala nearly two weeks ago, these guys had been even more tight with what I could and couldn’t do.

“It will be early. We’ll take them with.”

I couldn’t stop bouncing on my toes. I stopped him mid-stride just so I could lean up and kiss him on the cheek. His skin heated under my attention, the cutest of blushes taking over. Was Mercer shy? You’d never know with the things he said and the way he carried himself. Yet right now, I had no question about it. “You’re blushing.”

“I am not,” he argued, which only made his cheeks a little redder.

“You are.” I squeezed his arm, holding it close to my chest as I kissed his bicep.

“It’s just…” He held open the door for me. “Sometimes it hits me all over again that you’re ours. And mine. And damn… it’s a beautiful thing.”

My heart melted at his words, the glacier surrounding it instantly thawing. “It is.”

“Hey.” He smiled wide, his brows dancing up and down wildly. “We have a surprise for you.”

I giggled, the goofy expression on his face hard not to laugh at. “I’m almost afraid to ask.”

“Then don’t.” His voice softened. “Just feel.”

His fingers grasped my wrist, and he tugged, dragging me toward the front door, then up the stairs. I didn’t say a word, even when a million questions formed. When we reached the top of the stairs, he raised his free hand, rapping his knuckles against the wood of the closed door. “You ready?”

“No,” Ace grumbled.

“It’s fine. Ignore him. It’s ready.” Adam’s voice was muffled.

“What’s ready?” I hugged Mercer tighter to me.

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