Ruthless Beasts

Chapter 40

CHAPTER FORTY

ACE

Bellamy looked back at me, her hair over her shoulder as she craned her neck. "Can't keep up, old man?"

Sassy little thing we had for ourselves. I loved it. I loved her. Though I hadn't gotten around to telling her all of that yet. In time. We had all the time in the world. She was ours, and she wasn't going anywhere.

"I thought you took back all the old man jokes this morning while you screamed my name in the kitchen."

"This morning doesn't count." She blushed.

"Sure as hell counted to me. Three times," I pointed out. "And I can keep up, even with my arms full of bags."

"Need I remind you, those are yours." She laughed, and it was true. I might have gone overboard shopping for our little girl, but fuck. If this was the closest I'd ever be to being a dad, something I hadn't even realized I wanted, then I was going for it, all in.

"Hush up with the finer details unless you want me to bend that perfect ass over my knee later," I threatened.

"I wouldn't object." She wiggled the ass in question as she walked in front of me, taunting and teasing. Fuck me, I should have kept my mouth shut.

"Jesus," Adam cursed, then glared at me. "We're in public."

"Don't yell at me; I can't help that she's irresistible. Yell at your wife for being a temptress," I declared.

"Don't victim blame." She laughed. "Look, I think I see Mercer."

I followed her pointed finger and sure enough, there he was, chatting with one of our men we had stationed along the mall. He looked up, and a carefree smile I'd never seen on his face took over, softening him up. He patted our man on the back before he jogged toward us. He had changed, which I suspected had to do with blood that probably coated his skin, rather than because he wanted to. He had a job to do, and it was bloody, but he did it right every damn time. No one killed like Mercer. No one enjoyed it so much. It was why he always volunteered for it. Except this time, he seemed too reluctant to leave our sides.

"Baby," he cooed, his hands instantly on her, pulling her in for a kiss. She didn't resist. She never did. Any time our lips found hers, she returned our affection greedily. "I missed you."

"It's only been a few hours." She laughed and swatted at his chest.

"Seems like a lifetime." He smiled down at her. "What did I miss?"

"Shopping. Lots of shopping." Adam held up bags.

Bellamy groaned. "I swear, they are leaving out the part where they were the ones grabbing up any and all baby items. If I picked it up to see what it was, we now own it."

"Better to be prepared." Adam shrugged. "She'll want for nothing."

"I never doubted that. Not the way you men hover over me, coddling me," Bellamy huffed.

She loved it. It was clear. She wouldn't change us for the world, and we'd not change her either. Mercer leaned down, biting her ear for a second before whispering, "Our baby wants ice cream."

"Does she? It appears her daddy does."

A strange expression crossed over him, like he'd never thought of it that way. Then a goofy grin took over. "Yeah, he does."

He took her hand and led us toward the ice cream shop, leaving Adam and I behind them, lugging all the bags. Hell, even Max and Drew were loaded down, but I couldn't complain because, for something as simple as shopping, this had to have been the best day we'd had in a long while. Adam was smiling, a cheesy grin that was pasted on his face from ear to ear, and fuck... I couldn't describe how much I’d missed that. I’d missed my best friend being happy.

Mercer's arms wrapped around our girl from behind, encasing her and caging her against his body as they stopped in front of the ice cream case. Leaning over it, his head rested against her hair. "What are we having?"

"They all look so good!" She giggled. "I don't know how to pick."

"Then don't." He squeezed her before looking at the woman behind the counter. "Two scoops of each."

"Of each?" The woman blinked a few times.

"That's too much, Mercer," Bellamy whispered as she turned to look at him.

"It will be eaten, baby. Look at us. We've got so many men around here we'll hand it to whoever wants it." He broke eye contact. "Each. Put them in separate containers if you can."

The woman nodded vigorously, probably in shock that someone would buy so much ice cream at once, but she didn't hesitate to start the scooping process. We all watched in silence for a moment before Adam grabbed Bellamy's hand and yanked her free of Mercer.

"We're going to sit. She's been on her feet for a long while, and I'd hate to cause her pain." They laced their fingers together, and I followed, figuring Mercer would handle the ice cream order.

We picked a table in the corner, keeping our privacy even though the shop was nearly empty. Max and Drew grabbed the table next to us and, in no time, Mercer was bringing over trays of various flavors, covering the tables in them. He paid before bringing us over some spoons.

Holding out the spoons, he said, "Dig in."

Our girl went for the chocolate flavors instantly. The lid to her first tasting popped off and her spoon was in before any of us could move. She looked up and paused. "Why are you watching me?"

I laughed. "Nothing. It's just cute."

Her nose scrunched. "I'm not feeling cute right this moment. I'm feeling like a pig. Let me be a pig and wallow in my ice cream alone."

"Nah. I'd rather wallow with you." I picked up a cup of a mystery flavor and popped the lid off. I dug my spoon in and plopped a chunk in my mouth. "Mmm. Pretty sure this is monster cookie."

"Shut up." Her eyes went wide, and her hand reached out, her fingers flexing. "Give me! Monster cookies are one of my favorites."

I shrugged, handing over the peanut butter-based ice cream with chunks of oatmeal cookie, chocolate candy, chocolate chips, and peanuts in it. She dug her spoon into the mix and placed a spoonful in her mouth. Moaning around the spoon, she announced, "This one's mine for sure." Thrusting her first pick forward, she said, "You can have this."

I took it, tasted it, and passed it along, until Drew claimed it, grumbling about second hand germs even as he consumed the whole cup. As it turned out, devouring tables worth of ice cream was easy work for a pregnant woman and her entourage, and when we left, not a single cup of ice cream went to waste.

I plopped a few bills in the tip container, knowing that Mercer had done the same, then grabbed Bellamy's hand. We took her to a few clothing stores, where she picked out a few things that fit her now, and then an array of clothes for after the baby was born. We followed that up with jewelry, something she insisted she didn't need, but we all ignored. We wanted to see her wearing something from us, a piece that staked our claim, and I didn't care if she said she was always mine. The world should know it too.

I picked a ring band, studded with black diamonds. Mercer picked a band with an intricate carving of roses. Each band nestled against her wedding band to Adam, a perfect fit for our perfect girl.

When we left the jeweler, she had necklaces and pendants. Bracelets and earrings. All staple pieces we promised she'd need for everyday wear. But with anything more elaborate, we'd slowly build up to when she couldn't reject our gifts. I bought the baby a golden bracelet, and I'd never thought to ask, but for once, I wanted to know the name. I wanted to engrave it on the gold, have her name live permanently on repeat in my mind.

It wasn't until the ride home that I built up the nerve to ask her. I squeezed her hand with mine and her head turned. "What?"

"What's her name?"

"Her name?" Bellamy's brows pulled together in confusion.

"The baby. Have you picked out a name?"

"I…" She hesitated. "I've thought of a few, but none I've committed to."

"Are you going to share?" Adam asked, his eyes finding her from the rearview mirror.

She bit her lip nervously. "If it's okay, I'd like to keep it to myself. At least for a little while. Until I'm sure."

"Why wouldn't that be okay?" I squeezed her hand. "Need some suggestions? What about Tammy? Karen maybe? Or Linda? How about-"

"You better be fucking with me, Ace, because if you're not, I swear I'd never leave you alone with her. I couldn't do it knowing that, in this age, you'd make such an awful decision on naming your child something so dated."

"Some dated names aren't awful," Adam supplied from the driver's seat. "Though... those are... a choice."

She laughed. "A choice. That's one way to describe it."

"I’d never say it was a good one," Adam supplied.

"To be fair, I was only teasing." I tried to save myself, hoping they knew it was only a joke. "I was just trying to manipulate her into spilling the beans. Did it work?"

"Absolutely not," she confirmed, and when she shook her head, a strand of hair fell into her eyes. I reached up, pushing it back. "Maybe you should try harder next time."

"Are you giving me permission to pester you?" I leaned over, moving close to her mouth before I whispered, "I can get it out of you."

She closed the distance, snagging my lip and biting it before pulling back. "I doubt you could persuade me."

"Is that a challenge, love?" My eyes burned into hers.

"Maybe."

"Umm, I do love a challenge," I groaned.

"Do you? Tell me more about your love for challenges." Her fingers danced up my thigh, and I'd admit that it was the barest of touches and I was rock hard. That was what she did to me, how my body reacted to hers. It was hard to believe now that I used to be unsure. That I was afraid to commit myself to her, when now I couldn’t imagine my life without her in it. I couldn't imagine waking up each morning without her hair spilled on my pillow, or her leg tossed over my thigh. She fit perfectly with us, the missing piece to a scattered puzzle.

"How about I show you?" I offered.

"Not in the backseat," Adam barked.

"Later then," I promised.

"Later." She smiled wide, her eyes sparkling with mischief, and I wished I knew then that later was all we might have. That later, when her head was resting against my chest and her heartbeat in time with mine, I'd never feel more in love. And I wished that later, when her eyes drifted closed and she was lost in the pull of sleep, I hadn’t snuck from the bed and had stayed the whole night, protecting her with my embrace.