Chapter 29
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, letting Adam 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.
“There are stairs going down. Did we want to take the elevator instead?” I looked over my shoulder, losing my breath for a moment as our girl watched me. Her lips quirked a little as I watched her eyes move down and then back up to my eyes.
“You look good in that tux. Actually, all of you do.”
Her observations made my skin heat. “You like it?” I teased. “This old thing.”
“Shut up.” She gave my back a slight shove. “I doubt that is old.”
It wasn’t. We each got a new tux to match her dress. Adam, all black with a yellow pocket square. Ace, all black with a yellow bowtie. A bold yellow vest accented mine.
“I wear yellow daily,” I jested.
“I’ve not seen any of you in any color that wasn’t black, white, or blue. And you know it.” She reached for Ace’s hand. “We’ll take the stairs down, at least this once. After that, I doubt my feet can handle any more stairs anyway.”
“Do they hurt?” Adam was ready to carry her at that single mention of her feet.
“No. They are fine. These shoes aren’t bad.”
Adam pulled his phone from his pocket. “I’ll have my assistant bring you some flats.”
“That’s unnecessary,” she tried to argue, but it was worthless.
“It’s too late. The order was made. Now,” he grabbed onto her other hand, “let’s get you down the stairs. The sooner, the better. I’d rather use the elevator, but with your need to make princess grand entrances, I doubt you will let me lead you to the lift.”
“I don’t need to make princess grand entrances,” she corrected. “I just really like this dress. I wasn’t allowed to go to many functions with my father.” She cringed at the thought. “Unless he needed me.”
“Needed you?” Adam questioned through gritted teeth.
“Yes.” She paused. “Needed me.”
“What the fuck could he possibly need you for, living the life he fucking led?” Ace’s voice was hard, and I understood why. The history she had, her current position, was all because her fucking selfish bastard of a father put her here. She was lucky it was us who snatched her away. Others might not have been so caring, so delicate, so undeniably obsessed.
I looked over my shoulder at our Belle of the ball. She cleared her throat, her eyes darting every which way, reminding us we’d entered a room full of people and they were all staring. “You know, like entertaining sons, chatting with daughters. Simple stuff, really.”
“Simple until it wasn’t,” I spat, then took a deep breath, centering myself. “I believe it’s time for that grand stair entrance into the ballroom, princess. Hold tight to our boys. I’d hate for a slip to happen.”
“She’d never fall,” Ace proclaimed fiercely.
I knew she wouldn’t. We were protective as fuck to things that were ours, and she belonged to us. I stepped down, taking in the melody of her heels as she followed me down the marble staircase flanked by Adam and Ace, followed by Drew. I knew she was safe, but I felt much better when my foot touched the ground on the main floor and the click of her heels followed.
As soon we touched down, the vultures all swooped in, nearly fighting to introduce themselves to Adam’s new wife, clearly seeing her clinging to Ace, but not verbally questioning it. It took nearly twenty minutes before we could guide her to the bar. Not like she’d be drinking, but I knew she’d be excited to see her best friend.
Somehow along the way, we lost Adam. True to his words, though, Ace refused to let go of her hand, clinging to her like their skin was fused together. A little more clever maneuvering landed us in front of the bar, lined with men in suits drooling over Hannah. I got it. She looked gorgeous. But nothing compared to Bellamy.
“Hannah!” Bellamy called, throwing her voice over the men.
Her friend’s head snapped in our direction, her face blank until she spotted us. Then a smile took over. She dropped the drink she was making, practically running toward us, while trying not to fall in a tight white angelic dress and heels that were a deadly height. Behind Bellamy, Drew cursed seeing her friend, even as he tried to cover it up with a cough.
I heard it.
I knew.
I guess us crime men were all the same deep down, always looking for the wholesome sweetness to make the bad rough parts of us worth it, worth loving.
Hannah had just reached us, pushing me out of the way so she could wrap her arms around Bellamy. Before she could pull away, some half-drunk asshole in line spouted off, “Hey, sweetheart. How about serving us our fucking drinks instead of socializing? You know, like you’re paid to do.”
Quicker than even I could react, Drew had stepped forward, his fingers gripping the lapel of the man’s tux. “You’re out of here. Don’t fucking come back to these premises.”
The man snorted, though I could tell he was afraid. “Whose fucking orders?”
“Mine,” I growled.
Drew leaned forward just as Max appeared behind Hannah, his eyes taking in the situation, his palm coming forward to her hip to drag her back slightly in case there was danger. Drew’s teeth were bare as he spoke. “There will be no disrespecting the owner’s family.”
I snapped my finger. An admittedly arrogant gesture that caused security to come forward, taking the man from Drew's grip. When I looked over at Hannah, she was fanning herself with her hand. “Anyone else find that hot?”
“For fuck's sake, woman.” Max sighed, his hand dropping from where he had been unconsciously touching her.
“Your dress is fucking gorgeous!” Hannah cooed as she ignored Max.
“No!” Bellamy’s head shook vigorously. “Look at you! Like a princess!”
“Don’t you dare cry!” Hannah demanded as Bellamy swiped a finger under her eyes.
“It’s just….” She sniffed. “You look so beautiful.”
“Let’s just agree that you both are gorgeous.” Ace tried to defuse the tears.
“And are train wrecks,” Max whispered under his breath.
“I heard that, man,” I huffed, but I couldn’t bring myself to threaten him. He’d been a friend for years, an employee for slightly less. I knew he meant no harm to our girls.
“Your hair!” Hannah cooed.
“Your makeup!” Bellamy sniffed.
“My drink.” Some poor guy in the line spoke as if he had already resigned to the inevitable, becoming sober.
I let the girls gush over each other for a minute more before I bothered cutting in. Our staff weren’t at the mercy of these pricks’ beck and call. But Hannah was on the clock, and with her living on the property officially as of last night, they had plenty of time to visit.
I placed my palm on Bellamy’s back. “Hannah, you look stunning this evening. I’m glad you are settling into the position well. If you don’t mind, I’d like to take Bellamy away from you for the moment. Come to the house in the morning for breakfast, though. You’re more than welcome.”
“Oh!” She glanced at the side. “Yes. Sorry Mr. Alexander. I’ll do that.”
Bellamy mocked, “Mr. Alexander.”
I leaned into her ear and spoke. “Careful little girl, mockery earns you a spanking.”
Apparently, I didn’t speak low enough because Hannah wagged her brows. “Mr. Alexander.”
I groaned. “Not for you. My employee .” I emphasized I was her boss.
Her lip pushed out in a pout. “Damn. Can’t blame a girl for trying, can you?”
“Not a single bit.” Bellamy sighed happily as she watched me, a soft smile in place.
I turned to Ace. “We’re in fucking trouble with these two.”
“I’ve been saying that,” he confirmed before looking at Bellamy’s guard. “Max, stay with this one. Make sure the line stays under control.”
“Yes, sir.”
Max offered a single nod before I latched on to Bellamy’s hand. “Dance with me?”
She looked at Ace as if asking permission, and he only offered reassurance. “I won’t take my eyes off you the whole time, I promise.”
“But—“
“Am I not capable of protecting you?” I knew that wasn’t the case, but damn. I wanted attention, too.
“It’s not that.”
“Then what is it?” I pushed.
“I just- I feel less anxious when I hold his hand,” she admitted.
I squeezed the hand that connected us. “Well, for the moment, let my hand offer you comfort. Okay?”
“Okay,” she agreed, even as her eyes watched Ace intently.
We all had tension, but theirs? Fuck, they needed to get some of that relieved; it was suffocating. They needed to talk it out, fuck it out, anything to give us all some reprieve.
I guided her to the edge of the dance floor and put my hand on her hip, dragging her body to mine, making our bodies flush. She snuggled into my chest, ignoring the stares of the eyes around us, curious why I was dancing with the wife of Adam. Was she even his wife? The questions no one wanted to ask, but everyone speculated about. By now, the fact that he was married was widespread. Who? That was the mystery, and if this girl wasn’t his wife, where was his wife? I’d listened to the whispers as we walked by and taken amusement at the confusion, as if our life or Adam’s was any of their fucking business.
“They are talking about us,” Bellamy whispered against my chest.
To emphasize just how much I didn’t care, I let my hand travel low, cupping her perfectly round butt cheek in my palm. “Let them.”
“But…”
I stopped her words with a kiss, taking her lips in mine as I felt every vibration of the music course through our bodies. I let my tongue dance slowly with hers, elated when her body finally relaxed against mine. My fingers tightened, and I wished we had finished what we started on the couch, because my cock was so fucking hard against her stomach that when we pulled away, there would be no question on where my mind was.
It took all my will to force my lips to part from hers, and when I did, I fought every urge inside of me to not crash them back together. Her chest was heaving, her skin flush, and those eyes, they burned, a flame of needy fire only for me. I let my forehead fall to hers, keeping our eyes locked together. “Still want Ace?”
“I never didn’t want you just because I wanted him.”
Her admitting, without prompting, that she wanted us both made me wish to scoop her up right here, right now. She’d come a long way during the time in our lives. She went from full denial to complete acceptance, and I wasn’t sure what changed, but fuck, it was everything I didn’t know I needed and everything I ever wanted.
“You used to not want any of us,” I whispered against her skin as I leaned down and kissed the junction of her shoulder.
“I was scared,” she admitted. “You have a reputation.”
“Everyone has some sort of reputation,” I reminded her.
“You killed men right in front of me.” She bit her lip, and I released her hip long enough to pull it free.
“Was it the first death you’d seen?” I didn’t regret it, but if it was, maybe I’d feel slightly sorry for the trauma I’d gifted her.
“No,” she confirmed, and I didn’t think it was. With a father like hers, death had to be everywhere.
“We have death on our hands. That doesn’t transfer to you, sweetheart.”
“I was scared,” she added again. “About everything, the whole situation. Not just you guys, but everything before you as well.”
I could see that, I guess. “But we were never rough with you.”
She glared. “You tossed me over your shoulder and refused to put me down.”
“Then I brought you soup when you barfed your guts out. Doesn’t one cancel the other?” I beamed, offering her my most contagious smile.
“Nope.” The way she popped the p confirmed this girl needed a spanking. I couldn’t wait to offer her one. “I asked for neither, so I get to decide what cancels what. If I remember correctly, and I have an excellent memory, there was a recent occurrence that left me with reasons as to why I shouldn’t give you a pass in canceling past actions.”
“You threw popcorn at me, then dumped the bowl over my head,” I growled, dumbfounded as I damn near stomped my foot in the middle of the black-tie event, on the dance floor, surrounded by every person of power in this county. “I think it was warranted.”
She leaned in, bringing her lips as close to my ears as possible. I leaned down so she could speak. “What wasn’t warranted was having to take care of the problem myself when Adam worked a long night and you were out of the area.”
“Oh?” The thought of her hands between her thighs drove me mad. “You’re a bold one for someone just discovering their sexuality.”
“I know what I like. What I want. What makes me hot.”
“And that is?” God, could everyone feel the heat pouring off of us?
“Literally everything regarding you guys.” She laughed, slapping my chest as she turned the serious into something more humorous. “I’m pregnant. Apparently, that has crazy effects on the libido. I can’t seem to be sated.”
My mouth felt like it was cotton. I could barely swallow with the want that was consuming me. “We need to talk when we get home.”
That low scratchy voice was mine? Fuck, what was she doing to me?
“Not now?”
“Sweetheart, I’m seconds away from taking you to my office and plowing you against my desk. No, we can’t fucking talk here.”
“Would that be a bad thing?”
“Fuck.” The words left me, strangled out of my throat. I gritted out, teeth clenched, “It would be a bad thing here. If we were home right now, I’d spank that pretty peach of an ass of yours for pulling this shit in the middle of a crowded room.”
“I’ve never been spanked before.”
My fingers literally itched to show her what she’d been missing. Her only savior was an announcement that speeches were about to be made soon, and I just happened to be the opening presenter. “You’ll behave for Ace.”
I pulled my body away from hers, practically peeled it to separate us as she whispered, “I’m always good.”
Taking her hand, I issued a warning. “Bellamy.”
“I’ll be good. I promise,” she muttered as I pulled her toward my friend.
“Good girl,” I growled, knowing damn well this girl wouldn’t be nearly as angelic as she was trying to lead me to believe.