Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
ACE
“Today will be fun,” Mercer said cheerily as he left his room at the same time as I left mine. “Bet she’s still pissed off.”
I wouldn’t be so sure about that. Judging by the pounding of a headboard against my wall, before I was ready to get up, I’d say at least two people in this house would be in a cheery mood. I wouldn’t know what that’s like, though. I couldn’t remember the last time I got woken up with morning sex. What I’d give to experience that again.
Noises bustled in the kitchen, alerting us that both Adam and Bellamy were already up and moving about, and I wondered for a moment if I’d even be able to make eye contact with them, knowing what I know now. Knowing that she’s at least made a choice and I may not have a place in her choice.
Mercer walked in first, his bare chest on display as he itched his scalp, his wild pup at his side. The least he could do was get dressed this morning, but something told me he didn’t give a fuck if it made her uncomfortable. He enjoyed poking at her, taunting her, and I liked the embers in her eyes when she made quick glances in our direction.
Two steps into the kitchen and Mercer stopped without warning, causing me to crash into his back. I pushed him out of the way and stepped around, only to freeze next to him. Adam and Belle were cooking, which individually wasn’t odd. Together, well, that never happened. It was the fact that Adam hadn’t bothered dressing for the day and had instead donned a pair of pajama pants that had me in shock.
“I didn’t think you even owned anything that wasn’t a suit.” Mercer broke into whatever private moment they were having as they stood against the edge of the counter. Adam was washing the dishes, and Bellamy was just hanging out, sitting on the counter, and the sight was just so, well, fucking domesticated that I almost felt like an intruder in their intimacy.
Bellamy stumbled down from the counter, Adam’s hand instantly shooting out to protect her from falling. When she was on the ground, she reached down to pat Lady’s head before declaring, “You’re up! We made muffins!”
She rushed to the kitchen island and picked up a plate of muffins. Holding it up like it was some sort of peace offering. Then she put the plate down and went to the coffee pot. Adam reached over, opening the cabinet and taking out mugs for her, before he continued washing dishes, and I was trying to figure out what alternate universe I was living in where my best friend became perfectly in sync with a woman that he only formed an association with out of spite.
“Since Ace is the only one dressed, I’m guessing he is going into the office, so he gets the first cup.” She wasn’t looking at us, but at her task as she fixed our coffee, just the way she’d seen us doing countless times before. She turned, a smile plastered on her face as she carried the mug to me.
“What is happening?” Mercer whispered.
“They’ve fucked,” I muttered, trying not to move my lips and keeping my voice pitched low.
“And now they’re both 1950s housewives?” He was so perplexed by the situation that he didn’t even bother to hide it. His face gave it away.
“Something like that.”
Bellamy stopped in front of me, holding out the coffee, and when I reached for it, she leaned close, kissing my cheek before practically skipping away. Mercer and I exchanged glances as I brought the coffee to my lips. When I took the first sip, my eyes nearly rolled back in my head as I moaned.
“Fuck, this is good.” I took another sip. If having someone else make my coffee was what I’d been missing in my life, then sign me up. I could get used to this.
She approached us with Mercer’s mug. “I added cinnamon to the grounds.”
Her smile was sweet as she held up his mug. He hesitated before reaching for it. Their eyes held, charging the surrounding air. Finally, he accepted the offering, removing the mug from her hand. She turned and his free hand shot out, stopping her. “Forgetting something?”
Her brows pinched as she thought, trying to remember what it was she had forgotten. When it was clear her confusion would remain, Mercer tapped at his cheek, showing he didn’t receive a kiss on the cheek. The tension on her face released as she stepped forward, kissing his cheek and whispering, “Jealous?”
“If I wasn’t, I would have let it slide.” He brought his cup to his lips and took a gulp. “This is good. Cinnamon. Who would have thought?” He stepped forward and grabbed a muffin, taking a bite out of the top. “This is good too. I know this isn’t Adam’s recipe.”
Adam dried his hands and tossed the towel over his shoulder before he turned and leaned against the sink. “We Googled it.”
“Pinterest,” she corrected.
“Is it not the same?”
“Clearly not,” Mercer mocked.
“That makes no sense. You type in what you’re looking for, just like Google. A list of recipes pops up, just like Google. You pick one that leads to an external site, just like Google.” Adam was looking to us for help, but I wasn’t touching this. If there was one thing I’d learned from having a sister, it’s you’ve got to pick the battles wisely. The importance of this wasn’t worth the fall out.
“But Pinterest is aesthetically pleasing,” Bellamy pointed out, “which helps pick which recipe to try."
"I could argue that I picked the recipe, not from the image, but from the list of ingredients we had at home.” Adam grabbed a stack of dessert plates, handing one to Mercer for his muffin before distributing them.
“Are you saying you wouldn’t have gone to the store to get what we needed if I asked?” Bellamy pouted.
“Baby.” Oh, that was new. “All I’m saying is that I might have led you toward the options that didn’t require me to put on a shirt.”
“You’re planning to put on a shirt at some point today, so it wouldn’t have killed you.” She crossed her arms.
“Yes, but leaving the house would have involved a shower.” He lowered his lips to her ear, whispering. Unfortunately, not low enough for my ears to miss his words. “I’m not ready to wash you off me yet.”
I placed my plate and mug on the island and clapped my hands together, trying to change the subject from whatever was going on at the other side of the counter. “Okay. It’s clear that Mom and Dad have worked things out. Now, let’s move on with today’s plans.”
“Mom and Dad?” Adam’s brow quirked. “You and I are the same age.”
“Dads usually have control issues.”
Mercer held up his mug as if to point with it. “He has a point.”
Adam glared for a moment before picking up his own mug. “Fine.”
I enjoyed seeing my best friend like this. Relaxed, at ease, slightly playful. It was something that had been missing for some time, and I hadn’t even realized it. Had we gone into such a rut where we never even knew how to have fun anymore?
“I’m going to the docks today,” I informed them.
Adam brought his coffee to his lips. “Taking men?”
“A few,” I confirmed.
“Make sure they understand this is their last warning.” Adam’s attention shifted to Mercer. “Have a plan ready if they deny the offer to be bought. I’ll have the lawyers ready if they choose to sign.”
“You’re looking for property?” Bellamy asked.
Adam leaned down and smoothed her hair before kissing the crown of her head. “It’s complicated. Don’t you worry.” He cleared his throat. “I have a meeting midday with the gala committee. I’d rather not go, but it’s unavoidable. Mercer, I want you home with Belle.”
They looked at each other, and I swear that was the closest I’ve seen Mercer to being nervous since we were children. Mercer shoved aside his feelings and answered Adam. “I’ll have the port plans ready for review when you get back home. By then, if needed, we should be ready to put my plans into action.”
“What plan of action?” Bellamy inserted herself into our business.
“We need the property so that Accardo’s shipments have to float on our waters before he receives them. We’ll have it by any means,” Adam answered.
She peeled off the top of her muffin and held a piece in each hand. “Any means?”
“Yeah, baby. Any means. We’ve asked nicely. Now Ace is going in one more time. If they won’t sell… Mercer will make them.”
She swallowed hard. “M-make them?”
Mercer leaned on the island countertop, directing his eye contact at her and her alone. “I’m not just a pretty face, little girl. I’ve buried more bodies than books you’ve read. That’s a promise.”
Her eyes were wide with disbelief. “You’d kill them to get your way?”
“Baby…” Adam sighed. “They’ve made their choices.”
“That’s…“
“Life,” Mercer finished for her.
“I was going to say barbaric.” She scrunched up her nose, standing there still holding her two halves of her muffin. I skirted around the island and picked up the plate, offering it to her. For a moment, she hadn’t even realized she still held the muffins in her hand. When she did, she dropped them on the plate and swiped her hands to get rid of the crumbs.
“It’s a little unlawful,” I agreed.
“Unlawful. It’s immoral too,” she laughed.
“You don’t seem too bothered,” I pointed out.
“I’m not.” She shook her head. “Truly.”
“Well, then, you’ll spend your day with Mercer,” Adam continued. “My design consultant should be here in the evening. I’ll be home by then. We’ll get a dress picked out for you, and we’ll match it to our suits.”
“All of you will match me?” I wanted to take my phone out of my pocket and snap a picture of the perplexed look on her face.
“Why wouldn’t we, Bellamy?” I reached up and brushed a piece of hair away from her. “Did you not decide to pick us?”
Her eyes fluttered from person to person, nervously. “If that’s okay.”
“If that’s okay,” Mercer huffed, then threw his head back and laughed. “This girl will kill me. I’m positive.”
Before she could respond, he turned and walked away, lifting his coffee to his lips before he shook his head and laughed again. When he was out of sight, she looked at me. “What did I say?”
“Nothing.” I fought a chuckle. “Go get ready, Adam. I’ve got our girl.”
A few hours later, with Bellamy consuming my mind, I approached the dock. Sometimes, these places were completely empty, but today, that wasn’t the case. At the end, unloading a boat, a man named Mario stood, lifting crates and offloading them from the boat.
“Mario,” I called, and when he turned and saw me, he cursed. “Good to see you.”
“You’re trespassing,” he responded.
“Is there really trespassing between friends?”
“We aren’t friends,” he spat, literally spat, on the wood next to my feet.
“We want your warehouse,” I cut to the point.
“The answer is no.”
“You’ve not even heard the proposal.” I put my hands casually in my pocket as I stepped closer.
“And I don’t want to hear your proposal. This piece of property is my livelihood. I’ll not give it up for greed.” He stepped up, crossing his arms over his chest, appearing unphased.
“This is where you are wrong. It’s not greed we seek; it’s revenge.” I cleared my throat and looked down. “What’s in the crates?”
“None of your fucking business,” he growled.
Without breaking eye contact, I lifted my leg up, hitting a crate with my foot and careening it over the edge of the dock and into the water. “Oh. My bad, sorry. Was that important?”
He lunged, but before Mario could get even the tiniest of swings in, my fingers were wrapping around his throat, holding his body away from mine as I brought our faces closer. My words lost their friendly tone as he gasped for breath, his life literally in the palm of my hand. “I’ve been patient. I’ve asked often. Given you chances and choices. But now I’m telling you. We will have this piece of land with you dead or alive. This is the last time I’ll be nice.”
With Mario gasping and grappling at my hand, I released him, letting him fall backward on the slick wood. Using my hands, I pushed more crates into the water while he gulped down air. When the last crate hit the water and sunk slowly to the bottom, I brought my attention back to him. “And Mario?”
“Fuck you,” he spat, still holding his throat.
“That product is being distributed in our territory. That alone is enough to kill you.” I turned on my heels, shoving my hands in my pockets and tossing over my shoulder, “Have a nice day. We’ll be in touch.”
I pursed my lips and let a melody flow. My whistle echoed eerily over the water as I walked away.