Page 53 of Last Breath

Malachi doesn’t ask permission to enter, he doesn’t knock on the door, he just enters. Closing it behind him, I sit here adrift.

I don’t get women.

I don’t get many social cues.

And most days, like today, I get Joy even less.

Chapter 28

Malachi

“Hey, love. How’s the morning sickness?”

“Funny. Hold that thought,” Joy states, leaning over the porcelain. Retching again, I hand her the water. Flushing the remnants of whatever it was she ate, Joy takes the outstretched cup gladly.

Swallowing a mouthful and rinsing it into the sink, she sighs. “Thanks, Mal. You can go now.”

“Yeah, no. I’m not leaving you to this alone. I’m going to sit right here on the edge of the tub until you’re done.” We’ve only just learned of the ensuing child, and I guess it’s made me a total wimp. Normally, seeing her soft body so vulnerable would have me reaching to taunt her, or have her playing with mine.

Am I sick? Yeah, I can be. But when I see that sweet ass of hers and the hair in a ponytail begging to be pulled on, my cock overrides the sweet with need.

Snapping me from my internal war, Joy slaps my leg. “Jesus, Mal. I don’t want you here as I toss the interior of my guts into the motel bathroom. This isnotbeautiful in any way.”

“Joy, the reason you’re offering your last meal to the porcelain gods is because of Salem and I.”

“Reminders of why I’m supplying said offerings is not necessary.” Rising off the floor, Joy turns on the water. Splashing her face, she dries off. “I never thought that morning sickness was real. I thought it was a fable old hags told young women to scare them, to freak them out. This will suck ass if it goes on for the next three months or more. Fucking torture.”

I change the subject. “I grabbed breakie. Figured you’d like—”

“Don’t speak of food. I’ll stick with liquids that come up the same way they go down.”

Funny girl.

“How about a cock? You look like you could use a shower and a good fucking.”

Her eyes narrow at the comment. “ You want a puke-covered cock? Even a shower can’t fix this feeling.”

Laughing it off and rising off the edge of the tub, I start to leave the room. “Fine. I’ll eat the bacon.”

“Well, you didn’t say there was bacon. I always have room for bacon.”

“But it’s not a liquid.”

“Yeah, but you can’t ignore bacon.”

Peeling the door open, she tears off for the bags. Hearing her ripping at the paper, I call out, “Watch out, people. Pregnant woman on the hunt.”

Walking back out, I laugh. Joy pops the containers open, searching out the salty stack of bacon.

“This will be interesting for the next few months. I can see it’ll be every man for himself,” Salem quips. He only steals bits and pieces of meals anyway, so now I’ll have to make sure there’s enough left for him to squirrel away.

“Oh! You got the good stuff.” Sucking down heaping gulps of orange juice, Joy groans her satisfaction. I’m waiting. I expect to see further spewage across the newly renovated room. Moaning as she’s tearing into a piece of bacon, she sighs. “This is fantastic. Thanks, Malachi.”

Salem and I both stand stunned as we watch her from a distance. Joy is a dangerous beast on the hunt.

Giving him a look, Sal returns it. “Yep, I’m afraid to get my fingers near her. Once the bacon runs out, she’ll eat any meat product.”

Giggling and grabbing up more, Joy peels back the container that holds the pancakes and waves us over, as if it’s safe. “Come on, I’m not going to harm you. I promise no death, no maiming, and no slicing of fingers.”

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