Page 16 of Monster: King of Nevada

Light knocking startles me. “Ella?” Lucas calls through the door. “Are you alright?”

“Fine,” I mutter, but I know he hears me. “Could you check my dough?”

There’s silence, and then, “Your what?”

“Bread dough. I was making it. It should be rising now. Slip it onto a shelf where the sun will hit it.”I really want that bread.

“Bread,” he mumbles, and I can picture the scowl on his face. “You’re worried about fucking bread?” The disbelief would ordinarily make me laugh, but another wave of nausea hits, and I’m over the bowl again.

“Please,” I beg between dry heaves because there’s nothing left to come up.

“Checking the damn bread.” He grumbles and wanders off, leaving me alone in my hell. I think all the chaos has triggered the morning sickness because now, the thought of eating makes me want to continue hurling.

Just freaking great.I was so looking forward to that bread.

10

THEIAS

“Ishould fucking kill you,” I rage in Tank’s face, his broken nose bleeding all over my custom marble floors. “I should pound your fucking face into dust and piss down your throat for touching her, hurting her.”

“Boss.” Caleb’s hand on my shoulder is the only reason I don’t put enough pressure on the knife at Tank’s throat to cut through his neck. “The blood… Makes her sick.”

“No, it doesn’t,” I snarl. “The fact she’s pregnant and has this asshole touching her, makes her sick.” You could hear a pin drop as everyone holds their breath at the reveal.

“Shit,” Owen curses.

“I’m sorry, Theias. I didn’t know,” Tank squeaks out, his lips turning blue from lack of oxygen and the hold I have on his throat.

“It shouldn’t fucking matter, Tank. I warned you once; you should have listened.”

As I pull the blade from his throat, everyone seems to breathe a collective sigh of relief. Though, when I bury my blade into Tank’s shoulder, I have to grin at everyone’s shocked gasps. Tank’s guttural scream satisfies my need to cause harm for now.

“Theias!” his whore of the month screams, trying to drag me off. Shoving her to the side, I get to my feet, wiping the blood off on my pants.

“You ever fucking come to my house again without invitation, and I’ll bury this in your fucking heart. Keep your whores at home.” Walking away, Caleb raises an eyebrow while Owen’s lips quirk up on one side, undeniably amused. “Get them out.”

“You want to know why they’re here?” Caleb calls after me.

“I don’t fucking care. He’s off the roster.”

Tank was one of my better fighters until he started letting the fame get to his head. Now, all he cares about is fucking as many ring bunnies as possible and snorting the next great drug. I’m done. So fucking done with his dumb ass.

Lucas is leaving Ella’s room, shaking his head as I’m about to enter. “Bread, man. She wants me to check on her damn bread.” He walks away, closing the door behind him.

Hearing Ella in the bathroom, I try the knob but find it locked. I don’t bother asking for entry and brace my shoulder near the frame, busting inward with little effort.

“You think a locked door is going to keep me from you?” She shakes her head, looking miserable and pale as she continues to heave over the toilet bowl. Grabbing a cloth from under the sink, I soak it in cool water, then fill the sink cup with the liquid. “Is this morning sickness?”

“I don’t know,” she groans.

I kneel beside her, and she sighs as I press the cool cloth to her forehead and wipe her face down, allowing it to settle on the back of her neck.

“What can I do?” This is new territory for me.

“Let me die in peace.” She holds her stomach and moans. “And make sure Lucas doesn’t screw up my bread.”

Baking? She wants me to help bake bread?That’s what Lucas was mumbling about.

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