Page 6 of Monster: King of Nevada

Heading downstairs, I can hear noise coming from the kitchen and find Lucas at the stove cooking what looks like a veggie-lovers’ omelet. My mouthdoeswater now because it smells heavenly.

“Good morning.” I paste on a bright smile as he glances over at me and scowls. “What?” I deflate at his look.

“Your face is worse,” he says.

“So’s your attitude,” I clap back.

I don’t understand why I’m so comfortable being this bold with a man I barely know, but Lucas sets me at ease for some reason.

“Your mouth needs some more work, too.” He grunts as he turns back around to continue cooking.

Sliding onto a stool at the island counter behind him, I grab one of the empty coffee cups and the carafe and pour myself a cup. “Do you want some?” I ask him, hoping to keep the peace.

“Not really.” He shuts the burner off before plating the food and offering it to me.

“I can’t eat that much.” As much as I’d like to, I know most of it would go to waste. I’ve always had a small appetite.

Lucas scowls and places it in front of me anyway. He then pours himself the coffee I just offered to do for him, so I hide my hurt because it’s ridiculous.

“Eat anyways,” he says before leaving the room, the scalding coffee left behind untouched.

“That was a waste!” I call after him. He mutters something, but I can’t make it out.

A few minutes later, he re-enters the kitchen. I’ve only had a few bites of egg when another man joins us.

“This her?” He scowls at me, but his question is for Lucas.

“That’s her,” Lucas confirms.

The man, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Deadly, takes a seat next to me, reaching for the coffee Lucas poured, and sips it while staring at me. He’s seriously gorgeous. With his dark blue eyes that remind me of a midnight sky, a sharp jawline and clean beard I’d like to run my fingers through, and the way his dress shirt and pants fit him makes my mouth water for an entirely new reason.

“You’re staring,” I point out when no one says anything else.

“What happened to your face?” He asks the obvious.

Grinding my teeth, I fight back the first retort that comes to mind–telling him off–and instead go on the defensive. “What happened to yours?”

He scowls, and this thunderous look enters his eyes. “Don’t get smart with me, little girl. You won’t like the consequences.”

Why do I suddenly feel lightheaded by the innuendo of that threat?

“Neither will you.”

Pushing my plate back to Lucas, who looks amused, I get up and walk out to the pool, intending to escape through the door leading to the backyard before anyone can stop me.

4

THEIAS

“Lock it down,” I tell Lucas as I take a sip of coffee.

He smirks while scanning his fingerprint over the discreet button under the counter that secures the entire estate.

“Good luck.” He grins as he walks off, giving us privacy.

A few seconds later, I hear muttered cursing and stomping feet. Ella has left me intrigued in a way I never anticipated. I was fully prepared to tolerate but ignore her presence. However, after listening to her cries in the throes of nightmares last night, watching her break down in the shower not long ago, and now, her smart mouth, I’m curious.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out she’s been beaten, with the varying shades of black and blue tinting her face. Who the culprit is, however, is what I’d like to know.

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