Page 167 of Monster

I might have thought about it back at the house, but something about it being a very real possibility at this moment made my heart race.

Ryleigh looked back at me curiously, and I realized I had stopped walking.

I shot her a small smile I didn’t exactly feel and took a seat.

“How are you?” I asked Kai.

“Good,” he answered me carefully.

I nodded, unsure why there was a sudden tension in the air. “Have you heard from your dad?”

Kai shook his head, and his shoulders relaxed. “No, but don’t worry. Dad can take care of himself.”

He glanced at my hands, and I realized I had been wringing them together as I asked him.

“I don’t think I can just not worry because you say it,” I said.

He chuckled softly. “Fair enough.” He turned to Ryleigh. “Are you just about ready to pop, Ryleigh-girl? I feel sorry watching you do the duck walk.”

“Kai Madden, that is such an insensitive thing to say!” she said, punching him in the arm.

I doubted it actually hurt him, which he confirmed when he laughed and looked at her as if he thought she was cute.

I smiled a little too. Ryleigh was cute. She reminded me a little of a younger Mila Kunis, and I could see why Roman had fallen for her at first sight, even if he had done it all wrong by stalking her first.

Roman’s phone had rung as soon as we’d arrived, and he’d told Ryleigh and me to go inside without him. Now, the door opened, and the big man walked in.

There was something about his expression that had my heart throbbing painfully. I sat up, and Kai must have noticed, too, because he stood when Roman approached.

“What is it?” Kai asked.

Roman glanced briefly at me. “Let’s talk outside.”

I stood too. “No, this is about Dominic, isn’t it?”

Roman didn’t answer me.

Kai walked closer to the man, fear tight in his eyes. “Roman. Is it about Dad?”

My mouth felt dry as I waited for his answer.

A gasp from across the bar caught my attention, and I glanced over at the waitress, who was staring up at the TV in shock.

I ignored Roman yelling at me to stay where I was and walked over to get a better view of the TV.

“Turn it up,” I said to the bartender, who did as I asked without protest. I watched the new anchor wearing a dark shade of burgundy lipstick speak words I refused to understand.

I blinked as her voice got louder, but—but she wasn’t making any sense.

What the hell was she talking about?

“A body found in the Colorado River in Nevada has been only identified as a man in his thirties. Authorities are working diligently on the case, which is suspected of foul play. However, there has been speculation that the man is a member of the King’s Men Motorcycle Club here in Sacramento, though nothing has been confirmed—”

The anchorwoman pressed a finger to her ear, obviously listening to whoever was talking to her.

She turned to the camera with wide eyes.

I felt Roman, Kai, and Ryleigh move close to me.

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