Page 37 of Welcome to Carnage

“Where would the fun have been in that?” I ask, wanting her to know that I enjoyed our game. The bloodshed added to the excitement for me. She must understand I’m not a good man and never will be.

Her chest hitches as she sucks in a deep breath. “I don’t know,” she murmurs, her voice quiet.

I kiss her then, knowing that my little hellion is struggling with what I did. In time, it will fade. And now I have her. I don’t need to kill. Unless an idiot tries to put his hands on what is mine. And then I’ll chop them off and bathe in his blood.

I enjoy the image in my mind. It was hot as hell watching my little hellion bleed for me. I will enjoy exploring the extent of our depravity together for the rest of our lives. This is just the beginning.

EPILOGUE

AVINA

One year later...

Iwatch Nyx from the porch. His body moves rhythmically with the swings of the axe, each thud sinking into the wood and echoing through the quiet forest around us. I cradle my coffee in my hands, the warmth seeping into my skin, a sharp contrast to the crisp morning air.

His muscles flex with each swing, the sweat on his back catching the morning light. He’s beautiful in a raw, elemental kind of way. And so determined. He’s single-handedly refurbished the cabin, making it a luxurious place to live. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. We’re secluded, and I like that, especially as Nyx loves to chase me still. And I love it, too. No one can hear my screams when we play.

Luna and Pierce finally admitted their feelings for each other. We sold our parents’ home after Pierce agreed to let Nyx help renovate, and he moved in with Luna. It’s been a long time coming, but it turns out Halloween last year wasn’t only pivotal for us but for them too.

No one will ever know the truth. That Nyx murdered three men in cold blood just to have me. Thankfully, he hasn’t killed anyone since, at least not that I know of.

A ding sounds on his open laptop, and I glance at the screen to see a message from Tee, a guy he hacks for. He makes a lot of money, but we can’t be too frivolous since he’s making the cash illegally.

I still work at Walmart, but there’s much less pressure now. He holds down a couple of evenings at a local bar as a cover for his real job.

Nyx stops, his breath coming out in harsh pants. He turns around slowly, his eyes meeting mine. A slow smile spreads across his face, replacing the concentrated grimace that was there moments ago. “Avina,” he calls, “how long have you been standing there?” He wipes his brow with the back of his hand, leaving a streak of dirt. He’s so fucking sexy.

“I’ve been here a few minutes.” I smile. “You know I love watching you work up a sweat.”

He raises a brow and throws his axe to the ground. Seeing the gleaming sweat covering his muscled, tattooed body makes my mouth dry. And then he stalks toward me. “Is that right?”

I nod, but one thing keeps bugging me whenever we’re alone. I need to tell him. Tell him about the life growing inside of me. It’s been a week since I found out, and I keep putting it off.

“What’s up?” he asks as he gets closer. “Something is on your mind.”

I bite my lip as we didn’t have the best upbringings. My mom and dad loved me and Pierce, and they weren’t abusive, but they were both alcoholics. It’s what took them away from us so early. They were driving drunk and drove into a ditch at night. The car caught on fire, and my parents were burnt to a crisp in seconds.

And Nyx’s childhood is as dark as they come. His dad was abusive and beat him regularly. I never knew he had a little sister, but she died from internal bleeding at only three years old after his dad beat her for crying. Nyx was six. I don’t get how his dad wasn’t imprisoned, but he had some sway with the authorities. It’s disgusting.

He set a fire when he was sure his mom was at work, unaware that she’d called in sick after a terrible beating from his dad. She died in the fire, and I believe he’s carried the guilt ever since. And then he ended up in foster homes, most not much better than being home with his dad.

“Tell me, Avina,” he demands, his voice hard and unyielding.

I meet his gaze, my heart pounding in my chest. “I-we-I’m pregnant.” The words hang in the air, a delicate bubble of hope and fear.

His reaction will either pop it or let it float away, untouched. His eyes widen, and he stands there for a moment, frozen. “You’re...what?” he stammers.

“Pregnant,” I repeat, my voice stronger now. Tears prick at the corners of my eyes. “I’m pregnant, Nyx.”

But, we never. I mean, I didn’t think...” He’s babbling now, a stark contrast to his usual composed demeanor.

“I didn’t either,” I admit, my voice a whisper. “But here we are.”

He’s in front of me now, his hands cradling my face. “Are you okay?” he asks.

“I’m scared,” I confess. His thumb brushes a tear off my cheek. “But I’m also happy.”

He kisses me passionately. Our tongues tangle; I sense this can’t be a bad reaction. “Good, as your happiness is all I care about,” he breathes against my lips. “I just hope I don’t fuck up.”

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