Emperor of Annihilation

THIRTY SEVEN

"You know her, Eze?" Nadia's voice cut through the pregnant silence. My eyes clamp shut as I blinked. Since when were the two on nickname basis? Her arms crossed when my eyes landed on hers. "The two of you together?"

At first, I looked at her with confusion evident in my irises. Her accented voice made it hard to understand, until I put two and two together. I'm quick to shake my head.

"No." The words left my lips faster than intended, and I blew a gasp. Oops?

Her body language becomes more loose. She relaxes her broad shoulders, slumping them down as a sigh escapes her lips. Nodding her head, she mutters, "Good." Then turns to Scorpion, who was watching the entire thing go down with a mug in hand. "One on one, let's go."

His brow shot to the roof at her command. He makes a choking sound on the rim of his mug, wiping the liquid off of his mouth when it jumps up, spraying him in his face.

"What?"

She began a pace towards him. "You heard me." Snaps. "Let's let the two hash things out. God knows they need it." She spun around. "Besides, I have some pent up stress I need to release, and who better a dummy than you?"

I watch in complete silence next to Ezekiel, whose eyes never left my face.

"Fine." He grumbled, annoyance in the way he spoke. "But don't try any of those fancy ass moves." He threw his hands up, mimicking the so-called moves with two fingers, and made his way to the ring with Nadia following close behind. "You know I don't like it."

"Oh like I care what you like. Now get into proper form."

I tear my eyes from the two and bite down on my bottom lip, releasing the soft flesh in a huff. "Those two look close."

He nodded his head in response, eyes never once leaving my face even when a masculine yell sounded from the ring, while I crane my neck to witness Nadia performing a perfect chokehold on Scorpion. I only look at him when he speaks, "They used to be a thing."

Makes sense. Still, the thought of Ezekiel and Nadia developing feelings for one and another didn't sit right with my stomach. Is that why the two broke up? Because Nadia had a thing for Ezekiel? Bile rises in my throat and I felt like gagging.

I spun around so that I'm facing him. Then, I narrow my eyes into somewhat of a glare, hoping and praying I blind myself just enough to not get distracted by his beauty that I've become so envious of.

"We need to have that talk." His rough voice slices through the thick air, making me whip my head around at him. "You've been avoiding me like obese people avoid healthy choices."

My mouth falls open in disbelief as his words hit me like a ton of bricks, and I lift a hand to slap his arm. "You can't just say that." I hissed through gritted teeth.

His facial expression remains neutral, despite my cheap hit. He makes no movement except for his eyes, which slowly falls into a blink.

"You want to know your issue, Monroe?" Before I could reply a quick 'no', he interrupts, "You're too damn nice for your own good. I don't think I heard you say one honest thing in your life."

My eyes widen with each word of his sentence. My blood began to boil. He's basically calling me stupid and dishonest. Scratch that, he is calling me stupid and dishonest.

I bit down on my bottom lip again, fighting against the words that desperately want to leave my lips and be unloaded onto him. Safe to say I failed terribly.

The next words to leave my lips were anything but honest. I step up to him so that he physically has to take a step back in order to look me in the eye.