Hells Queen

one

He wasn't supposed to be here for another hour, Adam, my husband wasn't supposed to be home until six. Rushing up from the couch, I wince as pain shoots up my abdomen like fire. Holding in my grunts, I turn on the stove, pulling out leftovers from yesterday, not having the strength to do anything else.

"Hello, my dearest," Adam slurs as he steps through the front door, his steps sloppy as he comes towards the kitchen, throwing his bag on the couch.

"Hello," I tell him, a tight smile on my lips as I turn ever so slightly to face him, an ache in my back making me stop from going further. "I'm sorry, I'm still working on dinner."

"You are just heating leftovers, I'm sure it won't take that long," he tells me, opening the fridge to grab a beer. Stepping towards me, he kisses my temple before leaning on the pantry and staring at me.

Coming closer to me, Adam wraps his arms around my shoulder, pulling my back to his chest. "How was your day, baby," he tells me, rocking us back and forth as I try not to shove him away from me.

"It was okay, just stay here, a-" Before I could finish my sentence, he interrupts me.

"I can tell," he tells me, moving my messy hair to one side, and placing a kiss on my shoulder. "I don't even think you brushed your hair."

"I didn't see a need to," I tell him, trying to move away from him, only making him hold me closer to him. Finally letting me go, I move ever so slightly to grab the cooking oil, my entire body aching at the movement.

Turning back towards the stove, I see him standing against the kitchen island, eyeing me, "Why are you moving like that?"

"Moving like what?" I ask, pouring some more oil into the pan, barely able to raise my arm.

"Like that," he says, pointing at my arm as I set the oil down and start stirring. "What's wrong?" Moving towards me, I try to take a step back but instead find myself falling towards the floor, catching Adam pulling me towards him, a cry releasing my lips as I can't help but lean into him. Picking me up, he moves me to the couch, crossing my arms around my torso. I try to lay as straight as possible.

"I'm okay," I assure him, wiping a tear from my cheek.

"Lilith, you are not okay, lift your shirt," he tells me, coming back around the couch with a bag of ice.

"I'm okay," I repeat.

"Now," he demands, bending over me, throwing my hands away from my stomach, and lifting my shirt, "what the fuck happened!?"

Trying to lift my head to see, I hiss and throw my head back as he places the seemingly heavy bag on my ribs. "That won't help," I tell him, "I've been doing it all day."

"Was this from last night?" he asks, sitting down on the coffee table right next to me. Nodding my head, I let him continue trying to help me. "You don't need to make dinner, let's just go out." I thought we could go to that new Italian restaurant downtown," he tells me, helping me up off the couch.

Heading into the bathroom, I pull on a loose dress, after struggling with my pajamas that I've been wearing all day. Coming around to my backside Adam holds me close. "You look so hot," he breathes into my neck. "Now let's get going before we don't leave at all."

Shivering at his words, I follow him out into the living room. As he stumbles to his keys, I catch him ever so slightly. "Would you like me to drive?" I ask him, as he straightens up.

"No, it will be fine, let's go, stop taking so long," he shouts as he grabs my upper arm and pulls me to his truck. Shoving myself into the seat, I stretch the seatbelt across my body, securing it as the truck roars to life and we peel out of the driveway.