Layla sat very still, digesting Reginald’s words. He sat quietly also, watching her with a level impeccability. “I have had tens of thousands of lovers in my time, yet I have loved only thrice, Layla. You are the third, but with the power of my love comes ruthlessness. I am a monster to protect those I love.” A wry smile lifted Reginald’s perfect lips. “As are you.”
“I fear what I would do to protect you, or Adrian, or the others, if any of you were ever harmed.” Layla spoke softly, massaging her heart. “But I don’t have the battle-power you have. You fear that if you unleash your inner darkness to protect me or do my bidding, that you’d do something you can’t take back, like with Avri. That if something went wrong… you’d be devoured by your blackest beast.”
“Indeed.” Reginald gave her a quiet nod. “Your power and my love for you could push me to become one of the worst monsters the seas have ever known. But the difference between my kind of monster and my father’s is that I have no wish to become King. I am a monster to protect those I love. My father is a monster to quiet his own inner demons about being less-than. Demons he has had since long before I was born.”
“You think you’re unfit to be King.” Layla blinked, finally understanding why Reginald resisted the Siren Kingship. “Because of our Bind and your own deepest darkness. That’s why you keep walking away from the throne. You believe that your dark wrath is too unhinged to allow you to be a good ruler.”
“I know it is,” Reginald spoke softly. “Just like you know what you would do to protect Adrian, I know where I go in my true love’s wrath, and there is no going back. Quindici DaPonti saw it in me long ago, that I have demons of power inside me that make Vampire Revenants feel like a fleeting dream. I see it inside you also, just as my father noted tonight. WeareKing killers, Layla. And that is why neither of us is fit to rule a Lineage. Ever.”
Layla sat back, digesting everything Reginald had said. A deep silence stretched between them, and she felt a vast understanding in it. For the first time, she truly understood why her power had Bound Reginald. It wasn’t that he was handsome, or that he was cruel, or powerful. It was because he wouldn’t hesitate in a fight to the death for the people he loved, against any odds – and some dark part of Layla knew she was the same.
With a quirk of his perfect lips, Reginald sighed, reaching out and taking up Layla’s hand. “Forgive me for bringing up such dire topics tonight. I know it is difficult to address them, but they needed to be said. You needed to know why I keep walking away from being Siren King. And why I won’t fight my father for the throne, like everyone else wishes me to.”
“I’m glad you told me.” Layla heaved a sigh also, feeling overwhelmed. Her limbs felt like lead, even though Reginald’s touch as he stroked her fingers now was comforting. Sitting beside her, Reginald watched her a long moment. At last he moved, easing off the chaise and sinking gracefully to one knee before her. Still holding her hand, he reached out with the other, smoothing a lock of hair back from her face. Layla glanced up, meeting his gaze.
“Are you all right, Layla?” He asked quietly.
“No.” She spoke as everything churned inside her, shivering with a sudden chill as she shifted to face him on the chaise. “I feel like there’s something evil inside me, Reginald. This dark wrath. This ability to do anything for the people I love.”
“It’s not evil. Only powerful in a way that needs watching.” Reginald spoke gently. Reaching up, he took Layla’s chin in his thumb and forefinger, making her meet his gaze. She had expected dominance in his eyes, but there was only tenderness as he watched her. Smoothing his knuckles over her cheek, Reginald slid his hand back, pulling Layla closer by the nape of her neck. Lifting his chin, he set his lips to hers.
Mercy washed through Layla as they kissed, just the barest movement of lips and tongues. Like she was being rocked by a calm ocean on a sunny day, Layla suddenly hitched a breath and sighed, coming to peace under Reginald’s kiss. As he breathed out, Layla could taste fresh salt spray in it. Pulling back, he gazed into her eyes, his elegant golden brows knit with concern as his long fingers stroked the back of her neck.
“What do you need tonight, my love?” He asked quietly, no cruelty or dominance in his eyes now, only tenderness. Layla sat there, feeling him support her through this darkness – feeling truly grateful he’d insisted upon their Partnering months ago.
“I’m terrified, Reginald.” Layla spoke honestly, baring her heart even as she felt it clench in her chest. “I’m terrified that I’m far more like Hunter than I know… and I can’t tell Adrian or Dusk about it. Or Rhennic.”
“Because the thing you fear most is yourself,” Reginald massaged her neck, his sea-grey eyes understanding. “You don’t fear what Hunter may do to you if he finds you. You fear what you might do to him if he hurts someone you love.”
“Yes.” Layla breathed. Deep inside, she felt that blackness writhe inside her again. “How do I face knowing this about myself?”
“One step at a time. Just as I once did.” Rising in a graceful motion, Reginald took her hand, guiding Layla up from the chaise. “Come.”
“Where are we going?” Layla asked as she rose, confused.
“Into the water. Only by its solace can we work this through tonight.”
Stepping forward, Reginald wound her in his arms. Lifting his lips, he kissed her, but rather than passion, Layla felt an oceanic solace in his kiss tonight. She sighed, surrendering to her Royal Siren in a way she only felt truly comfortable doing with him. Because she knew he would not hesitate. Reginald would never hesitate to protect her if she was ever threatened.
He would never hesitate to give his all and do what had to be done – when it had to.
CHAPTER 10 – SWIM
Easing back from their kiss beneath the dome of the swimming hall, Reginald began to unfasten his French cuffs with their pearl-diamond cufflinks in a flowing, elegant movement. Turning to set the cufflinks aside upon a glossy coral table, he eyed Layla, his eyes more grey than blue now as he stood in the soft light from the pearl-abalone chandeliers. Their watery reflection off the saltwater pool made him luminous in the low-lit hall, burnishing every stark, beautiful line of his impressive body and face as he moved. Watching Layla, Reginald gave her an unmistakable look as his long fingers went to the buttons on his cream vest, beginning to undo them.
It was a dark look, full of sex as he slowly stripped for her pleasure. Layla lifted an eyebrow, knowing he was seducing her now. But her face and chest flamed with heat anyway at his subtle stripping, a spiced bourbon-orange scent curling from her skin. Deep inside, her Dragon turned over exquisitely in her veins, eager for her Royal Siren’s passion. She watched Reginald undo his buttons, still gazing at her with deep heat as he shed the vest and began pulling his white silk shirt from his trousers. Watching him, Layla was entranced by how beautiful he was. Reginald’s every movement was lyricism, and as he pinned her with his sea-grey eyes, brightening with gold now, she felt a wash of oceanic power flow out from him at last.
Embracing her beneath the quiet midnight dome.
Layla was already breathless, watching him strip his shirt away to bare his perfectly chiseled torso and sculpted shoulders to the soft chandelier lights and their reflection off the pool. The world’s finest male models would have wept to stand in Reginald Durant’s presence. Photographers would have crushed each other in a stampede to capture his elegant, articulate, cruelly beautiful likeness. He was like some wrathful, benevolent god as he stared her down, casting his shirt to the chaise with his abandoned dinner jacket and vest.
Something in him was so deep, so immersive that Layla found herself surrendering to him already, to whatever he had in mind tonight. Something inside Reginald was so utterly calm and in control that it put Layla’s every worry to rest. He wouldn’t ever abuse her. But he was going to wring her out tonight until her every last fear and tension evaporated.
She could see that promise shining in his grey-gold eyes.
“Come, my Partner. Let us take a swim.” He murmured, though his intense look said so much more about what he wanted.
“Somehow, I don’t think doing a few laps is what you’re insinuating.” Layla spoke, feeling herself flush harder now.
