I watch in horror as the knife falls to the floor, and before the man can even slide down the wall, Reign takes him by the lapels of his jacket, pulls his head back, and headbutts him so hard that I hear his nose and face break and I cringe. Reign lets go of him, and he collapses on the ground, grasping his busted nose and wriggling around in suffering, but Reign doesn't stop there.
He stands over him, stepping on his forearms to restrain him before reaching for the knife, and once he gets it, he grabs the guy's greasy hair, lifts his head, and thrusts the blade into his face. My wet orbs widen as he carves him from ear to lips, and the man cries in anguish. When he's done, he tosses the knife into the toilet and takes a step back before spitting on the guy.
“Dirty motherfucker, you've fucked with the wrong one today.”
As he rolls around in distress, Reign eventually turns around to face me, and my distraught, frightened eyes flash to him instantaneously. He makes a silent motion towards the door; however, I rush towards him and bury my face in his strong chest. He initially freezes, but I soon feel his big palm on the back of my head, and he leads me out of the gas station.
When we are in the car and he pulls off, I wipe my tears away with my palms before I stare out the window beside me. I suddenly notice Reign’s hand come over and he gently takes my chin, forcing me to face at him. He looks at the highway before returning his focus to me, examining my features.
“You hurt?”
I sniffle before responding softly.
“No.”
He gives a slight nod before calmly releasing my chin and returning his gaze to the road ahead. After a time of total silence between us, I decide to speak.
“Thank you.”
We exchange eye contact, peering at one another for a moment before he gives another wordless nod and returns to the highway.
After around an hour, I know we are getting close because we are driving through woodland, and in a few minutes, there is a clearing and the huge Lakehouse comes into view. My eyes expand, and I try not to exhale due to the size it is.
When we pulled up, I noticed Cody and Lucy had already arrived. I take my bag and step out of the car, closing the door behind me. Lucy moves towards me, and I am not sure how, but she quickly detects something is amiss.
“Are you okay, Char?”
I straighten up before nodding sharply.
“Of course.”
I observe as Reign passes me and jogs up the Lake House stairs, leaving a pleasant scent in his wake. Cody follows close behind him, and Lucy and I exchange small smiles before looking over at the wide, glistening lake ahead. The sun is setting on the horizon, and it appears to be very peaceful. She throws her arm around my shoulders and leads me to the Lakehouse.
“I could use a big drink, Char. I am not sure about you!”
We laugh as we walk up the stairs and into the house. As soon as we enter, again, its vastness astounds me; It is like a massive cabin, and it's incredibly stunning. My gaze is drawn to the kitchen area, where I hear people talking, and as we proceed, Lucy removes her arm. When we walk in, we spot a small group of guys and girls gathered around the kitchen island. They are all staring at us as soon as we enter, and the silence grows uncomfortable, but Cody decides to break it off.
“So, who's making the drinks? Chaos can catch the fuck up when he finally gets his ass here.”
The blonde-haired girl speaks up, raising her hand.
“I'll handle it.”
Cody extends his arm to Lucy, gesturing that she approaches him, and she moves forward at his command, leaving me to stand alone like an idiot while everyone interacts. I cast a glance over to Reign, who is leaning against the kitchen counter a distance away, also alone, so I decide to shift closer until I am alongside him. I drop my bag on the counter, feeling more at ease around him because of the events of the day. He peers down at me beside him, and I turn around, resting up against thecounter as well. Lucy finally offers me a drink after a long time of watching everyone, and I accept it with a smile.
“Thanks.”
She smiles widely before skipping away, and I bring the cup to my nose to smell the alcohol inside. I take a small sip to taste it, and it is, as expected, ridiculously strong. My sips gradually turn into gulps as I try to calm my nerves, and I soon feel that warm rush in my veins. When I'm feeling brave, I decide to speak to Reign when I notice he isn’t drinking.
“Do you not drink, or something?”
He responds without looking at me.
“I'm currently in strict training, but I might have a couple later tonight.”
Before I can say anything else, Chaos suddenly enters, shirtless, with a white shirt placed over his shoulder, and tight, black ripped jeans. Everyone celebrates as usual, but his eyes roam the room, ignoring them all until they settle on mine. He smirks as he approaches me, and when I am within reach, he grabs the small of my waist, lifts me, and dumps me onto the counter. I smile as he draws me in close to him by wrapping his big arms over the bottom of my back when I hear Cody yell over.
“Put her down, you fucking animal!”
