“Of course. Now go.”
She leans down and pulls me into a hug, and I awkwardly stroke her back.
“Could you please call me or Cody if you need us?”
“I sure will, I promise.”
I watch as she leaves, shutting the door behind her, and then I quickly hop off the bed and swiftly lock it. Racing to the window, I secure it tightly before rushing to the bathroom and sealing the window there as well. With a long exhale, I return slowly to my bed, climbing onto it and resting my back against the headboard. Drawing my knees up to my sternum, I hug my legs tightly, dropping my forehead to my knees as dread floods my senses, causing my eyes to fill with tears.
As I sit there in the deafening silence, I attempt to think of something else, anything to distract myself. But inevitably, my mind continues to wander back to my Nana, and the ache of missing her intensifies. Tears trickle down my bare legs as I recall our happier times together, reminiscing about the warmth of her presence and the lessons she imparted on me.
She always encouraged me to be courageous in difficult situations, little knowing the true extent of what I was going through. In hindsight, I wish I had reached out to someone for support. I wish I had confided in her, shared my struggles, and leaned on her wisdom and love.
A sudden knock on my door jolts me, every part of me tensing as I swiftly raise my head to gaze at it. My heart pounds in my chest, and my breathing grows shallow as I stare at the door, anticipation gnawing at my nerves. Another knock, slightly harder this time, sends a shiver down my spine, and I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing myself for what comes next.Charley, you've got this; go confront whoever it is.
Shuffling off the bed, I wipe the tears from my eyes before coming to a halt at the door. I wait for a moment, my handhovering over the lock, before finally summoning the courage to unlock it. Slowly, I open the door, revealing Reign standing there through the tiniest crack. Relief floods through me, and I widen it, his eyes sweeping over me, taking in my disheveled appearance, before meeting my puffy eyes. His expression remains calm as he subtly evaluates me, his gaze steady and reassuring.
“You good?”
Sniffling, I step back to allow him to enter, and he passes me, peering around the little room as he does so. I close the door behind him, swiftly brushing away my tears and folding my arms across my chest in an attempt to regain composure.
“What are you doing here, Reign?”
He gives me a side glance as he stands with his back to me at first, but then he turns around to face me and his tatted hands slip into the pockets of his sweatpants as he speaks.
“I'm here because you're coming back with me.”
I lift my brow, attempting to appear stronger than I feel, and tighten my grip on my upper arms.
“Is that what you think?”
He squints his eyes and cocks his head to the side, studying my demeanor. Taking a slow step forward, he approaches me, and in response, I elevate my chin defiantly, but when he comes to a stop in front of me, he overwhelms my senses and I lower my gaze while he dips his head close to my ear.
“You don't have to act like the hard girl in front of me, Charley. We all feel fear at some point in our lives; it is human fucking instinct. Some of us just control it better than others.”
My eyes gradually open, and as I turn my head, our eyes connect. His gaze falls to my lips, and he gives the order, his voice low and commanding.
“Get yourself a fucking bag; you're staying with me.”
I swallow before responding while he stares intently into my eyes.
“But I have school, and I can't just leave.”
He draws a long breath and stands tall, peering down at me.
“I will drop you off before I go to training in the mornings, and then I'll pick you up; problem solved. Now get your shit; I won't ask you again.”
I clamp my lips together tightly, knowing that I am not going to get out of this, and if I continue to resist, he might just carry me out of here. Briefly glancing away, I compose myself and begin to move, turning around to find my belongings. Reign patiently waits in the middle of the room, his dark eyes following my every movement. Once I am finally ready, I turn to face him, and he gives a slight nod before passing me.
When we get to his place, we stroll up the stairwell until we reach the top, and he follows me up the corridor. I proceed over the hard floorboards until I reach Chaos's door, and when I set myhand on the door handle, he talks into my ear from behind with gritted teeth.
“What the fuck do you think you're doing?”
I pause, my eyes widening, and he suddenly pulls his huge hand back, delivering a forceful smack to my ass. The impact is so intense that I let out a startled shriek and stumble forward slightly.
“Get your pretty little ass in my room before I do it with my fucking belt the next time.”
My eyes nearly bulge out of my skull because of his dominance, but I don't object. Instead, I stride quickly down the hall to his bedroom. As soon as I enter, I take a quick look around while hearing him shut the door behind us. He yanks my backpack off my shoulder and tosses it aside, causing me to swivel around to face him. As he moves forward, his eyes darken with something menacing, causing me to instinctively back up.
