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Her eyes open as she groans. She struggles to sit up, so I catch her and sit her up slowly. I don’t wake the others who are finally sleeping. It’s been days since they got any rest.
“He’s here—”
“Shh, you’re okay. Calm down. Breathe for me,” I tell her.
I place her hand on my chest, forcing her to feel my breaths until she slows her breathing to match mine. “That’s it. You’re safe. He’s dead, Reign. He can’t hurt you anymore. You’re safe. Say it with me.”
“I’m safe,” she whispers. Despite her volume, the others wake up.
They surround her, speaking too quickly for her to keep up, and I can tell it’s overwhelming her. “Give her a second,” I demand, and they fall silent. “Are you okay?”
“I . . . Fuck, I don’t even know what to say except thank you.” She looks at us. “For not leaving, for being here, for saving me . . . I don’t know what he would have done to me had you—”
“Shh, don’t think of that.” I squeeze her hand.
Nodding, she looks down, and I don’t like the silence.
“Reign?”
“I’m grateful . . .” She trails off, and when she lifts her head, there are tears in her eyes. “But overwhelmed. I think I need you to leave.” I can’t help the reaction I have to that, and she swallows hard, looking at us. “Just for now.”
“Reign,” Astro says.
“Reign, look—” I start.
“Please, Raff, so much has happened. I’m grateful you stayed and that you saved me, but I need to process. Just give me some time, okay? I’m not saying forever. I’m just saying for now.”
I hate that.
The last thing I want is time away from her. I almost lost her once. I can’t lose her again, but I nod, knowing if I push this, I could lose her forever.
She looks like a cornered animal.
She feels trapped.
The last thing I want is for her to bolt, but as we gather our stuff and I watch her carefully, I have a feeling that’s exactly what she plans to do.
“Okay, just for a little bit, but we aren’t going anywhere, Reign, and you will hear us out. This isn’t over, Miss Harrow. You are ours, don’t ever forget that.”
SIXTY
Ican’t face the cameras, questions, and people. I can’t do it. I can’t even turn my phone back on after it blew up the first time I did.
What do I do? I do what any coward does. I run. I discharge myself with their advice and medication and I manage to arrange a car to pick me up around back, thanks to the hospital who clearly wants to avoid any bad press. Once home, I pack a bag, and then I’m on the road before anyone even realizes I’ve been here.
I leave the city lights and all the trouble behind.
I never should have come back, but then I wouldn’t have met them and I wouldn’t have fallen in love.
I wouldn’t have found my sound again.
Right now, my regret mixes with my hope, and it’s too much for me to handle.
I hit a familiar road, one I took all those months ago, and like then, my heart is broken, so I escape to the same place I did before.
I need to figure out what I’m going to do next.
Is this the end of Reign Harrow, or just the beginning?
