Page 90 of Reign of Betrayal

“Oh, Reckless. That had everything to do with me, not you.” I exhale slowly, the weight of the truth pressing down on me. “I have a haunted past, one that sneaks up on me when I least expect it. When you touched my chest, it... it stirred something in me I wasn’t ready for.” My voice lowers. “I’m sorry if I hurt you. I used my own vulnerability to create distance between us because of... well, our situation. And for that, I am sorry.”

I lift the bottle of wine to my lips and take a long drink, needing the bitter sweetness to steady me. Vulnerability isn’t something I allow often—it’s foreign, uncomfortable.

“So, you don’t like your chest touched?” she asks gently.

I shake my head.

“Why? What happened?” she presses further.

“Not today. Maybe one day, I’ll tell you everything. But not today. Let’s just enjoy this, okay?”

She nods slowly, “I understand more than you know, Prince. I have my own haunted past.” Her voice is soft, tinged with empathy. “I’m the one that is sorry—for making you uncomfortable.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. We carry the weight life gives us the best we can—even when it’s heavy.”

She hesitates for a moment, then glances down at the hem of her dress. “What situation? Is it because I am a Drifter from the Hollows?”

Reaching over I lift her chin. Her eyes meet mine. “Where you come from makes no difference in how I feel about you, Reign.”

Handing her the bottle of wine, I watch as she takes a sip.

“Look!” she exclaims suddenly, pointing at the sky. “A shooting star! Quick, make a wish.” She is adorable. Her excitement is infectious, and I smile as she shuts her eyes tightly, making her wish. When she opens them, she turns to me, curiosity gleaming in her gaze.

“Well? What did you wish for?” she asks, tilting her head.

I hold her gaze, the intensity in my chest swelling into words I can’t hold back. “I wished for you to be mine—forever. To have you in my arms when the sun sets and when it rises again. Of all the things my hands have touched, you are by far my favorite—the most precious.”

She inhales sharply, her breath catching as my words settle between us. We just stare at each other. The pull between us is undeniable, the attraction thick and palpable, as if it has a gravity all its own.

“Reckless,” I whisper, my voice low and strained with desire. “I know I said you would beg me to kiss you again. But it is I who is begging. I can’t take it anymore. I need to taste your mouth. I need to feel your lips on mine. I need to feel you against me. I just… need you. A mere kiss will suffice. I know we shouldn’t. I know how damning it could be but, in this moment, I don’t give a damn. I care about you, about how I feel for yo?—”

She doesn’t hesitate. Her hands fly to the back of my head, pulling me toward her, and our lips collide in a desperate, hungry kiss. Our tongues tangle, tasting, exploring, consuming each other. I’m drowning… drowning in a sea of lavender—her lips are the lifeline… or maybe they are the anchor pulling me under. Either way, I don’t care. This is perfect. She is perfect. Every beat of my heart seems to chant her name.

I fist my hand in her hair, pulling her head back to expose her neck. She gasps, her breath hitching as I trail kisses down the curve of her throat, tasting her skin.

“Luke...” she moans, breathless and wanting. “Let’s... let’s take this back to the palace.”

With a groan, I stand, adjusting the hardened length straining against my pants. I offer her my hand, pulling her to her feet.

Holding Reign’s hand,I guide her through the palace toward her room. But as we approach, we both notice her door wide open. Alarm spikes through me.

Peering inside, my stomach clenches at the chaos that greets us. Her room is destroyed—curtains ripped down and tangled on the floor, blankets shredded to ribbons. A silvery dress lies torn to pieces. Perfume bottles lay shattered, their fragrances clinging to the air. Stuffing from pillows is scattered across the floor like fallen snow.

What in the double burning hells happened here?

Reign drops to her knees, clutching the remains of her father’s tunic—now shredded—against her chest. Tears stream down her face as she cradles the tattered pieces. I can’t even imagine losing an item like that. I would be devastated if something happened to my mother’s necklace.

Something inside me twists painfully at the sight. Shadows creep out from my hands, coiling with rage, ready to destroy whoever did this to her.

“Guards!” I shout, my voice carrying down the corridor as the shadows swell, ready to strike. “Guards!”

Within moments, guards appear, followed closely by Kylo and Sasha. Their faces reflect the same shock I feel as they take in the wreckage.

“Find whoever did this. Now.” My voice is sharp, edged with fury. “Where was the guard assigned to this corridor? Sasha, move her things to the room next to mine.”

Kylo steps inside, dropping to his knees beside Reign. He wraps an arm around her, pulling her against him as she lets out a quiet, broken sob.

Watching him comfort her sends a pang through me. I wish I could comfort her like that. I wish it came as naturally to me as it does him. I wish I could comfort her that way, offer the solace she finds so easily in Kylo. If it were anyone other than Kylo, James, or Elm, I would kill them for touching what’s mine. But I’m grateful she has him.

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