Page 37 of Reine's Salvation

“What?”

“Yeah. Like you said, the guy isn’t doing great, so I’ve come to pay him a surprise visit. I had to stop by here first though.” Max winked at her. “Glad to see he’s been keeping good company.”

Mystique tucked her hair behind her ear and licked her lips. Her face heated up. She opened her mouth to speak and stopped. The hairs on the nape of her neck stood as if someone watched her. Her gaze traveled across the room, her heart speeding up as she caught sight of the tall man staring at her from the doorway of the restaurant. Reine. Her heart pitter-pattered with excitement, butterflies swarmed in her stomach, and something akin to joy gathered in her chest.

“Speaking of the devil,” Max said, following her line of vision.

Mystique began to raise her arm to wave to Reine but paused. Something was off. His gaze was frosty. His face was set in a scowl, and he held his hand in a tight fist at his side. His eyes shot daggers at them as he approached.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Reine said to Max. “Haven’t seduced enough women yet?”

“Reine, what are you talking about?” Mystique asked.

“I came to see you, Mystique. I came to tell you what I had planned for later tonight and I find this guy making sweet eyes at you.” Reine shook his head. “I opened up to you.” He closed his eyes as if in pain. “I should have known this was a bad idea.”

“Reine, everyone in Lance knows Mystique. We are friends,” Max spoke quietly, but there was an edge to his voice she had not heard before.

Reine snorted. “Friends, sure. I gotta go.”

“Reine,” Mystique called after him, but he stormed out without a second glance in their direction.

“Shit, is that what you meant by outbursts?” Max glanced at her.

Mystique nodded. Her eyes welled up with tears. She knew that perhaps what had just happened was for the best. Someone like Reine was not a positive influence in her life, yet, the sudden tightness in her chest told her otherwise. She wanted to go to him, to hold him close, and to be his comfort in his time of need.

“Go after him,” Max said. “I’ll talk to your boss. Keith knows me, don’t worry about it.”

“Thanks, Max.”

Mystique dashed out of the bar. She hoped she could catch up with Reine. He had been walking fast and he had longer legs than her. As she went outside, she spotted his frame in the distance. His strides were long and he was visibly infuriated.

“Reine.” If he heard her, he chose to ignore her. She ran. Panting, she managed to catch up with him. She cried out his name again and grabbed his arm. Reine spun around. Caught by surprise, she released him. She took a step back. There was no warmth in his gaze. His eyes appeared almost black in the poorly lit night, as if he had lost the spark within him.

“Go back to Max, Mystique. You don’t want to be with me.”

“Reine, please, hear me out.” She thrust aside her fear and clasped his arm again, purposely digging the tips of her fingers into his flesh. “Max and I are only friends. We’ve been friends for years, long before you came along. I didn’t even know you knew each other until a few minutes ago.”

“And?”

Mystique’s palms turned clammy. She opened her mouth and quickly shut it again. Her tongue darted between her lips, wetting it, as she searched for the appropriate words. Reine huffed and shook his head. She was losing him. Mystique grabbed his hand. He held it limply in her hold.

“Look at me, Reine. I like you, as in really like you, beyond the sexual attraction. I don’t know what it is, but it’s there and—” Tears leaked out of her eyes as her nerves took the best of her. “Damn it.” She released him. She couldn’t do this. As much as she cared for Reine, she couldn’t stand before him and beg him to love her, to stop being furious.

“Shit. Mystique, don’t cry, darling, don’t, don’t cry.” Reine pulled her into his embrace. He kissed her forehead and her cheeks, while holding her tightly against him. “Please, darling, don’t be upset.”

“You’re angry.” Mystique placed her palm over his heart. “Always angry and bitter, like I used to be, and I can’t stand the sight. Your anger is consuming you, Reine. There was no reason for you to act the way you did just now.”

“I know.” He sighed deeply. “You know I’m not angry at you, right? Never at you, Mystique.”

“Yes, but it hurts me regardless,” she said softly.

“I’m sorry.”

“I don’t know what to do to help you, Reine. I want you to be happy.”

“And I want you to be happy.” Reine’s deep sigh rattled in her ear. She could hear his heart beat and she wondered if it matched the miserable tattoo of hers. She braced herself for what she knew was coming.

“I don’t think there’s anything you can do, Mystique,” he whispered.

She glanced up at him. Their gazes locked and she felt the warm rush of tears slide down her cheeks. She nodded. He was right. Only he could face his anger. It was his responsibility. She could not help him. She swallowed the lump in her throat, fighting hard the urge to sob disconsolately. She had to let him go.

The ache in her heart spread throughout her chest until every limb of hers hurt as deeply as if she’d been locked without sunlight for years. Mystique cupped his face and standing on her tiptoes, she pressed her lips to his one final time. She savored the softness of the kiss and the salty taste of her tears mingled with the bittersweet flavor of their goodbye. Gingerly, she took a step back and spun around, her eyes downcast. She couldn’t bear to look him in the face lest she see the same pain she felt, for if she did, she knew she would never be able to walk away.

“Goodbye, Reine.”

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