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“Something’s fucked,” I say, my voice tight with barely controlled rage. “He knows.”

“Knows what?”

“About us. About the plan. Something.” I pull out my phone, typing quickly:

Are you okay?

I watch her check her phone, see her body go even more rigid as she reads my message. She glances toward Vega, who’s now watching her with obvious suspicion, then types something back.

Can’t talk now. He’s watching everything.

What happened?

This time, she doesn’t respond immediately.

Vega is speaking to her again, his voice low but his body language aggressive.

Finally, her phone buzzes with an incoming message, but when she checks it, she doesn’t type anything back.

Instead, she slides the phone into her purse and focuses straight ahead.

“We need to abort,” Marcus says quietly, reading the situation. “If he’s onto us?—”

“No. I’m not leaving her with him. Not when she’s scared.”

“Reign, think about this. If we tip our hand now?—”

“I don’t give a fuck about our hand.” I’m already moving through the crowd, heading for the exit. “Something’s wrong, and I’m not walking away.”

Marcus follows, his security training making him scan for threats as we move. “Where are you going?”

“Her house. If she can’t text me back, I’ll go to her.”

“That’s exactly what he’d expect you to do if he knows about you two.”

“Then I better be careful.” The crowd is still celebrating Ben’s victory, providing cover as we make our way toward the parking garage. “Keep the car ready, but give me two hours. If you don’t hear from me by then, assume the worst.”

“And do what?”

“Whatever you think is best.” I don’t have time to plan contingencies. All I know is that Audrey is in trouble, and I’m the only one who can help her.

“Watch your six,” Marcus says grimly. “And Reign? Don’t do anything that gets you both killed.”

I’m already moving, my mind focused on one thing: getting to Audrey. Whatever Vega knows, whatever he’s threatening her with, she doesn’t have to face it alone.

I push through the arena’s exit doors, the cool night air hitting my face like a slap. The parking garage is chaos, fight fans streaming toward their cars, the energy of Ben’s victory still crackling through the crowd.

But all I can think about is Audrey, trapped in that box with a man who might know her deepest secret. The terror in her eyes when she looked at me, the way she flinched from Vega’s touch.

My truck roars to life, and I’m pulling out of the garage before I fully process the decision. The speedometer climbs as I navigate the post-fight traffic, every red light feeling like an eternity.

I park three blocks away from her house, same as always. The familiar route through the back gardens and over the stone wall feels different tonight. Dangerous. Like I’m walking into a trap.

But I can’t stay away. Not when she needs me.

Her bedroom window glows soft and golden in the darkness. I scale the oak tree with practiced ease. When I reach her window, she’s there waiting, still in that emerald dress, but her face is streaked with tears.

She opens the window before I can knock, her movements sharp with desperation.

“You shouldn’t have come,” she whispers as I climb through. “He knows, Reign. He knows something’s wrong.”

“What happened?” I pull her against me the moment my feet hit her bedroom floor, feeling her trembling in my arms. “Tell me everything.”

She buries her face against my chest, her words muffled but urgent. “At the reception tonight, I ran into Tiffany Breslin. She mentioned the majorette reunion weekend—the one I was supposed to attend but didn’t because I was with you.”

My blood goes cold. “Fuck.”

“I tried to lie, said there was a family emergency, but I made mistakes. Gio knows every detail about my family history. He caught me in multiple lies.” She pulls back to look at me, her eyes wide with fear.

“He didn’t confront me directly, but I could see it in his face. He knows I wasn’t where I said I was.”

“What did he say?”

“Nothing specific. But during the fight, he kept making comments. About loyalty. About trust. About what happens to people who betray him.” Her voice drops to a whisper. “He knows, Reign. Maybe not about you specifically, but he knows I’m lying about something.”

I cup her face in my hands, trying to steady her. “We stick to the plan. Tomorrow night, we leave. Whatever he suspects, he doesn’t have proof.”

“You don’t understand.” She grabs my wrists, her grip desperate. “He’s not going to wait for proof. He’s going to act on suspicion. And if he finds out about us...”

“He won’t.” But even as I say it, I know she’s right to be scared. Men like Vega don’t operate on evidence. They operate on instinct and paranoia.

“He could ruin you, Reign. Your business, your brother’s career, everything you’ve built.” Tears stream down her face. “Maybe I should just marry him. Maybe it’s not worth?—”

“Stop.” I cut her off, my voice fierce. “Don’t you dare say that. You’re not sacrificing yourself for him. Not now, not ever.”

“But if he destroys you because of me?—”

“Then that’s my choice to make.” I thumb away her tears, my touch gentle despite the rage burning in my chest. “I’d rather lose everything and have you than keep everything and lose you.”

She stares at me for a long moment, something shifting in her expression. “You mean that.”

“Every fucking word.” I brush my lips against hers, soft and reverent. “Audrey, there’s something I need to ask you.”

Before I can second-guess myself, I drop to one knee beside her bed, pulling out the ring I’ve been carrying for weeks. Her gasp echoes through the room.

“Reign, what are you?—”

“Audrey Elizabeth Worthington,” I say, my voice rough with emotion. “I love you. I’ve loved you from the moment you let me see the real you. Will you marry me?”

She stares down at me, her hand pressed to her mouth, eyes wide with shock. For a terrifying moment, she doesn’t speak, doesn’t move.

“Are you insane?” she finally whispers. “Right now? With everything falling apart?”

“Especially right now.” I take her left hand, the one that still bears the indentation from Vega’s ring. “Because I want you to know that whatever happens, whatever he tries to do to us, you’re not alone. You’re mine, and I’m yours, and nothing he does can change that.”

Fresh tears spill down her cheeks, but she’s smiling now. “You beautiful, crazy man. Yes. Of course, yes.”

I slide the ring onto her finger, then surge to my feet and capture her mouth with mine. She tastes like tears and hope, like every dream I never dared to have.

“I love you,” she says against my lips. “Even if we’re both completely insane.”

“Probably especially because we’re insane.” I back her toward the bed, my hands roaming over the silk of her dress. “I’m staying tonight. I’m not leaving you alone when you’re scared.”

“What if someone sees you?”

“Let them.” I help her out of the emerald dress, worshipping every inch of skin as it’s revealed. “I’m tired of hiding. Tired of pretending you’re not mine.”

She reaches for my shirt, her movements urgent now. “If we’re doing this, if we’re really doing this...”

“We are.” I catch her hands, stilling them. “But first, I need you to understand something. Tomorrow night, we leave. No matter what Vega suspects, no matter what threats he makes. We stick to the plan.”

“And if he tries to stop us?”

My smile is sharp, predatory. “Then he’ll learn what happens when someone tries to take what’s mine.”

She studies my face, seeing the danger there, the promise of violence if necessary. Instead of fear, I see something like relief in her eyes.

“You’d fight for me.”

“I’d kill for you.” The words come out flat, matter-of-fact. “Anyone who tries to hurt you, anyone who tries to keep you from me—they’ll answer to me.”

She kisses me then, fierce and desperate, her teeth catching my bottom lip. When we break apart, we’re both breathing hard.

“I need you,” she whispers against my mouth. “I need to feel you everywhere.”

I push her back against the bed, my hands working at the remaining fabric between us. Her bra comes off first, and I take a moment to appreciate the sight of her bare breasts, nipples already hard and waiting for my mouth.

“Fuck, you’re perfect,” I growl, leaning down to take one peak between my lips. She gasps, her back arching off the bed.

“Reign, please?—”

“Please what?” I switch to her other breast, sucking hard enough to make her cry out. “Tell me what you want.”

“You. Inside me. Now.” Her hands are already working at my belt, her movements urgent and clumsy with need.

I help her get my pants off, then hook my fingers in the sides of her panties. “Lift up,” I command, and she obeys instantly, letting me strip the last barrier away.

She’s already wet for me, glistening in the moonlight. I run a finger through her folds, and she bucks against my hand.

“So ready for me,” I murmur, circling her clit with my thumb. “You’ve been thinking about this all night, haven’t you? Sitting next to him, wanting me.”

“Yes,” she gasps. “God, yes. I couldn’t stop thinking about your hands on me.”

I push two fingers inside her, feeling her clench around me. “Is this what you wanted? My fingers fucking you while he was talking business?”

“Reign,” she moans, her hips rolling against my hand. “Don’t tease me. Not tonight.”

“No teasing,” I agree, withdrawing my fingers and positioning myself at her entrance. “Tonight, I’m going to make you come so hard you forget your own name.”

I push inside her slowly, savoring the way she opens for me, takes me deeper. She’s so tight, so perfect, her body molding around mine like we were made for this.

“Jesus Christ,” I breathe when I’m fully seated inside her. “You feel incredible.”

Her legs wrap around my waist, pulling me even deeper. “Move,” she demands. “Please, Reign, I need you to move.”

I start slow, long strokes that have her gasping beneath me. But it’s not enough. Not for either of us.

“Harder,” she pants. “I can take it. I want to feel you tomorrow.”

That breaks my control completely. I pull almost all the way out before slamming back in, and she screams my name. The sound goes straight to my cock, making me even harder.

“That’s it,” I growl, setting a punishing rhythm. “Let the whole neighborhood hear who you belong to.”

“Yours,” she gasps, her nails raking down my back. “Only yours.”

I reach between us, finding her clit with my thumb. She’s close, I can feel it in the way her muscles start to tighten around me.

“Come for me,” I command, pressing harder against that sensitive bundle of nerves. “Come on my cock, Audrey. Show me how good I make you feel.”

She shatters around me, her body clamping down like a vise, her back arching off the bed as she cries out. The sight and feel of her coming undone pushes me over the edge. I bury myself deep and let go, spilling everything I have into her.

We stay connected afterward, both of us breathing hard. I brush sweat-dampened hair from her face, kissing her softly.

“Mine,” I murmur against her lips.

“Yours,” she confirms, her voice hoarse from screaming my name.

Eventually, I roll off her, pulling her against my side. She traces lazy patterns on my chest, her new ring glinting in the darkness.

“I can’t believe I’m wearing your ring,” she says quietly, holding her hand up to catch the moonlight. “It feels surreal.”

“Get used to it.” I catch her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. “Because I’m never taking it back.”

She turns in my arms to face me fully. “Even if this gets messy? Even if Gio makes things difficult?”

“Especially then.” I pull her closer, my hand resting on her back. “Get some sleep, Princess. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”