Reign: A Romance Anthology

by Nina Levine

  I turn to him. “Are you saying you want me back?”

  His eyes meet mine. “I’m saying I am not the kind of guy who gets caught up with women. But seeing you again, Savvy… I can’t get you out of my fucking head.”

  “You hurt me, King.” My stomach swirls as I tense.

  His face weakens, true sadness taking over. “I know. I’m so fucking sorry. I was in my own head. I was an asshole. You deserved better.”

  “I did… maybe I still do?”

  King exhales, staring back up at the ceiling. “I understand if you don’t want to give me another shot. No hard feelings. Hell, I wouldn’t blame you.”

  Anxiety cripples me.

  I had such a good night with Hunter. But my first kiss, my first love, my first everything is asking for another chance. I have to see where this goes, right?

  “I’m not jumping into anything hard and fast with you, King. If you want this, you’re gonna have to work for it.”

  He leans over me, looking into my eyes. The energy around us is familiar like we’ve been here a million times before. King leans in like he’s going to kiss me, I pucker my lips, but he diverts, kissing my forehead. I let out a small laugh.

  Pulling back, his eyes meeting mine again. “You want me to work for it, then that’s what I’m gonna do! We’ll take this as slow as you want. Hell, we’ll call this dating. We’ll go all the way back to basics.”

  My eyes meet his. “Thank you, King. This means everything.”

  “You mean everything, Savvy.”

  I really want to kiss him right now. But I won’t. He’s taking the high road, so will I.

  But there’s also that little niggling voice reminding me of the great night I just had with Hunter. So I need to do the right thing here and take this slow.

  “C’mon, let’s get off the floor,” I tell him, pulling him over to the bed.

  “Savvy, I thought we were taking it slow. Now, you’re trying to seduce me?” he mocks.

  I roll my eyes. “Shut up and lay down.”

  He chuckles while lying down, opening his arms for me to move in next to him.

  I slide in, cuddling his side as he turns off the sidelight. “Goodnight, King.”

  “Night, Savvy.”

  The Next Morning

  The blasting of my ringing cell jerks me awake. My eyes widen as King lets me go from the tight grip he had on me during the night. A slow smile crosses my face as I look down at him, then remember my cell is ringing. I reach over to grab it—it’s Jovie. Tensing a little, knowing her dislike for the man I am currently in a bed with, I answer anyway. “Hey, babe!”

  “Sooo, I have some news.”

  “Holy shit! You’re pregnant, aren’t you? Or wait, did Kevlar propose? Tell me, it’s both!”

  Jovie chuckles. “Keep your panties on, woman. It’s neither.”

  I slump back down on the bed. “Hmm… buzzkill.”

  “It’s more something kind of exciting for you.”

  “For me?”

  She pauses, building the anticipation.

  That is until I crack. “Well, c’mon, spit it out!”

  “Rush is coming to Houston this weekend for a concert. Kevlar bought tickets to go see him for us, for you, and one spare. He thought you might like to bring someone. If you feel like you’re okay to see Rush, that is?”

  Rush Dayley.

  Mega music icon.

  The man I had a one-night stand with when Jovie and I were on the run in New Orleans before we found our home at the Houston Defiance clubhouse.

  Rock God.

  Sex God.

  All-around amazing guy.

  Just not the guy for me.

  We’re cool, though, and it would be amazing to see him again as friends.

  King is listening to every word I’m saying, so I can’t discuss my torrid affair with Rush, also because I signed an NDA not to say anything about it.

  “I would love to come. I won’t have any trouble finding a plus one to go with me.” I turn to King, winking at him. “I’ll drive over on the weekend. I can’t wait to see you guys again.”

  “We’re going to a concert.”

  “Yeah, we are.”

  “Okay, gotta go… Lucas is trying to shove Lego up his nose.”

  “Okay, bye,” but she’s already gone before I finish talking.

  King pulls me to him as I giggle to myself.

  “What’s that all about?”

  “Do you wanna come to a concert in Houston with me, Jovie, and her man?”

  “Shit! I haven’t seen Jovie in forever. What’s she doing with herself?”

  Warmth fills me as I think of the club. “She’s living at the Houston Defiance clubhouse. A brother claimed her as his Old Lady. I was actually there for a while living at the club before I came back home because of Mom.”

  “I had no idea you were at a biker club. No wonder you like my Harley.”

  “Yeah, being around them kinda gave me a new appreciation. Plus, watching a guy riding one is so…”

  “Hot?” He finishes my sentence for me.

  I slap him on the chest. “Do you wanna go to the concert or not?”

  King laughs, bringing his hand up, swiping my hair behind my ear. “Savvy, I would love to go to a concert with you.”

  Inhaling deeply, I stare into those mesmerizing eyes. I could get lost in them forever. Even though they’re calming the storm raging inside of me right now, I have no idea if they will calm the hurricane waiting for me when I return to Houston.

  King

  The Weekend

  I’m not the boy I was when I first knew Savvy. This much is true. I’ve fallen, grown, made myself into a man I want to be. Someone better. I hope she can see that too. On the drive down to Houston, I plan to tell her everything and hope she won’t look at me differently.

  Pulling up at her home, she’s waiting out front with her overnight bag. I smile, reaching across my truck, then opening the passenger door for her. I wanted to ride more than anything. To have her holding me on the back of my bike would have been fucking perfect, but we can’t take overnight bags with us on my Harley. So my pickup will have to suffice.

  As she jumps into the truck, her father stands in the doorway of the house, staring at me like he’s ready to slice my throat open. François always scared me, and that includes the fateful last time we saw each other.

  Savanah leans over, planting a gentle kiss on my cheek.

  I waggle my brows. “Ready to ditch this joint, Thelma?”

  She laughs. “So, you want me to call you Louise from now on?”

  “Will it turn you on?” I narrow my eyes on her.

  She shoves my side. “Just drive, idiot.”

  I chuckle, turning to face her father. I give him a curt wave, then take off before he has me shot at close range.

  Making our way toward our destination of Houston, not being apprehensive about staying at a biker clubhouse, would be a lie. But if Savvy trusts them—hell, if Jovie of all people is living with them—then they must be okay.

  We drive for a while with Savanah’s playlist cranking through the sound system. The way her body slowly rocks to the tunes, her gorgeous face bright and happy, I really wish I could watch her, not the road. But there is something I want to do, and it’s taken me over two hours to build up the courage.

  “Savvy, can you turn that down for a sec?”

  “Sure… everything okay?”

  My chest tightens, my fingers grip the steering wheel with such force they’re turning white. “While I have you alone, there’s stuff I want to talk to you about, and I wanna do it here while we’re driving so you can’t get out and run.”

  She faces me, a serious expression causing wrinkles to form in her forehead. “King, you’re scaring me. What the hell?”

  Exhaling, I swallow hard. “I need to tell you everything about me, and you’re not going to look at me the same.”

  She hesitates as anxiety floods my very core. “
When we were together, when we were young, you know how I used to hang around the jocks a lot… especially Zack Miller?”

  “I remember.”

  “Well, Zack and his friends were heavily into drugs. I kept it from you. I didn’t want it tarnishing you or getting back to your father.”

  “I’m not following, King.”

  “Zack got me addicted to crack, Savvy. You were just too innocent to see it. Your dad did, though. He sent me off to rehab, told me to get clean, and that I wasn’t worthy of you.” If only she knew the truth. The whole truth. If she ever found out what I’ve done, about who I worked for back then, she’d never talk to me again.

  “He what?” she yells, spinning her entire body to face me.

  “Savvy, take that all in. Don’t be angry at your father, be angry at me. I got addicted. I left then chose not to come back. He helped me by taking me to rehab. I don’t think I’d be alive today if it weren’t for your dad. Even if he scared the shit out of me.”

  Her eyes flood with tears as she sinks back into her seat. “You left because you had a drug problem?” I nod. “Not because of me?”

  I reach out, grabbing her hand. “I left for you, Savvy. I didn’t want you knowing what I’d become. What a fuck-up I was. But I’m aware now that leaving without saying anything was just as bad. And for that, I’m so fucking sorry.”

  “All this time I thought I was the problem, that I wasn’t good enough. I’ve been a different person because of how you left, King. I’d take attention from any man who’d give it to me. I’ve been basically slutting myself around to try and feel worthy of someone. Anyone.”

  Regret and anger overwhelm me. “I’m so fucking sorry. But you don’t have to look at yourself that way, Savvy. You’re beautiful. Anyone, especially me, would be lucky to have you.”

  She turns up the music again, effectively ending our conversation. I’m not sure how I was expecting this to go, but this wasn’t it. I never thought my actions all that time ago would have had such a profound effect on her and forced her to doubt herself in such a terrible way.

  I am an asshole.

  Maybe I should have stayed away.

  An hour and a hell of a lot of awkward silence later, we pull into the compound of the Houston Defiance MC. This place is huge and so much more than I was anticipating. I park the truck where I am directed, then take in a deep, anxiety-filled breath as Savanah jumps out, full of excitement.

  She really does love it here.

  I casually slide out as Savanah’s in a giant embrace with Jovie. It’s good to see Jovie again. The years have done her good. She appears really fucking happy.

  Me, on the other hand, I’m overwhelmed. A giant beast of a man heads my way. The biker’s cut immediately intimidates me, but the smile he sports relaxes me somewhat.

  He places out his hand for me to shake. “Welcome to the club. I’m Kevlar. Sav didn’t tell us who she was bringing, so fuck man, I’m not prepared.”

  Jovie steps forward with a hard glare on her face.

  Definitely less welcoming.

  “This is King. He’s an asshole, and Sav can do much better. C’mon, Sav, let’s go get ready.”

  My muscles tense as Jovie drags Savanah off, leaving me with the burly biker. He assesses me but then chuckles. “Seems you and my Old Lady got off on the wrong foot.”

  I relax a little. Maybe this guy is okay. “Jovie’s protective of Savvy. I hurt her years ago. I left without even a damn goodbye. Dick-fucking-move. But I’m trying to make up for it.”

  Kevlar dips his chin in understanding. “Well, as long as you don’t hurt Sav again, we’ll be good.”

  “I don’t plan on it.”

  “Then, let’s head on in.” He gestures to the doors, and I walk alongside him. Tension rolls through my shoulders as we make our way inside.

  I take it all in.

  Just like the outside, the inside is not what I expected. There are a couple of kids running around, two babies, everyone is greeting me, but most of all, the place is clean, and there are no naked women. No stripper poles. No posters of women in compromising positions on the walls. It’s not at all what I thought I would see. It’s fucking cool.

  Another biker strides over, the patch on his cut saying ‘President.’ It instantly has me tensing all over again.

  “Name?”

  My eyes widen as I stare at him. “Titus King.”

  He eyes me up and down. The man is taller than me, stockier too, and he’s covered in black and gray tattoos. An enviable beard covers his chin, and his hair is pulled back in a man bun. He’s fucking intimidating as all hell. “You ever been into any underground shit?”

  My eyes shift to Kevlar, and he tilts his head urging me to answer. “I went to rehab for drug addiction."

  Zero stands taller. “Where did you score?”

  “From the jocks at high school. I was a kid.”

  The president grunts under his breath. “If you bring any shit to the club. We will kill you.”

  Holy shit! My eyes shift to Savanah, who’s trying to fight back her laughter as she stands with Jovie. Now I peer around, and everyone’s looking at me trying not to chuckle.

  “Zero, leave him alone. You’ll give him a heart attack,” Savanah calls out to the biker president.

  He bursts out laughing. All the anger and tension he was holding seems to evaporate as he grips my shoulder with a smirk.

  Savanah walks over to my side, shoving Zero out the way playfully.

  He points at me like he means business but walks off casually like he doesn’t have a care in the world.

  Savanah beams. “He’s messing with you.”

  “It doesn’t fucking feel like it.”

  “They’re protective of me, King. I lived here, remember? Once you’re a part of the family, you’re always family.”

  I pull her closer to me, so only she will hear. “Are we okay?”

  She places her hand on my chest, staring up into my eyes. “Yeah… we’re fine.”

  I’m not sure I believe her.

  “It’s time to go. The concert waits for no one,” Jovie calls out, grabbing Savanah’s hand and drags her away from me.

  I inhale deeply, taking off after them.

  This is going to be a long night.

  I had no freaking clue the tickets Kevlar got for this concert were in the VIP section.

  The concert was fucking epic. Rush Dayley is mega-talented. It might not be the heavier music I’m into, but I appreciate good music when I hear it. I understand the hype around him. He is as good as all the buzz that surrounds him.

  What I don’t understand is why Kevlar, Jovie, and Savanah are so interested in seeing him. How they would even know him is beyond my comprehension.

  I haven’t had a second to talk to Savanah tonight. She’s been with Jovie most of the evening. I don’t blame her, they are best friends, and she has missed her. Anyway, it’s given me time to get to know Kevlar. The guy is decent. Has two kids from a prior marriage. Jovie is their stepmom, according to Kevlar because he claimed her—no real idea what that means, but I will go with it—and has taken to the role perfectly. She would. She’s exactly right for something like that.

  With us being so close to the stage, when Rush spotted us, his eyes landed on Savanah, and they lit up. I’m all too familiar with that look on a man. There’s history there, and I would have liked to have known before coming all this way with Savanah to see it for myself.

  Now the concert is finished, we’re standing around in the backstage VIP room waiting for Rush to enter. Jovie and Savanah are huddled together as I stand with Kevlar. I figure while I have Kevlar to myself, there’s no harm in asking. “Kevlar, is there something I should know before Rush comes out?”

  Kevlar’s face turns blank. Like he’s not sure what he should say, and before he does, the doors fling open, and Rush strides in, wiping his face with a towel.

  Jovie jumps on her toes as Savanah stands back with a warm smile—one o
f recognition and fondness.

  Rush spots Savanah right away, breaking out into a sprint to get to her. “Sav,” he calls out, hoisting her up into a tight hug, twirling her around.

  She laughs as they embrace.

  My stomach hardens, my breaths coming faster. My jaw clenches as a burning sensation swarms my chest. We haven’t even talked properly about what we discussed in the car, and now she’s fawning over some rock star?

  Their hug is longer than I would have expected, then he slides her down his body.

  They lock eyes.

  Something unspoken passing between them.

  Rush finally turns to Jovie. “Jovie! I missed your gorgeous face.” He pulls her into a quick hug.

  Kevlar steps past me. Rush grabs Kevlar into an all-man back-slapping embrace. “Kevlar… fuck man. How I wish we were back in Pat O’Brien’s right now.”

  “We had a good time in New Orleans. All of us did,” Kevlar replies.

  Rush turns back to Savanah. “You’re looking stunning! I was fucking amped when I saw you guys in the crowd. It made my performance better having you there, I swear.”

  She slaps him on the chest playfully, making my teeth grind. “You didn’t tell us you had a Texas tour planned when you left.”

  Rush exhales. “Sorry… didn’t wanna make shit weird with us. After our night together, I didn’t wanna cloud anything by telling you I was gonna be in town.”

  Sweat pebbles on my forehead as my heartbeat pounds hearing it all but confirmed for me. I fold my arms over my chest, letting out a loud huff and dammit! That move gains everyone’s attention, so I ask, “How did I not know about this, Savvy?”

  Rush’s eyes widen like he didn’t even notice I was there.

  Savanah steps toward me, her face tense. “I wasn’t allowed to say anything. Rush is famous, King. There are rules.”

  “Well, he’s shouting it from the fucking rooftops right now. So, why wouldn’t you tell me before we got here?”

  Savanah glares at me. “For starters… it’s none of your damn business. Half the reason I slept with Rush comes back to you, remember?”

  “What?” Rush rebukes.