Reign: A Romance Anthology

by Nina Levine

  Savanah waves Rush off dismissively.

  I scoff. “So, you’re gonna blame me for every guy you’ve ever slept with?”

  “No. Don’t give yourself so much fucking credit, King!”

  “I knew he hadn’t changed,” Jovie mumbles under her breath, but I still hear her.

  I glare at Jovie. “Still having everyone else fighting your battles for you. You know what, Savvy? I don’t need this shit.” I turn, walking away.

  Regret swarms through me instantly, but I’m too fucking angry to care. And for the first time in years, I feel like I need a hit, and that thought scares me more than anything else right now.

  Savanah

  After spending the last hour with Rush, he tells us he has to head out.

  “I’m sorry about what happened earlier,” I state.

  I’ve never been more disappointed in someone I was rooting for. I thought King was a new and improved version. Maybe I had him all wrong. I should listen to Jovie more often.

  “It’s fine. It is really great to see you again, though. I wasn’t sure if I ever would.”

  I pull Rush back in for another embrace. The thing with Rush and me, sure, the attraction is there, I wouldn’t have slept with him otherwise, but we both know there’s never going to be anything more. He’s a famous rock star, and I’m a socialite from San Antonio. We were never meant to even cross paths. We’re much better as friends, and we are exactly that.

  “Well, every time you’re in Texas, let us know. We need to catch up. The three of us,” I tell him.

  “Yeah,” Kevlar adds.

  “You should come out to the clubhouse next time you’re here. I’m sure the guys would love to have you drop by,” Jovie offers.

  Rush smiles wide. “Great! I wish I could stay longer, but I have a fan meet-and-greet. I’ve loved catching up with you all. Kevlar, I have your number. I’ll call when I’m flying in next, okay? Thanks again for coming. Next time, don’t buy tickets. You’ll be my guests.”

  We all nod our heads.

  His team sweeps through, grabbing him on the way, and as quickly as he came in, he’s gone again.

  I roll my shoulders, my mind shifting to King.

  Where the hell is he?

  “I’ll text King, find out where he is so we can go,” I mumble.

  “King… always a flair for the dramatic.” Jovie rolls her eyes.

  I ignore her as I pull out my phone.

  Me: We’re ready to go. Can you come back so we’ll all leave together?

  We wait and wait and wait.

  But nothing.

  “This is stupid, Sav, just call the asshole.”

  Anxiety runs through me, but I dial King’s number, anyway. It rings once, then he declines the call. I let out a frustrated grunt and start frantically typing a message to him, but one comes in before I can send it.

  King: I’m sorry Savvy. I’ve gone back to San Antonio. I just need to take a beat

  Shock pummels me that he’s left me high and dry in Houston with no way to get back home. King definitely isn’t the man I was hoping he was.

  “Sav, are you okay?” Jovie asks. All anger in her tone is gone, and now only concern lingers.

  I shake my head with a sniffle. “He’s gone. Back to San Antonio, I mean.”

  A low rumble rolls from Kevlar’s chest as Jovie sighs. “Sav, honey, he isn’t right for you.”

  Tears prick at my eyes as she pulls me in for an embrace. “C’mon… let’s go back to the club. We can have a good cry, a stiff drink, and chat about it, yeah?”

  I dip my chin as she wraps her arm around me, and we make our way out of the venue to head back to the clubhouse.

  After sitting with Jovie at the clubhouse and telling her everything about King that I know, she still believes even with the reason he originally left, he’s still not a good match for me. The fact he took off and left me in a city three hours from home is a massive red flag. I understand him seeing me with Rush might have been hard for him, but it’s no excuse.

  He left.

  Again.

  And I don’t want a quitter.

  Kevlar offered to drive me home, but honestly, he has the kids to worry about. I don’t want him to make a journey that far when he should be with his family. I know it’s not a bother for him, but I have another option.

  So I took it.

  Hunter

  Pressing the cool tip of the knife to this asshole’s chest, his breathing accelerates as I slice into his flesh just slightly. “You betrayed us, Jarrah. You know we don’t take kindly to traitors.”

  Jarrah puffs frantically, spittle flying out of his mouth. His eyes are both bruised and swollen. Blood is seeping down his naked body from the torture my men and I have been inflicting on him for the last three hours.

  “I swear, boss, it w-wasn’t me,” he stutters.

  With force, I slam the blade down into his thigh. Jarrah lets out an ear-piercing scream as the muscle and sinew push and pulls against my blade. “Don’t fucking lie to me! You knew exactly what you were doing when you told King to go to that patisserie that day… you interfered with Mob business, Jarrah. If this merger doesn’t go through because you tried to block it, I will go after your family, too.”

  Jarrah’s body shakes as he slumps in the chair. “Fine! Okay, it was me… I bumped into King on purpose and told him to go there, but I only said it was a great place for coffee. Reforming their connection was all on them. I simply helped them meet again. You know King and I were tight back in the day, boss. He was the best lackey I had.”

  My teeth grind together, my pulse speeds as heat flushes through my body. I yank the knife out of his leg and hold it to his throat aggressively, my eyes staring right into his. “You put something into motion that I might not be able to control. If this gets out of hand, you’re going to wish—”

  Suddenly, my cell rings in my pocket. I curl up my lip as my underboss hands me a rag to wipe my hands. I give him the knife, and with a nod, I scrub Jarrah’s blood from my palms and pull out my cell to see Savanah’s name on my screen.

  My eyes widen. It’s as if she knew we were talking about her. I give a curt nod to my underboss and walk out of the torture room to the sounds of Jarrah screaming. I close the door behind me as Miranda serves me a glass of whiskey on the rocks. I swipe the cell answering Savanah’s call with a thrill of excitement running through me. Everything I am doing here is for her. I don’t know what it is about this woman, but she unnerves me. Sure, we might be in an arranged marriage, but the fact that I actually like her doesn’t get past me. The fact I am willing to kill one of my best men for her tells me everything—I’m in this, whether she is or not—and I want Savanah by my side. Not because it will benefit the families, but because of the fire I see in her.

  King coming back on the scene is a contentious issue for me. She thinks I don’t know about him. Of course, I do. But I don’t want to step in while we’re this fresh and demand she stops seeing him. That will only turn her against me. I want her to choose me because she wants me.

  In the end, King won’t be a problem. He’s the kind of idiot who will fuck it up for himself. And I will be here ready to catch her when she falls. I don’t see it as being second best. I see it as her finally choosing the right man, the better man. I don’t want to have to step in and take King out. But if it comes to that, I will. I just want to give Savanah a chance to do the right thing.

  “Sav, it’s good to hear from you,” I chime down the line as I sit back in my large chesterfield, whiskey in hand while assessing the blood splatter on my crisp white shirt.

  She sniffles like she’s been crying.

  Instantly, I sit up taller as anxiety rushes through me. “Savanah, are you hurt?”

  She clears her throat. “No, no, nothing like that… I just…”

  My chest squeezes. “Shit… is your mom…?”

  Savanah lets out a deep sigh. “No, Mom’s okay. This is all on me.”

  My m
uscles relax a little as I scrunch up my face. “Sav, you’re worrying me.”

  “I’m in Houston, and I’m kind of stuck here… my ride ditched me.”

  I sit taller, anger seeping into my pores. I already know who’s behind this. She doesn’t even have to say a word. “Where are you? I’ll come get you.”

  “At the Houston Defiance clubhouse. They are my friends, don’t worry. I’m not in any danger, but Hunter?”

  My stomach churns at the thought of her being with fucking bikers. “Yeah, Sav?”

  “I could really use your help right now.”

  Standing abruptly, I take a quick gulp of my whiskey, then slam the glass back down. Walking toward my closet to get changed, I puff out my chest. “I’m only ever a phone call away. I’m here for you… always, okay?”

  She sniffles like she’s crying again. It only makes me more fucking angry at King for leaving her. I knew who she was with the second she left San Antonio. So, her saying her ride ditched her can only mean one thing—Titus-fucking-King.

  “Thank you, Mr. Blue.”

  I love it when she calls me that.

  “Hold on, Sav, I’m coming…” I say, then she ends the call.

  My breaths come in fast and hard as I pick up my glass and hurtle it across the room. “Fucking cocksucker!” I yell.

  How dare he abandon her!

  She is worth so much fucking more than he is giving her. I rip open my closet door, grabbing a change of clothes, and get dressed as quickly as possible. Turning, I head for the door as my underboss walks out of the torture room. “Boss, what do you want us to do with Jarrah?”

  I curl up my lip in anger. “Kill him.”

  He nods, turning back for the room he just came from as I grab my car keys to go get my girl. She’s not my girl yet, but fuck if King’s little display of assholery doesn’t make this game a little easier for me.

  However, Savanah is not a prize. She’s a fucking person. From what I’ve seen so far, a fucking great person at that, and King is playing monopoly with her heart.

  Well, not anymore.

  It’s time for me to step in and tell Savanah what’s happening.

  I’m not waiting anymore for him to sweep her away from me.

  King, it’s time for your reign to end.

  7

  Savanah

  Sitting in the main room of the clubhouse, the alarm sounds for an incoming unknown vehicle. I signal to Zero, informing him it should be my ride, so he lifts his chin at Neon, and he opens the gate.

  I walk to the front door at the same time Hunter walks in. As he enters the clubhouse, the atmosphere in the room changes. Upon seeing him, every muscle in my body finally relaxes, like they didn’t know they were craving him for some reason.

  But he, on the other hand, is tense. His shoulders are strong, pulled back, commanding authority. His eyes meet mine, then suddenly, the click of a dozen safeties flick off.

  My muscles seize as I slowly turn. All the brothers of the clubhouse have their guns aimed directly at Hunter. No hesitation, complete focus in their eyes.

  “What the fuck?” I blurt out.

  Hunter exhales. “There’s something I need to tell you, Savanah.”

  Letting out a heavy exhale, I glance from Zero to Hunter. “I don’t know how much more I can take, to be honest.”

  Zero strides over, his gun still aimed at Hunter.

  Unwavering.

  Unmoving.

  “Sav, you need to hear this. It involves your family, too,” Zero says.

  I spin around facing Zero. “What? How do you know?”

  “We background check everyone who comes into the club. We knew who you were even if you didn’t, Sav.”

  I turn to Hunter. He’s holding his hands up to Zero in some sort of placating gesture. “I’m not carrying. I come here solely for Savanah. While I’m here, my interest is her, but I do need to tell Savanah who I am. Who she is.”

  My head is spinning so fucking fast.

  Zero lowers his weapon to his side. “Sav, take him to the cookout area. You can talk out there, but you make one wrong move, McHale, we won’t hesitate.”

  Furrowing my brow, I reach out, grabbing Hunter’s hand and yank him toward the cookout area. I need to know what the hell is going on, and I need to know now.

  We take a seat around the fire pit, and he runs his fingers through his short, dark hair. “Sav, there’s so much to tell you.”

  “Then you better get started because I’m kind of freaking out over here.”

  “Right! I’ll start with your family… your father. He’s not a business broker. That’s a front—”

  “A front for what?”

  “He’s San Antonio’s leader of the Le Milieu.” Hunter stares at me like I should understand what that means or at least be shocked by it. All I know is, it’s a French word. “Okay? So what’s that?”

  Hunter sits forward, his knee brushing mine. My body bursts into flames, but I can’t tell whether it’s from him touching me or from the adrenaline running through my veins at what he’s about to tell me. “Le Milieu, is the French Mob, Savanah.”

  I smirk, then I can’t hold it in as I burst out laughing. “My dad? In… the mob? I mean, I know he’s a hardass, but seriously? I mean, you’ve seen the bikers in there, right? They’re underworld figures. My dad, he looks nothing like them. No, you’ve got this all wrong.”

  “I know this is a shock, Sav. That your entire life is based on a lie, but I am telling you the truth.”

  I scrunch up my face, a little fraction of doubt creeping in that maybe he is being honest. “And you? How do you fit into this if my father isn’t a businessman?”

  “My family came over from Ireland when I was young.”

  “So, that’s the hint of an accent I can hear.”

  His lips turn up a little. “Savanah, my family is a part of the Irish Mob. The McHale and the Del Rey clans are brokering a treaty. It’s why the wedding is on the table… to merge the two crime syndicates to form one supercell. It’s not a business deal, Savanah. It is a crime ring.”

  I stand abruptly. “I’m not sure I want to hear any more of this.”

  Kevlar steps outside, just in view, but his presence is soothing, but then he starts talking, “It’s true, Sav. We knew who you were. It’s why we were cautious when Hunter arrived. We know who he is. We knew the second he arrived. Who his family is, the damage they can do.”

  My hands visibly shake as I turn to Kevlar. “Does Jovie know?”

  “No, just the brothers. We needed to in case your father came after you. We don’t need to start a war with Le Milieu.”

  “Jesus Christ, this can’t be real!”

  Hunter steps up to me, taking my hand. Sparks of electricity shoot through my fingers all the way into my chest. A rush of emotion engulfs me as his amber eyes meet mine. “It’s all true, Sav, and now your father is going to be real fucking mad I told you.”

  “Hunter, I don’t know how to handle any of this.”

  “Just breathe, Sav.” He pulls me to him.

  I inhale deeply, his fingers splaying out on my lower back. Holding me to him is somehow both calming and deeply arousing. His toned body against mine is having a soothing effect on me. Right now, it doesn’t seem to matter what he’s just told me. Staring into Hunter’s eyes, somehow, he is making me feel okay about it. Like my world didn’t just irrevocably change without any warning.

  My father is a mobster.

  The man I am supposed to be marrying is a mobster.

  And yet, right now, Hunter is making me believe that somehow everything is going to be okay.

  Don’t ask me how.

  I don’t think my life will ever be okay again.

  But maybe with Hunter guiding me through it, it might be a whole lot more exciting.

  “Shall we go home?” Hunter asks, his large hand coming up to caress my cheek.

  I nod once.

  I need my own bed tonight.

  �
��Yeah, take me home.”

  I’m so tired, my body and mind are completely exhausted as Hunter pulls his car into the driveway of my parents’ home.

  “C’mon, let’s get you to bed.”

  I reach out, grabbing his hand before he exits the car. “Thank you, Hunter. You went out of your way to help me tonight. I really appreciate that fact.”

  He smiles, but it doesn’t touch his eyes, then he slides out of this crazy expensive car.

  Which he obviously bought with dirty money.

  Because he’s a damn mobster!

  Damn!

  Shaking my head from the thought, Hunter opens the car door for me, and I lazily edge out. It’s close to dawn, and the threat of sunrise hovers over the horizon as my father stands at the doorway of our home. The expression on his face is one of pure unadulterated anger as we approach.

  “I told you years ago that boy was trouble, Savanah.”

  I scoff. “Don’t you even start coming at me about trouble, Dad. I don’t even want to talk to you about how you sent King off to rehab, then watched me cry for months because he left without telling me where he went. You knew the whole motherfucking time. You let me fall into a shell of myself, and you said nothing! But I don’t want to talk about that. No! I want to talk about how I’m the daughter of a fucking French mobster! How about that? Let’s talk about that massive-fucking- elephant in the room, shall we?”

  Dad stands taller, his chest swelling with rage as his hardened eyes shift from me to Hunter then back to me again. “You dare to yell this information for the entire street to hear! Jesus, Savanah, have some fucking sense. You want to get us all killed?”

  “No, Dad. You killed this family a long time ago. I’m tired. It’s been a really long night. Hunter, walk me to my room?”

  “Savanah… We. Are. Not. Done!” Dad grunts.

  “Oh, we are done.” My head nods furiously. “We are so done!” I grab Hunter’s hand, then lead him past Dad.