Right as reign, p.43
Right as Reign, page 43
Reign let out a heavy breath, fighting to contain a full-on cry. “I know that,” she choked out. “I promise I do, and I hate that I feel this way…”
Chase wiped the tears from her cheeks. “You can trust me.” He gazed into her eyes. “You mean everything to me. I won’t hurt you, baby, I promise.”
His words floored her. She’d finally bared her heart to Chase—the man she loved as a teenager, and had fallen deeply in love with as a grown woman. For the first time in her life, Reign was letting herself be vulnerable, and Chase was unwavering in his love for her.
Reign had known that Chase was the one for her, but this moment solidified it. She buried her face into his chest, sobbing as Chase wrapped his strong arms around her.
Burying his face into her neck, Chase, held onto her tight. “I love you,” he said, his voice almost breathless.
Reign squeezed him tight. “I love you too.”
Chase pulled back and Reign lifted her head. Their eyes met, love and longing pulling them in. Passion sparked between them, igniting a deep, intimate kiss. Chase clutched at her desperately as the kiss went on, turning from sweet to intense, fueling their desire—something neither one thought they’d ever feel again.
Chase tugged his shirt off as Reign removed hers; they tossed them aside at the same time, in opposite directions. Reign eyed his chest, caressing it gently with her fingertips. Chase reclaimed her lips with his, carefully backing her down the hallway towards his bedroom.
Leaving a trail of clothing along the floor, they slowly made their way inside. Hands roaming each other’s bodies, they moved towards the bed.
Reign guided Chase back, pushing him gently onto the mattress before straddling him. She could feel his erection as she moved against him; paired with his hands touching her body, it sent her arousal into overdrive. She didn’t need foreplay, she was ready for all of him now.
Lifting up slightly, Reign gently took hold of him, stroking him just once before shifting her hips where she needed to be. A deep groan escaped Chase as Reign guided herself down onto him. Her wetness bathed him; her tight walls gripped him.
Chase gripped her waist as she began moving her hips in a steady rhythm. The pleasure that Reign was bringing Chase was insurmountable. He loved this woman with everything in him, and finally she was his.
Hands on Chase’s chest, Reign closed her eyes and moaned in exquisite pleasure as she rode him. He filled every inch of her, hitting spots that she didn’t know she had. This man beneath her not only stimulated her body, but he stimulated her mind, her heart. Feeling her climax nearing, Reign sped up her rhythm until she was finally forced to let go.
Before she had a chance to come down, Chase sat up right. Wrapping his arms around her back, he pulled her closer to him, as if he could fuse their bodies together. Holding her firmly, Chase began to thrust up inside her even deeper than before.
Reign gripped Chase’s back as their pace quickened. When he kissed her neck, she could no longer contain it. “Chase,” she moaned as another orgasm shook her.
Hearing her call his name so breathlessly, feeling her contract around him, was Chase’s undoing. “Reign, baby,” he breathed as he came.
Still holding one another secure in each other’s arms, they caught their breath. Looking up into Reign’s eyes, Chase moved the tousled hair from her face, resting his hand on her cheek.
Reign put her hand over his. Gazing back into his eyes, she smiled at him.
He smiled back. “I love you Rae,” he crooned.
Reign placed a sensual kiss on his cheek. Meeting his gaze, she placed a hand over his heart. “I love you too.”
Chapter Forty-Four
Reign glanced out of the passenger side window as Chase opened her door. She stepped out of the car, adjusting her jacket in the process.
“Are you sure you’re okay with being here?” Chase asked, shutting the car door. “I know you’re tired from the flight.”
Reign pushed some of her hair over her shoulder. “I’ll be fine. I’ll sleep when I get home,” she answered. “Besides, you know I can’t pass up your mom’s cooking. I’m starving.”
Chase smiled. Taking hold of her hand, he gave it a kiss. “Well, I promise we won’t stay long.”
Reign gently grabbed his chin, giving him a quick kiss on his lips. “Okay.”
Approaching his parents’ door, Chase gave it a knock. As they waited for someone to answer, he glanced at Reign. She wasn’t looking at him, but that didn’t stop him from keeping his gaze on her. He smiled to himself; he still felt like he was in a dream.
Six months ago, Reign had come to his house as just a friend. After a night of heartfelt confessions and passion, she’d left his girlfriend. Chase couldn’t have been happier.
The door opening snapped him out of his blissful thoughts.
“Hi! Come in, come in,” Ellie beamed, moving aside to let them in. As Reign stepped inside, Ellie wrapped her arms around her. “It’s so good to see you.”
Reign hugged her back, smiling. “You too.”
Chase shook his head in amusement. “Mom, you act like you didn’t just see her two weeks ago.”
Parting from Reign, Ellie flagged Chase with her hand. “Hush.” She hugged him. “How was your vacation?”
“Perfect and much needed,” Reign replied, removing her jacket. “I can’t remember the last time I took two weeks off.”
Chase grinned. “Same here.” He placed his hand on the small of Reign’s back, giving it a rub. “Turks and Caicos is absolutely beautiful; I can’t wait to go back.”
Reign flashed a glowing smile Chase’s way. She was floored when he’d surprised her with the two-week trip in celebration of their six-month anniversary.
“Well, you both look well-rested.” Ellie smiled, glancing back at the kitchen. “Ava, your brother and future sister-in-law are here!”
Reign giggled as Chase put his hand over his face, shaking his head. He wasn’t surprised. Ever since he’d announced that he and Reign were a couple, the flood gates to marriage comments had opened. “Don’t start Mom.” he warned.
Ava darted out of the kitchen with Malcom in tow. “Hey,” she squealed. “I thought you two weren’t going to make it.” She gave Reign a hug as Chase shook Malcom’s hand. “You just got back in town.”
“She’s hungry,” Chase chortled, gesturing to Reign.
“I am,” Reign agreed, laughter in her voice. She rubbed her stomach. “We dropped the bags off, freshened up, and came straight here.”
Ellie took hold of Reign’s hand. “Well, let’s get you fed sweetheart.” She pulled her along. “For dessert, I made pineapple upside down cake just for you.”
Reign let out a light gasp. “Oh my God, you’re the best.”
“Mom, I asked you to make your pound cake,” Ava said, feigning hurt.
“Girl, I already told you that I wasn’t making it, now hush,” Ellie dismissed as she and a giggling Reign disappeared into the kitchen.
Ava’s mouth fell open. “Rae is already replacing me as Mom’s favorite daughter,” she joked. She squinted at Malcom, who had one hand over his mouth. “You’re laughing a little too hard over there, sir.”
Malcom planted a kiss to Ava’s check. “I apologize, but it was funny.” He rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “Now that Reign is here, maybe your mom will let me sample the cake.”
“Go ahead and try,” Ava said. She followed Malcom’s progress as he practically ran to the kitchen. “He’s going to get hit with a spatula, watch,” she said to Chase, who erupted with laughter.
“You just set him up.” Chase laughed.
“I know, and surprisingly, I feel a little badly about it,” Ava admitted, amusement filling her voice.
Chase laughed again, then the humor left his face. “All joking aside…are you happy with him?”
Ava smiled warm. “Yes, I am.” After consistently dating Malcom, Ava had finally decided to commit to a relationship. “I mean, it still feels weird to say that I have a boyfriend again after damn near ten years—”
Chase chuckled.
“However,” Ava continued, humor lacing her voice. “He’s proven himself thus far, and I can’t complain… It’s been a great two months.”
“Good to hear, he’s a good man.” Chase folded his arms. “And he better stay that way.”
Ava smirked. “I’m confident that he will.”
Chase gave a nod. “Just saying, I would hate to have to step to him the way you stepped to Reign about me.”
Ava’s eyes widened. Oooh shit. “She told you about that, huh?”
“She did,” her brother confirmed. “It slipped out recently. I had to practically drag the rest of the details out of her.”
Ava fiddled with the bracelet on her wrist. “So…how do you feel about that?” she slowly drug out. “Are you about to yell at me?”
Chase tilted his head, fixing her with a stern stare. “I remember telling you to stay out of it.” His face softened after a moment. “But, I appreciate you looking out for me.”
Ava smiled back. “No problem,” she replied, sincere. “But that was the first and last argument that she and I will be having over your ass, trust me.”
Chase chuckled and shook his head.
Ava gave his arm a light tap. “Besides, I don’t even have to ask if you’re happy because I can see it all over your face.” She pushed her hair over her shoulder. “Both of you just walking around glowing.”
Chase’s smile was so bright, it could have lit the entire cul-de-sac. “I am. Happier than I’ve ever been.”
“I knew you would be, and I’m happy for you.” Ava smirked. “I take it that the move to Vegas is off the table.”
“That shit was off the table after I went to Rae’s house the night that you got drunk,” he chuckled. Ava giggled. “No, my home is here.”
Ava nodded in approval. “Glad to hear it.” A loud yelp from the kitchen interrupted anything else she had to say. Reign darted out, doubled over with laughter.
“What just happened?” Chase asked.
Reign took a moment to compose herself. “Malcom just tried to cut a piece of cake because your dad told him that he could, and your mom smacked his hand with a spatula,” she told.
Chase busted out laughing, while Ava put her hand over her face, shaking her head in amusement.
Reign opened her front door, walking in with Chase following behind her. “That was fun,” she said.
“Yeah,” Chase agreed, closing the door behind him. Plastic bag in hand, he followed Reign into the kitchen. “Mom overcooked as usual.” He set the leftovers on the counter island.
“I’m not complaining, I’ll be eating on those leftovers for the next few days.” Reign grabbed a container from the bag; removing the lid, the delicious aroma hit her nose. “Hell, I’m heating some of this up now.”
Chase laughed. “Hungry again, already?”
“Yup.” She headed for the microwave. “I’m going back to the gym tomorrow, so I might as well get all of my overeating in now,” she joked, placing the container inside. “I feel like I’ve gained ten pounds over these past few weeks.”
Chase chuckled. “You haven’t,” he said. “Even if you did, you’d still be beautiful.”
Reign glanced at him, smirking. “Yeah, you just had better said that.”
He laughed, “It’s the truth.”
Reign pulled her food from the microwave when the beep sounded. “Do you want me to heat you up some?”
Chase looked at his watch. “No thanks, I’m still full actually.” He let out a sigh. “I should probably get going.”
Reign’s face fell. “Okay.” She’d just spent two weeks straight with Chase. Sleeping beside him every night, waking up to him every day, it was something that she had gotten accustomed to. Though she was happy to be home, she was going to miss him the moment he shut the door behind him.
Her voice dropping an octave wasn’t missed by Chase. He shot her a questioning gaze. “Do you want me to stay over?”
Reign waved her hand. “No, it’s fine. We both need to be up early tomorrow.”
Chase nodded. “Yeah, if I stay over, we won’t get much sleep.”
“Yeeeaaaah,” she slowly drew out. Making love every night was another thing that she had gotten accustomed to.
Chase folded his arms, eyeing her intensely. “Are you going to give me your real answer?”
“Stay over,” she blurted out.
A laugh escaped him; she’d read his mind. “You got it.” He tapped the countertop with his hand. “I’m going to go home and grab my work clothes for tomorrow, and I’ll be back.”
“Okay.” She watched him walk out of the kitchen.
“Want anything while I’m out?” he asked, poking his head back in the kitchen. Reign shook her head. “Okay. Love you. See you in a bit.”
“Love you too—wait, cookie dough ice cream!”
“I knew it,” Chase hurled back, walking out of the door, earning a giggle from Reign.
Marcy ambled to Troy’s door, holding her phone to her ear. “You want me to come in at what time?” She rolled her eyes. “Sure, that’ll be no problem… Yeah… Okay, got it. See you then. Bye.”
Sighing heavily, Marcy tossed her phone in her bag. As she retrieved her key, Marcy stared down at the red designer bag; the one Troy had gifted during their secret affair. All at once, she realized how much she hated it and everything it represented. Shaking her head, she stuck the key in the door.
Troy glanced up from the couch as Marcy walked in. “Back I see,” he sneered.
“Yeah, no shit,” she bit back, closing the door. “Where else do I have to go?”
Rolling his eyes, Troy turned back to his TV show.
Marcy tossed her purse on a chair. “Before you fix your disrespectful ass mouth to say anything, I still plan on leaving as soon as possible.”
Troy ran a hand over his head. “You’ve been saying that shit since you moved in here.”
Marcy put a hand up. “Look, I just started my job two months ago,” she reminded. “Despite me working at a damn hospital, the job doesn’t pay that damn much… I still need to save up.”
“How much did you think a medical coder would make Marcy? A doctor’s salary?” Troy mocked, standing from the couch.
“Whatever Troy,” Marcy bristled.
Troy put his hands up. “Look, I’m not knocking the job. I don’t care if you were working at a bar, just make your money and get the hell out.” Troy was over his unwanted houseguest. “Like a fuckin’ fly that can’t seem to find the goddamn open window,” he grunted. “Just go already.”
Marcy glared as Troy walked by her. She and Troy had officially ended their doomed relationship six months ago, but with nowhere else to live, no job and no safety net, Marcy had no choice but to stay with Troy.
She spun around to face his departing back. “You know what, you’ve been a complete and utter asshole through this entire relationship.”
“So what?”
Marcy jerked her head back. “How is it that you treated me better when we were sneaking around?” she snapped. “Did you ever plan on being with me in the open? Damn Troy, I thought you loved me.”
Troy stopped walking. Facing Marcy, he eyed her with disdain. “Not once did I say that I loved you.” His tone was nasty. “Not even when we were fucking.”
A loud gasp escaped Marcy; her eyes were bulging. “You son of a—did you treat Reign like this?!” she erupted. “I mean, did she really put up with this shit for six years?!”
Troy scowled. “I told you to keep her name out of your goddamn mouth.”
“Or what? You’re going to hit me?” Marcy challenged; she pointed at him. “I wish the fuck you would. I’ll wear your ass out.”
He pointed back. “No, I won’t hit you. But I will put your broke, useless ass out sooner.”
Marcy scoffed, shaking her head. “It’s been over a year and you’re still not over her?” she realized. “Seriously? You’re pathetic.”
“You know what? You’re right, I am pathetic.” Troy sighed. “I’m this close to losing my job because I don’t put the effort in anymore. I spend most of my days sulking around this dirty ass house and I’ve basically become a shell of my former self and guess what? Unlike you, I know that I deserve all the shit that’s happening to me because I’m a shitty ass person.”
Marcy glared at him. “So, you let your whole life go to shit over her.” she fumed. “Someone who can’t even stand the sight of you.”
Resolved, Troy shrugged. “Yeah well, I realize exactly how special Reign was, and I know how much of a mistake I made neglecting her and fucking around with you.” He shook his head. “I fucked up and I’ll just have to live with that.” However, it didn’t mean that he had yet to move on from that regret, or his thoughts of her.
Marcy stared at Troy with pain in her eyes. “I can’t believe you could just stand in my face and say that to me.” She folded her arms. “You’re deliberately hurting me.”
Troy ignored her words; he couldn’t care less about her feelings. “Too bad your ex doesn’t give a shit out you.”
Marcy was taken aback; she had no idea what he meant.
“Yeah, I was ambushed by Chase a while ago,” Troy explained. “He heard that I waited for Reign outside of her job and he practically threatened to kill me if I even so much as looked at her again.”
Marcy narrowed her eyes; this was the first that she’d heard of this. “Hmm…so that’s what it took for you to be reminded that your relationship with her is dead, huh?” she mocked. “You couldn’t move on like a normal person, you had to get punked.” She let out a laugh. “By my ex, who by the way, is better than you in every aspect.”
