Reign A Romance Anthology - Nina Levine Page 0,139

the reason I slept with Rush comes back to you, remember?”

“What?” Rush rebukes.

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