“You could have killed us!” I screech. “Then you tried to fuck me? Are you joking?”

“You’re the one who wanted to leave,” he barks. “You’re the one playing fuckin’ games. I wasn’t goin’ that fast, stop bein’ such a fuckin’ stiff.”

“Yes, you were!”

He growls. “You better be careful, one day you’ll piss off the wrong man.”

“What the hell is that supposed to me?”

“You’re all fuckin’ talk, that’s what it means. You’re a waste of time. All sass and no spirit. Get out of my driveway.”

He starts the car and pulls into the driveway, causing me to jump back. I realize my purse is still in the car. Frustrated, and still shaken up, I charge towards the vehicle.

“Give me my purse!”

He ignores me, reversing into the garage.

“You douchebag,” I scream. “Give me my fucking purse. I need to get home.”

He closes the garage just as I start charging for it. The door is down too low by the time I get to it. I slap my hands against it, hauling curses at his sorry ass. He doesn’t open it. I rush to his front door, pounding and pounding. He doesn’t answer it. Bastard. Fucking bastard.

I spin around and hurry towards the street, tears burning in my eyes. It’s not because I’m hurt; they’re more tears of frustration. My dress is torn and I have no money or phone.

Defeated, I walk until I find a main road and flag down a cab. There’s only one person I know will take the bill for me, and he’s the person I need to see most right now.

The entire ride in the cab is quiet; I fight to hold back my emotions. The man was crazy, speeding the way he did and then speaking to me like that. I don’t cry a lot, but when I’m treated like that it upsets me. We arrive at Reign’s house and I climb out, telling the cab driver I’ll get him some cash. I walk up, still shaking, to Reign’s door.

Then I knock.

I have to knock eight times before he answers. He’s wearing nothing but a pair of grey sweats, and he’s panting. His eyes scan over me and become immediately concerned.

“Tia?”

“I . . .” I begin, but am cut off when I see the gorgeous Slutena behind him, wearing one hell of a gorgeous dress. She’s leaning against his countertop, smirking at me. Her hair is all lose and sexy. Dammit.

“I . . . shit,” I say. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know . . . I just . . . I have no money and I can’t pay the cab, and . . .”

“Something happened,” he says, and it’s not a question.

“I’m sorry, you’re busy. I’ll go.”

I turn and rush down the drive, horrified that I interrupted him clearly about to have a good time. Tears finally break free from where they’ve been welling in my eyes and trickle down my cheeks as I run towards the cab. I’ll make the driver take me back to the club. Autumn will help.

“Wait!”

I turn to see Reign running down the drive with a fifty in cash. He stops beside me and leans in, handing it to the driver. “Keep the change.”

“Wait, take me home, please,” I say, opening the door and slipping in.

Reign’s hand lashes out and stops it closing. “Get out of the car, Tia. Something happened, and you’re going to tell me what it is.”

“I’m not going into your house while . . . shit . . . I just need to go home.”

His eyes harden. “No, you’re coming inside.”

I turn to him, and I know he can tell I’ve been crying. “Just let me go, Reign.”

He takes a step back, shocked to see me crying.

“Shit, Tia, what happened?”

I close the door and lock it, but I wind the window down as the cab driver readies to pull out. “Xander happened.”

Then we disappear off down the road.

~*~*~*~

It takes me more than two hours to get to sleep that night, mostly because I feel like a tool. I just threw myself at Xander without even considering that he might be an absolute asshole. It’s my own fault for acting like a bitch on heat. I didn’t even hesitate. There’s no one to blame but myself.

I finally drop off just after midnight, falling into a restless sleep. I’m woken when the bed dips beside me, and I feel a warm head against my cheek. I know it’s Reign. Part of me knew he’d come to me tonight. He’s good like that. He slides into the bed and I roll, facing him. I can smell her on him, and it makes me want to recoil and gag.

“He hurt you,” he says into the darkness.

“Get out of my bed, Reign. You smell like her and I don’t like it.”

“Never bothered you before,” he murmurs.

“Well it bothers me tonight,” I snap.

I close my eyes, struggling for calm.

“What happened?”

“Nothing happened.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

I roll my eyes.

“Don’t roll your eyes at me.”

I scoff. “How would you know I rolled my eyes? It’s dark.”

He snorts. “I know you. Now, tell me what he did.”

“Nothing.”

“Fuck it, Tia. You were crying. I’ve known you more than six months and you’ve never cried. Not once. Not even when your beloved hamster died.”

“She was a good hamster.”

A grunt from Reign. “What did he do?”