Chapter 30
REGGIE
I unlock Rowan’s cuffs first.
The metal clicks open, and my brother shakes his wrists like he’s about to swing at someone. I meet his glare with one of my own.
“Out.”
He hesitates, his jaw tight, pride bruised. But one look at me tells him I’m not negotiating. He mutters something under his breath and walks out, door slamming behind him.
Now it’s just her.
Bella.
Still cuffed, chin high, green eyes daring me to do my worst. She doesn’t look afraid. She looks bored.
I move behind her, the keys clinking softly as I fit one into the lock. The cuffs drop away, leaving faint marks on her wrists. I should step back, but I don’t. I stay close enough for her to feel my breath against the back of her neck.
“You done?” she says quietly, turning her head just enough to catch me in her peripheral vision.
“Not even close.”
She exhales sharply, crossing her arms, waiting for me to speak. I circle to face her, every ounce of restraint I own stretched thin.
“I came here to get you out,” I say, my voice low. “To fix what you two broke tonight. And for a second, I almost apologized for missing dinner, for leaving you to handle things I should’ve handled.”
Her brow arches, mock-sweet. “Almost?”
“Almost,” I repeat. “Because I realized something standing here.”
“Oh? What’s that?” she asks, stepping closer, tone dripping with challenge.
“That you don’t respect me. Or yourself.”
Her eyes flash. “Excuse me?”
“You keep daring people to burn you just so you can prove you don’t flinch.” My voice softens, but it’s sharper for it. “That bar fight wasn’t bravery. It was chaos. You want to prove you can play in our world? Fine. But there are rules.”
She tilts her head, mouth curving. “And you’re the rule-maker now?”
“Someone has to be,” I say. “Because if I don’t set limits, someone else will—and they won’t stop where I would.”
The words hang there, thick between us. For a heartbeat, neither of us moves.
Bella’s breath catches; her defiance flickers into something else—something that looks a lot like understanding. Then it’s gone again, replaced by that dangerous smile.
“Maybe I like testing limits,” she murmurs.
“Yeah,” I say quietly. “That’s what scares me.”
For a moment the tension hums like a live wire. Then I step back, forcing the distance I should’ve kept from the start.
Bella King is many things. Her fire is enough to bring any man to his knees. That man can’t be me. Even though I’ve imagined it since the moment I first locked eyes with her. I’m not him.
“Why are you so mad about this? It was literally just a bar fight?” she says, hands on hips.
I swear to god, if she rolls her eyes at me, that could be my last straw. She tests me more than anyone else has in my life.
“Bar fight? You and Rowan nearly cracked the guy's skull open on the dance floor.”
She smiles at that, which sends my blood running south.
“It’s not funny, Bella,” I snap.
“And that’s not the real reason you’re so pissy, Irish.”
I take a deep breath, trying to find the calm inside of me, when all I want to do is toss her over the table and spank her until she cries.
“I’m pissed off because you put yourself in danger and I wasn’t there,” I tell her, using honesty as a tactic this time.
She sucks in a breath, looking away from me, and I tut. Fuck, I want to grab her throat.
“Eyes on me when we’re talking, Princess.”
Those dazzling green eyes snap to mine, and my heart nearly stops.
“I didn’t realize you cared,” she whispers.
I keep my expression sharp. I can’t let her see the cracks she’s making in my armor.
“Well, now you know.” I shrug it off, not breaking eye contact.
This is exactly why I have to keep my distance. This fire between us, it could potentially not just blaze through us but the entire Quinn family. The alliance. Taking down The Preacher. There are so many more parts in play here that are beyond my control.
For Bella? Rowan is the better choice. He is free from the burden of the alliance. I am there to protect them both.
“Rowan’s waiting outside,” I say, voice clipped. “You’re free to go. We’ll talk about this… properly, when we’ve cooled off.”
Her smile doesn’t fade. “And if I don’t?”
My hand instinctively wraps around her throat. Her eyes go wide, lips parting. This is how I like her, stunned into submission. It makes me smile.
I lean in, my mouth hovering over hers, feeling her pulse thrash against my palm.
“Then I guess I’ll have to learn how to handle you differently.”
Her laugh is menacing, but I don’t let myself answer it. I release her and I just turn away, jaw locked, pretending the sound doesn’t follow me out of the room.
My feelings, my reactions, are a big problem when it comes to Bella. I’m not stupid, I know what it is, even if I’ve never experienced it before. But today proves my role. To keep her out of trouble.