38. Reign
CHAPTER 38
Reign
H er word was a vow I’d uphold with no end. Without condition, without limit, her word was my law, and I’d follow blindly, even if it led me to perish. Anna was more than my love; she was my entire soul outside of my body. And I’d protect and cherish that beautiful essence violently.
“What’re we going to do about…” her voice trailed off as her eyes flicked to the body on the floor. “Him?” She finished her sentence with a hard swallow. Her vision flooded with guilt as she curled her hands into one another.
My heart softened at her uncertainty. “Vixen,” I said, her eyes snapping to me. “Don’t worry about this. I’ve already taken care of it.”
And I did. I wasn’t a good person by any stretch, but I had enough intelligence to make sure I’d be prepared to clean up the messes I created.
I had the enzyme solution and cleaning supplies in a duffel bag I’d brought with me. I probably shouldn’t have risked dispatching Lane in such a public area, but shit happened, and I’d deal with it .
It was nearing one in the morning, and the library and campus would be empty. I tampered with the cameras, so there’d be no trace of us. Like footprints erased by the wind, only the echoes of our deeds would remain.
This upper floor appeared damn near abandoned, but I couldn’t accept one more minute of him speaking to my sweet little Anna the way he’d been doing all fucking night. I glanced at his body. Warmth diffused out of him, settling with a new cold as the blood coagulated. I wanted to tear his teeth out, burn off his fingerprints, and shove those beady little eyes up his asshole as the final goodbye. He deserved nothing short of getting his grave pissed on for all eternity.
My first priority sank to her knees in front of me. “Reign,” her lower lip trembled as realization settled into her perfect untainted soul. “We killed someone.” The confession slid from her lips in pulverizing guilt.
“Anna,” my voice snapped her out of the trance she was falling into and her gaze whipped to mine. Her pupils were blown, tears already glistening in the beautiful orbs. “You didn’t do anything; I did it all,” I emphasized. “And I’d do it all again for you.”
“But,” she sniffed, tears already wet her face, shattering my black heart, “I said to do it.” Her fingers shook as she held out her hands in front of her. “I told you,” she stuttered, stopping again as the shaking digits buried themselves in her hair. “It was me. I told you to do it when you gave me the choice.”
Her pupils shrank, leaving endless fields of green in their dissipation. Her panic rocked her body back and forth as she gasped for breath, curling in fetal position on the floor. The blood was spreading across the vinyl flooring. I had to get this done fast, but my vixen was in desperate need of comfort.
I swore I’d never let anything harm her, but I allowed her to suffer emotionally. And for that, I’d never forgive myself.