His eyes shift to mine when a sob rises in my throat before he takes steps forward and I hold my hand out to stop him, but Reign being Reign, he doesn’t and soon my trembling palm is laid on his stomach.
“There's no game, Char; not anymore. Nothing can justify the hurt and damage we have caused you. No words I say will make any of this better, I know that. But you're safe with us now, and hopefully, with time, you'll learn to trust us again. We're willing to wait as long as it takes. Just give us a chance.”
He gently moves his thumb down my jaw as I whisper.
“Am I safe though?”
He gives a small nod, and my emotions are all over the place. One part of me wants to allow his love because I need it more than ever, but the other part wants me to push him away with everything I have because they both deserve to be hurt as much as I am.
“We have him. He cannot get to you anymore. Never again will we allow him to hurt you. He will suffer for the things he has done to you.”
My brows crease and I shake my head once.
“What? You have Maddox?”
“Yes.”
His deep voice is soft as he rubs a tear away from my cheek and continues.
“It is up to you what you want us to do with him. Arlo thought—”
“Arlo?”
He pauses before giving a nod.
“Arlo is the top Elite criminal in NYC, and he helped us get you back. He believed that you should be the one to decide Maddox’s fate, so he is keeping him detained until you are fucking ready to make that decision.”
I sniffle and lower my eyes, thinking about it when he speaks again.
“But right now, you need to concentrate on getting better physically and mentally.”
As my eyes return to his, he pulls my hood over my head, and straightens it out.
“I understand you hate us right now, and I don't fucking blame you, beautiful, but in time, if you allow it, we will bring you the rays of light you need so badly in your darkness. We will not stop until you’re feeling whole and safe again.”
My misting eyes search his as he lowers to my level, peering deep into them.
“Because queens will forever be fucking queens. You may not feel it right now since you have never known it, but right here—”
He gently places his warm palm on my chest, covering my heart.
“No amount of sorrow and trauma is capable of stripping away the purest of blood and strength that flows through every chamber of your heart, Charley.”
A tear drops from my lashes as soon as I blink, but I remain expressionless, his tender words piercing deep into my soul.
“One day, you will come to understand that everything you went through has merely rendered you into the person you're destined to be, and I would proudly kneel at your fucking feet, because queens who have grown and fought through the toughest of challenges are the queens who deserve every ounce of admiration and respect.”
I sniffle before I respond.
“I’m not sure I want it. Well, I am almost sure I don’t. The title has brought me nothing but misery.”
He stands straighter and my eyes follow his until my head is tilted back, the pain at the nape of my neck becoming apparent.
“You both deserve more, Reign. Someone who can rule beside you with the utmost strength. I will not stop you from taking that position; I have no doubt that you will be an outstanding leader, but I want to—”
Suddenly, the door behind him opens, and I hesitate. I know it's Chaos, but Reign and I gaze intently into each other's eyes until he draws away and peers over his shoulder. He steps aside, allowing me to see Chaos enter the room with food. I glance away and take a long breath, my stomach churning, until I feel Reign gently place his huge palm on the back of my hood.
“You should eat.”