Reign (The Henchmen MC 1)

“They'll get her,” she repeated.

We tore into the compound, Janie warning us of a tail.

Everyone reached for guns.

Wolf threw the door open.

I jumped out.

And then I was knocked to the ground.

A tiny, gorgeous redhead clinging to me like I was a life preserver.

“Summer,” I said, my arms going tight around her.

She was alright.

She was safe.

She was back.

My hands ran up and down her body, looking for blood. Wounds. Anything. But they found nothing.

Her head lifted from my neck, a huge fucking smile on her face.

And I recognized that smile.

It was the smile from the picture on Lo's wall.

Open.

Unconcerned.

Completely and utterly happy.

My breath caught in my chest as I looked up at her.

My knuckles went to stroke the side of her face.

It didn't matter that her face was bruised and battered.

It was the fucking best sight I had ever seen in my life.Thirty-oneSummer“I'm sure you're both happy to see each other,” Cash broke into our silent moment, me smiling down at Reign, him looking up at me like I was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, “but we kinda need to get inside where it's safe.”

With that, Reign sighed, wrapping his arms around my back and knifing up, getting us both onto our feet. His arm went around my shoulders, pulling me into his side, as we all filed inside the compound, the men on the roof and around the grounds looking at us with a mix of confusion and anger.

The anger was probably at having to miss out on the obvious action.

Reign was gonna have some unhappy questions to answer.

“What the fuck...” Vin said, standing as we walked in.

“Wolf needs Doc,” Reign said immediately, his voice taking on an authoritative edge.

Oh my god.

Wolf.

I pulled out of Reign's arm, turning and going right to Wolf.

“Oh my god. You're shot. They shot you!” I yelped, looking down at the side of his jeans where, and I was no doctor, but it seemed like way too much blood was seeping out.

“Woman,” he broke in, making my head jerk up to his face. Bloodied. The side of his face was busted open slightly, bleeding down his cheek. “I'm fine,” he said, his gruff tone somehow making the anxiety slip away.

“You're sure?” I asked, watching him.

“Sure,” he nodded, his hand reaching out to touch the skin beside my eye. “You okay?”

“Oh this,” I said, making a whooshing sound and waving a hand and giving him a smile. “You should see the other guy.”

The second the words were out, my eyes went huge, my hand slapping over my mouth.

Because, yeah, the other guy was dead.

I killed him.

Holy hell.

But Wolf wasn't sharing my horror. No. He actually... threw his head back... and laughed! A full, throaty sound that boomed off the walls. Still laughing, he looked at me, shaking his head, and chucked me under the chin. “You're alright,” he said, nodding.

“Is someone going to tell the rest of us what the fuck is going on?” Vin broke in, sounding a mix of angry and worried.

“Cash?” I asked, turning to him, my eyes worried.

“Bumps and bruises, Cherry,” he said, giving me a wink, his hand ruffling my hair.

I gave him a small smile and my eyes fell to Repo. The huge, scary looking gun he had been carrying earlier gone. His face bruised awfully still from the night that he tried to save me. His eyes went to me, weirdly guarded.

And then my feet were moving toward him. Our toes touched. My arms went around him, squeezing him tight. There was a long pause and I could see him looking over my shoulder toward Reign, his face a mask of confusion, before one of his arms went around my lower back. “You tried to save me,” I told his shirt and his arm tightened. “Thank you.”

“Is everyone done putting their hands on my fuckin' woman?” Reign's voice asked, sounding exasperated.

Repo's arm fell from me and I stepped away. He gave me a small smile. “Anytime,” he told me with a nod. Like he meant it. And I realized he did. He would put his life down for me in a heartbeat. Without even thinking about it. And I didn't even know him.

“Seriously, Prez,” Vin's voice sounded again.

I looked over toward Vin who visibly shrank back when his eyes landed on my face. “They saved me,” I said simply, walking over toward Reign and tucking myself into his side, his arm going around my shoulders.

“Reign,” Lo's voice said, breaking through the tension, and everyone's eyes went to her. “It's done,” she said, nodding her head, putting her phone away.

Reign nodded. “Thank fuck.”

“What's done? How is it done? Where are my parents?” I gushed, not able to help myself. I needed answers.

“Why don't I take you upstairs and let you get cleaned up,” he started, squeezing me, “and I'll answer your questions there. And then I'll come back down here and answer yours,” he said, this time to his men. “Give me an hour.”

To this, they just nodded. And I was being pulled out of the room, into the hallway, toward his door.

“Reign...” I started, feeling the tension in his body.

“Just give me a minute, babe,” he said, unlocking his door and shuffling me inside.

He rescued me.

I could give him a minute.

He went over to his dresser, reaching inside, pulling things out. Then he walked back to me, taking my wrist and pulling me toward the bathroom. He pulled me with him as he took a towel out of the cabinet, as he reached into the bath and turned the shower on.

“I'm gonna go get you some food. Figured you'd want a shower before we talked,” he said, letting me go.

“Um, ah... yeah,” I said, watching him. Worried. He seemed off. Tense and distant. “Thanks,” I finished with.

To that, he nodded and walked out of the room.

Alright.

I should have been freaking out.

I knew that.

I was just held hostage again. Twice.

I was beaten.

I was in the middle of a gun fight.

I had killed a man.

I had shot another man who helped me escape.