Lawless Kingdom (Reign & Ruin 1)

“Rhia,” Dax’s sharp voice came from the end of the hall as if the universe had heard my silent plea.

The guy before me turned just enough that I was able to squeeze past, my front nearly grazing his.

“You ready to go?” Dax asked, reaching for my hand when I was within proximity.

“Yeah. Where’s Audrey?”

“Meeting us outside.” He shot a hard stare over my shoulder. I instantly knew who it was directed at.

For him to be so bothered by who I was speaking with meant the guy behind me was a Barron, Rook, or Knight.

Call me stupid or intrigued, but I couldn’t help but be curious. I pushed the feeling down and focused on Dax and his firm hold on my hand, letting him lead me through the house and towards the front door. Things weren’t as fuzzy with a guide.

“You’re doing exactly what I told you not to do Daxton.” The same voice came from behind me, close enough that I practically felt his breath on my neck. His tone was slightly different from before, disapproving and hard.

I glanced back, meeting his steel-colored eyes for a brief second before looking forward again so I didn’t trip and fall.

“No. I’m doing what I need to do,” Dax replied calmly as we reached the front door.

“If you’re smart, you’ll take her to the car and then go meet Owen upstairs.”

“I’m not doing this tonight.” He gripped the large golden handle of the front door and started to ease it open.

His hard form pressed against my back, causing my body to be sandwiched between the two of them as he reached over my shoulder to slam it back shut.

“Did that sound like a question, Daxton?”

The clear-cut warning in his tone almost had me replying. I broke free from Dax’s hold and spun around, thanking god when I remained on my feet. My chest against his, I ignored my body’s perverse reaction and glared into his eyes.

“What the hell is your problem?” I tried to shove him back and had the same success rate I would’ve had if I were attempting to lift a building.

One dark brow quirked. He stared down at me with thinly veiled amusement in his. His perfect pink lips settled into a cocky smirk.

“Glad to see you haven’t changed much.”

“Whatever that means, leave him the hell alone.”

His smirk became a full-blown grin. He leaned down, bringing his lips to my ear. “Careful, principessa. You’ve already toed a line you’re not ready to cross,” he whispered, his cool breath fanning over my skin.

I suppressed a shudder and leaned away from him. What the fuck did that mean? And did he just call me princess?

“Come on, Rhia,” Dax urged, wrapping his fingers around my elbow. I resisted for a moment, ready to have it out with the asshole who’d followed us. In the end, I let him tug me out the door, leaving behind one intense stare and all the party goers who had stopped what they were doing to watch our little scene unravel.

“Dax,” I began, now facing the correct direction.

He cut me off before I could begin a round of twenty-one questions. “Not now, okay? Can you wait in Audrey’s car for me? I’ll follow ya’ll back to her spot.”

I blinked rapidly. Was he going back inside? He couldn’t be serious. “Are you for real? That guy tells you what to do and you just…do it?”

He stopped so abruptly I nearly slammed into his back. Whirling with a look on his face I’d never seen before, I braced instinctively.

“Can you please stop? Get in the car and wait for me. You’re doing my head in with all these questions!” His voice echoed through the air and increased the pounding in my head.

I stared at him with my brows raised. He thought this was me asking questions? “Lower your voice. You yell at me like that again and we’re gonna have a problem.”

A deep sigh left him then, and his whole body seemed to sag. I almost felt bad for being sort of a bitch, but even if I was being annoying—and in my opinion I wasn’t—he had no right to yell at me as if I were a child.

He was clearly going through something, so I chose not to prod the bear, so to speak. I’d grill him later. After he’d had a chance to calm down. I looked over at Audrey’s car, noting it was empty.

“I thought you said she was meeting us outside?”

He cursed softly under his breath. “She must have been drawn into a conversation. I’ll send her right out.”

“You’d better.” I went to move around him, and he took hold of me for the millionth time that night.

“I’m sorry, bae. Really sorry.”

I cringed internally.

“I’ll be waiting for you.” I placed a light kiss on his cheek.

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask what exactly he was apologizing for, but I wanted to go home more than I wanted to have a heart to heart in a rich asshole’s driveway.