Reign's Pov
“What the fuck is wrong with you? The Storm bastards just took your girl.” Leo exasperated. “And if you didn't notice, she wasn't uncomfortable at all. She was letting them touch her.”
“They’re her brothers.”
His head snapped from her retreating figure to me so fast that I thought he’s gonna break his neck. His eyes widened and mouth flew open before he pulled his lips into a grin.
“Damn dawg!” He smacked my arm hard as appreciation. “You screwed their sister!”
“Don't put it like that. We love each other.” Though she uses the word ‘like’.
“Gosh, you’re daring.” He exclaimed like a fanboy. “I swear I love you so much I'd give you a head- or you can peg me. I don't know what's less gay but homies don't count.”
I instantly gestured to him to keep his voice down. “Can you please keep your fucked up thoughts in? If someone heard us they'll think we're both gay.”
“I'm not. Don't know about you.” He scowled at me and I rolled my eyes in response.
“I knew you'd win this bloody game her brothers started in middle school.” He gives me another grin.
My face turned serious at the words. “This isn't for any games, okay? Don't pull her into our shitty rivalry. I didn't pursue her to fuck with her brothers.”
“You actually love her? I thought… well good for you I guess. She looks nice with you.” He shrugged. “How did they react to your relationship?” They don't quite know about it yet.
“Fortunately her father is sensible enough to know I'm the best choice for her. He’s ordered his sons to be civil with me but some of her brothers still try to give her reasons to leave me.”
“Don't tell me the baby wasn't an accident.” He gasped. “Did you knock her up so her brothers can't separate you guys?”
I rolled my eyes at him. “I don't need to play such cheap tricks. She's mine whether they like it or not.”
“What’s your plans for marriage?” As usual he has thousands of questions.
“Not any time soon obviously.” Though I would love to tie the knot once we're both eighteen. “We're gonna be busy with the babies.”
“Babies?”
“It’s twins.” I told him proudly —though I didn't have any contribution in it.
“Now I'm feeling some serious fomo.” He exhales dramatically. “You should've told me earlier, I would've put one in my girlfriend so we both could have kids around the same time.”
“So we’ll be both struggling at the same time.” I chuckled.
“Is she living with you or-”
“Her family. There's more people at her house to take care of her and she's more comfortable there.”
He nods then concludes, “So she isn't a golddigger.”
I looked at him with confusion. “Why'd you say that?”
“When I was coming to meet you, I heard some students say you brought a pregnant girl to prom and you know… that she took the opportunity. Who wouldn't wanna accidentally get pregnant and trap a sole heir?”
“Trust me, I tried buying my way to her heart. Didn't work.”
“Then what worked?”
I can't tell him changing a thousand of my characteristics for her is what worked. I have to keep up the facade. “No girl’s immune to my charm.” I winked at him, causing him to scoff.
“So…” I knew the most interesting question to him was coming up. “Did you guys go raw or the condom snapped?”
“Shut up!” I pushed him irritatingly.
“Did you do it after she got pregnant? Is it any different?” I wouldn't know.
“I’m gonna kill you.”
“I'm their godfather, right?”
“I'll think about it.”
“Do you know the gender yet?”
“No.” I'm not sure if she wants me to announce that.
“Can I name one of them?”
“No.”
“Can I borrow one for a few weeks to practice?”
“Definitely no.”
————
After a long long night, we were finally going back with the memories I'll cherish for life. Everything was exactly how I wanted it to be. Or better.
My favorite part was how she felt in my arms when we danced. It was anything but sexual. But still it was possibly the best thing of my life. I felt like having my dream finally be fulfilled.
Her bump was a barrier keeping us apart. We didn't sway to the beat like I imagined in my fantasies but it was still perfect. What contributed to my contentment was the fact that she was finally mine.
We danced for multiple songs and I'm glad her brothers didn't interrupt and disappeared from our sight after some time. Because their presence was surely making her uncomfortable.
Once they were out, she happily held my hand and gave me cute flirty smiles. I purposely leaned in to talk and the intimacy of the act gave me butterflies each time.
“The windows are tinted, right?” She asked out of nowhere.
“Yes. Why, you wanna do something nasty?” I joked.
“You wish.” She muttered and turned to look outside the window.
I leaned closer to her ear and whispered, “I do wish that.”
She stilled and just sat there quietly. I moved back not wanting to make her uncomfortable. She just became my girlfriend a few hours back, I shouldn't initiate anything we haven't done before —especially since she confessed she doesn't like sex.
“I'm just kidding, Addy.” I let out a breathy laugh to lighten the mood.
“I know.” She matched my awkward laugh.
“Um Reign,” She bit her lip and looked like she's guilty of something. “I’m sorry I didn't want to ruin your night but my feet are swelling so bad and I don't know why but the babies are torturing me-”
“It's fine. You don't have to explain. I was about to ask if you wanted to go back. It's anyways 11, we stayed a while.”
“But um I was tired from the party… I don't wanna go home just yet… I can stay out till one.”
I understood what she meant. “So do you wanna get ice cream or coffee or anything else? Or we can just park in an empty yard and talk?”
“Can we get churros somewhere at this hour?” She asks hesitantly.
“I think I know a place.”
I instructed our driver to take us there. It's not too far from her home so once we're done I can easily drop her off on the time instructed by her father.
When I look back at her she is typing something on her phone. “Who're you texting?”
I need to ask dad how to feel secure. I can’t just always keep an eye on her fearing she doesn’t like me enough and she'll find someone better. She's my girlfriend now, why act all jealous every time I see her on the phone.
“My dad. I was telling him we left prom and are going to go get churros now.”
“You didn't have to tell him.” I scowled.
I don't know why I felt like she didn't trust me and that's the reason she's sharing her location with her father when it was a normal thing for a teenage girl.
She looked at me with furrowed brows. “I don't think I was supposed to go anywhere after the party so I should inform him.”
“Okay.” I didn't argue further.
We both sat in silence until she initiated a conversation looking out the window. “You know my brothers wanted me to directly meet you at prom. They didn't quite like the idea of us in a car alone.”
I liked this topic. “So…? What convinced them otherwise?” I wanted to hear it from her.
She bit her lip and my eyes followed the action. “I refused. I wanted to go with you.”
“I'm flattered.” I smiled.
Our precious moment was cut off with the ringing of my phone. Dad was calling. He should know I'm with my girlfriend but I can't cut it because he has one rule in exchange for letting me go out whenever I want and that is to pick up his call no matter what.
“It's my dad, I'll just…” I told her and picked up the call.
It's embarrassing to get a call from home like I'm a teenager. And it's even worse when I'm on a date. Why is he doing this to me?
“Evening dad, anything important?” I asked right away.
“No, I just wanted to check in on you. You didn't text that everything's going alright or no.” He replied.
“Cool, that's great. I’ll see you when I'm back home.” What else was I supposed to say? I couldn't let her know my dad’s concerned because he thinks I can't handle a simple prom.
“So there's someone next to you.” He concludes.
“Yes, of course.”
“Did you eat anything?” Seriously? How old does he think am I?
“Yes. Yes.”
“You didn't drink right?”
“Nope.”
“Alright take care and if anything happens call me I'm staying up till you're back.” I was about to cut the call when he asked the worst question. “When are you planning to come home?”
If I answer that then Addy will sure think I was just acting like a cool kid and I'm actually one of those guys who have curfews and do everything after asking their dad first.
“Okay bye dad, take care. I'll text you the figures.” Thankfully he understood and the call ended.
“I went to a meeting on dad’s behalf and he wants the quotations from it. Give me two minutes, I'll just text him.”
This was the perfect answer to her unasked question. Now she will think that not only do I conduct important meetings but I'm also the type who’s responsible. She needs to know I can be a good dad.
“I thought you just accompanied your father to the meetings, I didn't know he sent you alone too.” You didn't know because that's not true. “That's pretty cool,” She thinks I'm cool. “You’ll learn a lot by the time you join the business.”
“I have to, I'm the sole heir of the Astor fortune.” Get it together Reign. She doesn't care if you have a couple of bucks to your name.
I looked down at my phone and started guessing what time to promise dad. After deliberating for a couple of seconds, I decided on two pm and sent the text.
From my peripheral view I saw Addy leaning towards me. I thought she wanted to talk about something so the moment I was done with the text, I dropped my phone next to me and turned towards her.
I didn't realize there wasn't any distance between us and our lips accidentally connected. She immediately pulled back while I just sat there stunned at what had happened.
Our eyes were wide as we both stared at each other in horror. It was clearly not planned and neither of us were ready for it. My heart was running wild with the unexpected kiss.
I didn't mind but I knew it made Addy uncomfortable and I was scared of her reaction. We both waited for the other person to say anything but neither did and the horrible silence stretched long.
“Addy-” She cuts me off.
“I'm so sorry.” She mumbled.
My eyebrows knit together in confusion. “Why are you apologizing?”
“I didn't mean to. I was just gonna give you a kiss on the cheek as thank you for everything you did for me today.” She explained, embarrassed.
“It's okay, it was just a mistake.”
“No.” She shook her head as tears started to pool in her eyes. “It was your first kiss. I know how it feels when someone takes something so precious without your permission, I didn’t want to do the same with you. I'm so sorry, Reign. I didn't mean to.”
Her words hit me hard. I didn't want to imagine that bastard forcing herself onto her but there couldn’t be any other conclusion to her words.
I had so many questions. I wanted to ask her about it but I knew it wouldn't be easy for her. Neither does she trust me enough to share her past nor should it matter to me if she wants to keep it buried.
“It's not at all a problem, trust me. I wanted you to be my first kiss. It doesn't matter if it was accidental. I loved it.” Just then I realized the last sentence probably made me look creepy. “I’m sorry if you feel weirded out by it. I know you didn't want to do anything so soon-” She stops me mid sentence.
“I'm not weirded out.”
“You don't mind kissing me?” I shouldn't continue this topic. She clearly doesn't like it.
She looked away nervously. “A kiss is not sexual, it's… it's emotional.”
I don't know if I feel the same. Because the sensations going through me right now at just the thought of our lips touching isn't what she's describing it as.
“Does that mean we can do it again?” I had to try my luck.
It hasn't been twenty four hours and I've already asked for a kiss but I wouldn't have if we didn't accidentally do it. As the saying goes, once a lion tastes blood he’s gonna want more.
“If you want to…” She barely whispered.
I took a few seconds to process what's happening and I finally realized how big of a dick I'm being to her. She's just agreeing because she thinks she owes me one. Either for being my girlfriend or for accidentally taking my first kiss.
“It's fine. We should probably just get churros and then I'll drop you home.”
I trusted my brain because other parts didn't want to do the right thing. I looked away trying not to overthink my decision and regret it because it was for the best.
“You don't want to kiss me?”
When I looked back, there was hurt written all over her face. I didn't know what to do in such a situation so I pulled her in a hug and rubbed soothing circles on her back.
If I drop her off with her makeup all messed up from crying, her family's gonna lose it and I don't wanna deal with their shit tonight. But most importantly I can't let her feel like she isn't everything to me.
“Of course I want to kiss you, princess. Why wouldn't I? I'm the one chasing after you, remember?” I told her calmly.
“Then why did you say that?” I felt a drop slide down the back of my neck and started panicking.
“Because I don't want you to do it just because I want to. You don't owe me anything, Addy. You made it clear that you don't want a sexual relationship right now and I still signed up for it. So it's not your responsibility to give me anything.” I rushed out my words.
She sniffled and pulled back. “But a kiss won't hurt. I said I can do it.”
“I don't know if we should move this fast. We have our whole life ahead of us, I can wait for you.”
“You're so sweet, Reign. I really really really like you.” I conveniently imagined the word I wanted to hear and it made my heart flutter. “I'm glad you're my boyfriend.”
“For the night.” I said smugly and she slapped my chest.
“I think we should kiss.” She blurted out and I looked at her surprised because I thought we were done with this topic. “Everyone kisses at the prom and I feel like we're missing out. And… we just got into a relationship, what's more romantic than a kiss to make the day memorable?”
“Addy-” I tried convincing her otherwise but she wasn't in the mood to listen.
“I'm not being pressured, trust me.”
I didn't take another second and agreed. “Okay.”
I had reached my limits. I didn't have the best controls on my hormones and I guess hers was kicking in too. I just hope she doesn't regret it later.
I slid closer to her and encircled a hand around her waist while the other went to her face to angle it. Her hands gripped my suit and right when I leaned in, she moved away.
“Just a peck.” I thought we were going all in. “I want to get used to it first. We can try the rest after a few day- weeks.”
I don't think she wants to go a step further anytime soon. Maybe it's only the prospect of a peck that looks nonsexual to her but not a kiss. Either way, I'm not an ungrateful man. I'll take what I'm getting.
“Just a peck.” I repeated and leaned in again.
This time she didn't move away, neither did she show any signs of discomfort. She closed her eyes and gulped as I terminated the remaining distance and pressed my lips against hers.
I couldn't feel it the first time but this time as my lips lingered on hers I could feel how soft they were. I had stopped breathing and closed my eyes so all my senses only focused on the act.
I enjoyed the feeling of us being so close. I didn't want to pull back anytime soon. It was an out of the world feeling. I could already understand the hype about intimacy.
I had to hold myself back from pulling her even closer and opening my mouth. It wasn't even five seconds before she pulled back with the deepest shade of red and most embarrassed expressions I've seen on her.
We both licked our lips and stared at each other not knowing what to say. I didn't want to make it awkward but I was genuinely out of words. The happiness was so strong that I couldn't focus on making sure she's fine.
A smile appeared on my face and she looked around as if she didn't notice it. I wanted to straight away ask her if she liked the kiss or if I made her uncomfortable but I didn't know how to begin that conversation.
I wish dad and I had discussed a fake kissing scenario so I knew how to deal with this the right way.
I was still searching for the best words when I felt her sharply move. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her hand was on her bump like she's feeling the babies.
“Are you okay?” I asked, getting worried.
“Yes. They… ya I'm okay.” That's not really reassuring.
“Is it because of the kiss?”
She instantly shook her head. “No, no. It's not that… they're probably just shocked by what they just witnessed.” She mumbled.
“Can I feel?” I gestured to her bump.
She gently took my hand and placed it on her stomach and my God the kicks were insane. It was crazy in there. I couldn't believe how she was keeping a straight face through all of that pain since morning.
“That doesn't look okay to me…”
“It's not the worst. Few nights ago they were literally at war with each other and I couldn't sleep through the crossfire.” She told me, making it seem so normal.
I was weirded out but the literal torture they were inflicting on the person that provided them a home and food. Just then a thought crossed my mind but I wasn't sure she'd like that.
“Can I give them a kiss?”
She didn't judge me for the request and simply nodded. I leaned down towards her right side first and placed a small kiss. “One for my little girl.” Then I kissed the other side. “One for my little boy.”
When I looked up at her she was smiling with slight wetness in her eyes. I then kissed her cheek. “One for the mama.”
Her lips stretched wide as she gave me the prettiest of smiles. It was heartwarming to see her happy with me. I was relieved that the kiss didn't ruin her perfect night.
I leaned down again and gently placed my face on her bump because for some reason getting kicked in the face by these two felt like the best decision.
When I felt the force of it I was taken aback but didn't move away. I remembered the time in middle school when I couldn't get into soccer —because I sucked at it— so I chose basketball. I hope one of these two makes it to their school’s soccer team.
I was enjoying the moment and so was Addy as she placed a hand on my shoulder, when suddenly I felt something wet on my hand that was placed next to her on the seat.
I sat up and lifted up my hand to investigate when I saw my palm covered with clear liquid. I was so confused until I realized it was coming from underneath Addy.
I didn't let the shock show through so I didn't embarrass her. It's not a big deal. She's nine months pregnant, of course she doesn't have any control over her bladder.
She looks horrified as she looks down upon herself. I placed my clean hand on her knee and tried to calm her down. “It's okay, princess. It's nothing unusual, you're pregnant and holding it in becomes difficult sometimes.” What the fuck am I saying? “We can go to my home so you can clean up. Meanwhile I'll get you a new dress. We’ll sort this out in minutes. Don't worry, okay?”
Her breathing picked up and there was a clear panic on her face. “I… I didn't pee myself.” She mumbled not moving a single muscle. “My water broke, Reign.”
It took me a few seconds to understand and I nearly got a heart attack before I remembered I'm supposed to help and not the other way around.
“You mean the babies are coming?” I gasped.
She nods before a painful scream echoes in the car and shivers run down my spine. I’ve never been this terrified before. And I don't think I'm prepared to do this.