Claimed At First Sight

CHAPTER 10: UM! WHO ARE YOU?

Reign couldn't sleep.

She lay on her back in her childhood bedroom, staring at the ceiling. Soft light from the projector on her bedside table moved gently, making shadows dance across the room. She stayed still, watching them.

It was 11:36 PM.

She had been lying here for two hours, unable to fall asleep.

Every time she closed her eyes, her mind replayed the night in excruciating detail. From Kora's smug face, to Asher's cold eyes, the way he had looked at her like she was nothing, and the cruel words he had spat at her. Her heart hurt so much from it all. And then there was Dashiell, a knight showing up at the wrong, maybe right time, asking who had made his wife cry.

The rush of heat hit Reign’s face, making her groan as she rolled onto her side.

And she had been so rude to him.

The guy had offered her a safe place to stay, and she had thrown it back in his face. Even accused him of stalking her and stormed out of his car like a child having a tantrum.

Her cheeks burned with shame, and she pressed her palms to her eyes.

Why am I like this?

The house was too quiet, too empty that every very creak of the floorboards made her jump, and every rustle outside the window made her heart race.

She could've gone back to her old apartment, but she had already put it up for rent, and a young couple had moved in the same day she put it on rent. Faeth's place wasn't an option. Not after tonight, and especially when Reign was keeping so many secrets from her. Faeth would demand answers that Reign wasn’t ready to speak about. Not now, or ever.

Stay at my place. Just for a week.

Dashiell's offer echoed in her mind, and Reign bit down on her lower lip.

Maybe she should've said yes.

It wasn't that weird, was it? They were married after all. Legally married. Even if it were just on paper, it would only be temporary. Just until the renovations were done and she could hire proper staff, as the house was too empty and lifeless. At least then she would get to know him a little before the family meeting this weekend.

Not that it mattered anyway, as they were already married. The meeting was just... formality between the two families who were oblivious of their flash marriage. She could stay at his place and learn a few things about him. Who knows she could…

Reign's thoughts drifted somewhere dirty.

She imagined Dashiell fresh out of the shower, a towel slung low around his hips, water droplets sliding down his bare chest…

Heat rushed through her body so quickly that she sat up, letting out a small, surprised sound at her own reaction. She pressed her hands to her burning cheeks.

What was wrong with her?

She barely knew the man, for heaven's sake. She had married him just twenty-four hours ago, which already felt like a week ago, out of desperation, not attraction. Well…except... he was attractive.

If she were honest with herself.

Those ice-blue eyes, that sharp jawline, the way he had looked at her tonight, like he actually cared whether she was okay.

Reign threw off the covers.

"This is sooo ridiculous."

…..Thirty minutes later, she pulled up to an address in the Heights, one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in the city. It was a strict and well-kept place, so it surprised her that Dashiell lived there. Maybe he wasn’t from a manageable family, as her mother had mentioned.

Her hands were shaking on the steering wheel.

The security guard at the gate had called Dashiell to confirm, then waved her through with a polite nod. She had driven up a winding private road lined with trees, her headlights cutting through the darkness, until she reached a modern glass-and-steel house that looked like something out of an architecture magazine.

Whoa! Reign gasped softly under her breath at the sight.

She parked, grabbed the small overnight bag she had hastily packed, and stood in front of the massive front door.

Her heart was pounding.

What am I doing?

However, before her thought could go any further, the door opened. And there he was. Her sexy husband.

Dashiell stood in the doorway, barefoot, wearing soft white joggers and a loose white shirt, his hair still damp like he had just showered. He looked... different. Less serious, business-like and more casual.

His expression was unreadable as his eyes swept over her, taking in her cotton light blue nightgown, the off-white cardigan thrown over it, and the bag clutched in her hand.

"Hi," Reign said quietly, her cheeks flushed.

Thank God it was slightly dark, or he would have noticed.

So much for embarrassing herself in front of him every time they met.

Such a beautiful impression from a start.

Dashiell's lips twitched. "Hi."

There was a beat of awkward silence, then he stepped aside, holding the door open wider.

"Come in."

Reign followed him through a sleek, beautiful entryway into an open-concept living space with clean lines and floor-to-ceiling windows, featuring exquisite furniture and wall frames. The city lights glittered in the distance through the glass wall, framed with dark curtains.

Reign, for some reason, felt small, slightly out of place. Not only because of the spacious house, but because she was feeling awkward, and Dashiell didn't say anything as he led her to an elevator tucked into the far wall.

They stepped inside, the doors closed, and suddenly the space felt impossibly small.

Reign could feel his presence beside her, solid and warm, and dangerously magneting. She could smell whatever soap he used. Something clean and woodsy. The kind so soft you don’t notice how addictive it is until you are already hooked.

She kept her eyes fixed on the floor numbers as they climbed.

The elevator dinged softly and opened into a hallway that led to different rooms.

"This floor is private," Dashiell said, his voice quiet. "Just my room and a few others. And this…." He gestured to a door on the left. "That's yours."

Reign nodded, following him as he opened the door and flicked on the light.

The room was beautiful and spacious, not entirely bigger than hers. A king-sized bed with pure white linens sat at the centre of the room. A sitting area was by the windows, and it contained an ensuite bathroom she could see through the open door.

"There are towels in the bathroom," Dashiell said. "And extra blankets in the closet. If you need anything…"

"Thank you."

The words came out softer than she had intended.

Dashiell's gaze lingered on her for a moment, then he nodded, looking away.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

He turned to leave.

"Dashiell?" Reign called, and he stopped, glancing back at her.

Reign bit her lip, fisting her gown. "I'm sorry… about earlier. I was…"

"You don't need to apologize." His voice was gentle. "Just get some sleep."

And then he was gone, the door clicking shut softly behind him.

Reign stood there for a moment, staring at the closed door, something warm and confusing twisting in her chest. Then she set down her bag, climbed into the comfortable bed, and despite everything, fell asleep almost instantly.

…..

The next morning, Reign woke to sunlight streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows.

For a moment, she didn't remember where she was. Then it all came rushing back.

Dashiell's house. I'm at Dashiell's house.

She sat up immediately, rubbing her eyes.

It was unbelievable. She had slept better than she had in weeks, in a stranger’s house, for that matter.

That was ....surprising.

She checked her phone to find it was already 7:43 AM.

Whoa! She had slept that long.

Hurriedly, Reign climbed out of bed, padding across the soft carpet to the bathroom. She washed her face, brushed her teeth with the unopened toothbrush she found waiting on the counter, and stared at herself in the mirror, her big hazel eyes blinking back at her reflection. Her chocolate brown hair with a caramel highlight was a mess, and her nightgown was wrinkled from such restful sleep.

But she felt... okay.

Better than okay, which was both confusing and relaxing.

After dressing up in a loose pair of pants and a top she took from her bag, her hair parked into a rough bun, Reign opened the bedroom door and stepped into the hallway, and froze.

Because Dashiell was stepping out of his room at the same moment, and he was shirtless. Completely, gloriously shirtless. Wearing nothing but black pants that left absolutely nothing to the imagination.

Reign’s brain went blank.

She had seen men shirtless before. Of course, she had been with Asher for three years and had seen him naked. But Dashiell…

Oh my God.

Broad shoulders, defined chest, abs that looked like they had been carved from marble, a faint trail of dark hair disappearing beneath the waistband of his pants, and lower, the unmistakable outline of….

Damn!

They were nothing new, but it sent her body ablaze, her face going red.

She couldn't look away. Couldn't even swallow properly.

Dashiell, on the other hand, blinked at her, clearly still half-asleep, his expression confused.

For a moment, neither of them moved. Then, as if the realization of her presence hit him all at once, his eyes widened.

"s**t…."

Then he spun around and bolted back into his room, the door slamming shut behind him.

Reign stood there, frozen, her heart hammering, then she laughed. She couldn't help it.

It started as a giggle, then turned to a full laugh, her hand pressed to her mouth, her shoulders shaking.

He had looked so horrified, like he had been caught doing something scandalous instead of just walking out of his own bedroom.

It was... cute.

Reign hadn't expected that, especially from someone as serious as him.

Still grinning, she headed for the elevator, feeling lighter than she had in days.

The elevator doors opened onto the main floor, and Reign stepped out, only to freeze again.

Because, this time, there was a woman sitting at the dining table.

A beautiful woman with long dark hair framing her fair face sat with a bowl of fruit in front of her. She wore a simple, short, light pink top and a short black skirt that showed off her long legs. A spoon hovered halfway to her mouth as she paused, her eyes locked on Reign.

Reign's heart sank.

Oh no.

Oh no no no.

Dashiell does not have a girlfriend now, does he?

Of course he did. A man who looked like that? It would be suspicious if he didn’t. And Reign had just, she had just shown up at his house in the middle of the night like some pathetic…

"Um." The woman lowered her spoon slowly, her eyes narrowing. "Who are you?"