Captivated Desires

38

Meanwhile, Reign rushed over to me, his heart in his throat. He looked me over, his eyes scanning my face, my body. I looked beaten, bruised and bloody, but still alive. "Reina," he said, his voice cracking as he began untying me from the chair. "You're okay, you're alright. I'm here, baby, I'm here."

There were no words to describe the pain that tore through him at seeing me in such a state. He moved as gently as he could, his hands trembling slightly as he untied the rest of the ropes binding me to the chair.

"It's alright," he repeated, his voice a soothing murmur. "It's alright, I've got you." Finally, the last rope fell away, and he carefully pulled me into his arms, my body shuddering against his. "I'm here, love," he whispered, holding me tightly. "I'm here, you're safe now." His own body trembled with the weight of his emotions, the fear and anger and relief all warring inside him.

The team had secured the scene, the captor now bound and gagged in a corner. They stood back, giving Reign and me a moment of privacy. The sound of the gunshot echoed through the room, freezing everyone in their tracks. Reign clutched me tighter, his eyes going wide with shock. He turned just in time to see the traitor, Josh, lowering his gun slowly, a look of regret and conflict on his face.

"What the hell are you doing?" Azar demanded, his usual calm demeanour gone, replaced by a look of anger and disbelief. Josh didn't respond, his eyes still fixed on me and Reign. He looked like a man torn apart from within, his face contorted with turmoil. "R-Reign-" I stuttered.

"Shh." Reign's voice was gentle but commanding. "Don't speak, love." He gently manoeuvred me so he could see the wound, his expression hardening when he saw the blood flowing from my shoulder. Fear and anger warred with each other inside him. He wanted to scream at Josh, to beat him to a pulp, but his main focus was on me now, making sure I was okay.

"I need a medkit," he called out, his voice tight. Azar gave a sharp nod, and one of the team members quickly tossed a medkit over to Reign. He caught it with one hand, opening it with the other. He quickly set to work, his hands steady and sure despite the situation. He needed to stem the bleeding, clean the wound, and patch me up as best he could until I could get proper medical attention.

The team watched silently, their faces taut with concern. They had seen Reign in action before, but never quite like this. There was a new intensity, a desperation in his every move. "D-Don't hurt Josh-" I said gently between stutters.

Reign paused, his hands still pressed against my wound. He looked at me, his expression a mix of incredulity and concern. "Are you serious?" He asked, his voice a low growl. "Why are you so worried about him when you're the one bleeding out?"

"Because he's like a brother to me, don't hurt him-" I cried out in pain. His expression softened at the pained cry that left my lips. He knew I was in no condition to argue, that he needed to focus on my injury first and foremost. "Fine," he relented, his voice gruff. "We'll cross that bridge later. You just focus on staying alive, alright?"

He returned his attention to my wound, his focus razor-sharp. He cleaned it, applied gauze, and wrapped my shoulder in a tight bandage. It wasn't a permanent solution, but it would keep me from losing too much blood.

 The team watched silently, their gazes bouncing between me and Reign. They could see the tension thrumming through his body, the controlled fury in his eyes. He was a man coiled tight, ready to snap at any moment. But he was also a man completely and utterly devoted to me, his every action demonstrating that fact loudly.

Finally, he was done. He stepped back, his hands now streaked with my blood. He looked down at them, a look of disgust and sadness crossing his face. "You're stable for now," he said, his voice a low, hollow murmur. "We need to get you out of here, get you to a hospital-"

But a sound from behind interrupted them. Josh had been standing quietly in the corner, his head bowed. Now, he spoke. "Wait." The word hung in the air like a lead weight. Everyone turned to look at Josh, their expressions varying from anger to uncertainty.

Azar took a step forward, his eyes narrowing. "What do you want?" He demanded, his voice hard.

"I..." Josh began, his voice shaky. He swallowed visibly, then tried again. "I have a confession." Azar raised an eyebrow but gestured for him to go on. The rest of the team stayed silent, their gazes fixed on Josh.

"I..." Josh swallowed again, his eyes darting around the room, never quite meeting anyone's gaze. Finally, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I was the one who told them where to find Reina." The revelation was like a bomb going off in the room. Shock rippled through the team, followed by a wave of anger and disbelief. Even Reign, who had been focused on me, turned to look at Josh with palpable anger.

Azar's hand went to his gun. "You better start explaining yourself, and fast," he growled, his eyes cold as ice. "I was desperate," Josh blurted out, his words coming out in a rush. "They got to me, they had something on me, something I couldn't afford to lose. I didn't expect them to do this, to hurt her like this. I swear I didn't-"

"What could possibly be so important that you'd sell out Reina?" Azar's voice was a low rumble, the threat in his tone unmistakable.

"It was..." Josh's voice cracked, his eyes filling with guilt and shame. "It was a gambling debt. I got into trouble, big trouble, and they offered me a way out if I gave them Reina's location. I was desperate-"