The Devil in Reign

Vienna.

Alexandria couldn't sleep.

It's not like she didn't try, she just couldn't.

She had come home a mess without her fiancé and didn't move until he came back. She wasn't graced with sleep. It didn't even come over her. She was up all night trying to remove any goddamn trace of that godforsaken man.

But in all honesty, she was confused. Confused about her feelings. Confused about why this is all happening to her. She hadn't done a thing to Christian. She'd kept her distance like he asked. But every single time she encountered him, it was even worse and more venomous than the last. All he did was put her down with his words but she hated him. With a passion. She just didn't get it.

"Baby.." she heard.

It was a raspy whisper into the side of her ear as her eyes fluttered open. Had she slept? She didn't remember dozing off. The blonde was wide awake and alert at the airport and when they had gone through customs.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty." James whispered, nudging her cheek with his nose.

"Mm, I'm sleepy. Laterrrr." She groaned, pushing him away gently and resting her head against the glass window of the car.

Though, she opened her eyes to see the beautiful streets of Vienna, the water of the canals outside her window. Even though the sun was illuminating the sky with a subtle warmth and the sky was as blue as her cerulean eyes, she shuddered.

Being in Germany held too many bad memories for the woman. She'd witnessed her mother and father walking on thin ice as they argued in her father's place of origin, she'd seen Christian, so pure and lovely turn into the Devil's advocate in less than five years.

She hated this place. She just did. But they needed her at work, so off to work she went.

She was quiet during the ride to her place of residency, just staring out the window will shards of pain cut through her heart.

Everything was hurting. It felt hard for her to breathe, almost like she was suffocating on the air, encased in a metal glass container. She fell out, a pain overcoming her body.

Before she could let out a cry, she felt herself being picked up and pulled into her fiancé's strong arms.

"Ale, we're almost at the hotel, sweetheart." He murmured with a slight chuckle as he brushed some of her golden tresses behind her ear. "You look beautiful with a lot of makeup on but I think I prefer you with this minimalist thing you've got going on." He finished, his voice calming and soothing the rough waves inside her as he ducked his head down to press a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Alexandria smiled faintly, just enough as her nerves were recovering from the sudden shock. She was still shaky, but able to slip out of his arms and back into her seat.

"Have I ever told you how much I love it when you talk?" She asked with a shy laugh, her normally sharp features gaining a girlish charm and innocence as she spoke with uncertainty.

"You have, but not for a while." He said, his words smooth as ever as they rolled off his tongue. "I'm so in love with you, Alexandria Leigh-Anne Sjöberg." He stated, taking her hand in his.

She admired the way her delicate fingers fit in between his chiseled ones. The way their palms molded together perfectly once they touched. He was her matching puzzle piece, if only she wasn't changing her shape day by day. If only she was certain about her love for him.

"And I'm in love with you." She whispered slowly, leaning across the seat to press a kiss to his lips, even if she didn't mean it. "Thank you for coming with me. Even if it only is because Germany is on the way to where you have to be next." She spoke against his lips, pulling away with a giddy smile.