Page 28 of Triumphant Kings (Boys Of Kingston Academy #3)

Preston

A s soon as we’re out of Sadie’s room, my hands are on Collin, shoving him as hard as I can.

“What the fuck was that for?” he mutters, shooting me an annoyed look.

“How the fuck do you know everything about Sadie and her past while we were all left in the dark?” I growl, getting in his face.

He glares down at me. “Don’t, Preston. Don’t start with me. There are so many reasons, and you know it.”

“Yeah, because you're a psycho, obsessed stalker.”

“No. I kept tabs on someone who meant a lot to me. Even if it wasn’t romantic back then, she was still an important person to me.

Someone I always felt like I needed to protect.

My mom is best friends with her mom. I know things.

I also took the time to dig to get answers when I wanted to.

As for Lionel,” he growls the name, and just at the mention, I want to fucking find that sick fuck and strangle him with my own hands.

“I didn’t know who assaulted her. I only found out something happened to her at one of the parties when Raymond got too fucking handsy for his own good. She didn’t give me details, and as much as I wanted to press, I wasn’t going to push on something so traumatic.”

“Why didn’t you dig into it more, then?” I demand.

“I did,” he snarls back. “But with the information she gave me, I didn’t fucking have much to go on, okay? Do you know how many fucking sick freaks are around here? Digging around, I found over twenty guys who had some sort of sexual assault history. All of them were in attendance at that party.”

“What the fuck?” I look at him in horror.

“Scary how much money can control the world, isn’t it?”

“We have a name now. So what the fuck do we plan on doing about it?”

My brother's lips curve into a slow smile. “I have an idea. Thinking about having a conversation with a spicy little blonde who happens to work for us.”

“I think that's a wonderful idea,” I agree with a grin.

We’re not stupid, we know who Rosie and her family are. What they do. And we sure as fuck have no plans on getting involved with them if we can help it. But Rosie has been a good friend and employee. We can trust they will take care of Lionel.

As much as we’d love to do it ourselves, any chance to keep our hands clean, the better. Not that I wouldn’t kill for Sadie, because I sure as fuck would love to, but these people are professionals.

“You know, you can stop hating me any time now,” Collin switches the subject.

“What?” My brows furrow.

“You're my brother. My family. It’s never going to change. I love you.” He shrugs without shame, his words making me shift uncomfortably.

“And when you’re ready to accept that, I’d love to get to know you better.

Seeing how we’re going to be sharing the same girl for the rest of our lives, I think being friends is a good place to start, don’t you? ”

“You're making this weird,” I mutter.

He grins. “Nah, you are. It’s okay, you're going to get used to all the love and support, one way or another.” He claps me on the shoulder as he passes.

“Because you might not see it, Preston,” He stops and looks over his shoulder, my damn heart doing stupid shit I don’t like.

“But you have a lot more people in your corner than you think.”

I stare at his stupid back and watch his stupid self walk away.

Damn him and making me feel shit.

THE LAST THING I WANT to be doing right now is going home. I’d rather be by Sadie’s side. But there are things that need to be done, and I’d rather get them done and over with now than have them lingering in the back of my mind as added stress.

I’m thinking all of this while pulling up into the driveway of the mansion I grew up in as if the devil himself isn’t lurking inside, waiting to take the pound of flesh he thinks he deserves.

Because it makes him feel big and powerful, when really he’s just a pathetic, fucked in the head man who thinks way too highly of himself.

The more time I spend with Collin and the others, the more I see it.

Not saying he isn’t capable of ruining lives and causing pain, he’s proved that more than once. But he’s not invincible.

However, tonight it’s going to end. I know Sadie is going to need us to protect her more than ever. He’s going to be pissed. No. Pissed isn’t even scratching the surface.

He’s lost control over one of his sons, someone who could have given him access to more power, money, and influence. Now, he’s about to lose the last person to keep his stupid legacy going. Not that there's one to even keep. The Jones family just needs to die.

Collin changed his last name; maybe I should do the same. I want no connection to this monster.

Staring up at the house, I’m filled with dread. I don’t want to go in there. I’d like to avoid all my problems and pretend they don’t exist. But I can’t. This needs to be done.

With a heavy sigh, I head inside.

I’m hardly through the front door when I hear him. My body coils tight, ready for the fight that's inevitably about to happen.

“Where the fuck have you been?” he booms, storming into the room like an angry bull.

“Hello to you, too,” I mutter, sighing as I scrub my hand over my face.

“Don’t you fucking start with your smart ass mouth,” he yells. “You’ve been gone for weeks. Where have you been? Out whoring around?”

“Yup, you caught me. Been out fucking everything that moves. Just like my dear old dad.” I grin, knowing I’m poking the bear, but if this is going to go down, I’m having my fun with it. “Dick in a new pussy every night. Aren’t you proud of me?”

His nostrils flare, eyes wild. And then I smell it, whiskey. He’s drunk. Lovely. This could end really fucking badly.

“I got a call from Tina. She was in hysterics. Said you made a fool of her in front of the whole school before calling off your engagement.”

“Yeah, and your point is?” I ask like I’m bored, raising a brow.

He’s in my face in the blink of an eye, causing me to take a step back.

“I am done having you make a fool out of me, boy!” he shouts, spittle flying in my face, making me cringe.

“You are done. Do you hear me? No more of your bullshit games. You are going to call Tina and apologize. Then tomorrow, you’re going to go down to the fucking courthouse and make things official. You will marry Tina tomorrow.”

My lip peels back as anger courses through my veins. “No.”

“Yes, you fucking will!” he roars, his hot whiskey breath filling my nose, making me want to gag.

“I’m done with you. I’m done doing what you want, being your little bitch boy.

You don’t control me anymore. I’m not marrying Tina, or any other woman you pick for me.

I’m done with you, this family, everything.

I want nothing to do with it. I don’t care about the money, the power, none of it. I’m done.”

The laugh he lets out is pure mania, like he’s finally lost it.

“You think you can leave me, boy?” he growls, taking another step forward as I take one back.

“You think you can make a fool out of me? No.” He shakes his head.

“Over my fucking dead body. It’s bad enough your brother fucked me over for that stupid whore.

” My rage amplifies at the way he’s talking about Sadie.

“And now you want to go play Mr. Nice Guy?

Are you going to share your brother's girl too? Gonna use her like the slut she is? Do all of you pass her around like a sex doll with a tight little cunt?”

“Shut the fuck up,” I warn, murderous rage vibrating through me.

“How about you share her with me? We’re family too, you know. Isn’t that what you’re doing? Don’t be so rude, Preston. Be a fucking man.”

“Fuck you!” I shout, feeling sick to my stomach, his words making me want to beat the shit out of his stupid face until he’s a bloody mess.

He laughs and laughs, walking closer to me. Too fucking close. He’s fucking crazy, and I’m getting a gut feeling that this isn’t going to end well.

“No. Fuck. You!” he screams. “Fuck you and your stupid brother.

You think you're better than me?” He pounds his chest. “You're not! You're nothing but a waste of space. Your mother should have fucking aborted you like I wanted. The only reason you lived was because you were a boy. And what did that get me? Two sons who betrayed me. You're both a disgrace. I’m not going to let you make a fool out of me. You want out of this family? The only way you’re leaving is in a fucking body bag.”

Shifting to the left, I get as close as I can to the side table near the door. And then I take my opening, quickly grabbing the gun I have stashed there.

The alcohol makes him slow, just enough not to process what I’m doing, giving me enough time to flick the safety off and press the barrel of the gun to his head.

“Back the fuck up,” I demand, voice steady, deadly. There’s no fear, no hint of hesitation. Just resignation settling over me.

“You’re going to shoot me?” he laughs. “You don’t have the fucking balls to do it.”

“Wanna take that bet?” I ask, raising a brow. “I’d rather spend the rest of my life in jail than spend another moment in your presence. Don’t fucking test me, Dad ,” I say the last word mockingly.

I can see it in his eyes, the realization I’m serious.

“Back the fuck up,” I demand again.

He does, and I can tell that it physically pains him to do so. He doesn’t want to listen to me, to know he’s been overpowered. But he cares more about his life than his own pride. That works to my advantage.

When he’s far enough away, I shift to the side until my back is lined up with the front door. “You're making a big mistake,” he tells me as I start to walk backwards. “Don’t think I’m going to just let you walk away.”

“You have no choice.” I make it to the door, feeling for the handle with my hand, not taking my eyes off him. “You either let me leave, or die. Take your pick.”

Opening the door, I continue to make my way out, not taking the gun off him until I’m next to the driver's side door of my car.

He doesn’t go past the front door, so I feel safe enough to open my door and take the gun off him as I slip inside the car.

“You're dead to me, Preston! Do you hear me? Fucking dead to me!” he shouts, storming down the front steps as I peel out of the driveway.

Good, because he’s been dead to me for years now.

My mother was more of a stranger to me than he was, so there’s no loss on either of their parts.

To me, they’re just two infected limbs being removed, making me feel lighter.

Racing down the highway, adrenaline pumping through my veins, I wait until I’m far enough away from the house before pulling over to the side of the road.

Throwing it into park, I sit there staring out the front window into the dark of the night for a long moment before the first bubble of laughter spills out. Then another, and another, until I’m in full-blown hysterical laughter.

“I’m free!” I shout, grinning so wide it hurts my face. I welcome the pain. “I’m fucking free!”

I say it over and over again, sounding like a crazy person.

But I feel it. Like someone sucked all the poison from my veins, replacing it with the antidote.

I’m free. Free to be me. To do what I want. To live how I want. To fucking love who I want.

No one has power over me anymore.

“I’m free.” The laughter starts to die down. “I’m free,” I whisper. “I’m fucking free.” The laughter is replaced with a sob, and within seconds, I’m a mess.

I’m not too stupid to think I’m truly free. None of us are while that monster is still breathing.

Collin wanted some brotherly bonding? Nothing screams that more than planning on taking your father down. Because it’s about time that Bradly Jones is taken out, for good.