Page 53 of Tormented Kings
“Don’t you fucking disrespect me, you little shit,” he spits, and a second later, his hand smashes across my face.
My nostrils flare, anger bright in my eyes as my cheek throbs. He’s watching me, waiting for me to react. He’s just itching for me to retaliate so he can hit me again.
When I don’t, he lets out a scoff. “What a fucking disappointment you are.” He shakes his head. “Both of you.” I know he’s talking about Collin. “Both of my sons are nothing but failures. I swear to god, if you both don’t start falling in line, people will start getting hurt.”
Oh, you mean someone else other than me?Spitting that thought back at him would be a nice change, but I know who he means, Sadie. The idea of her getting hurt by the hand of this fucking bastard makes me murderous.
“Doesn’t help when you’re out doing whatever the fuck you want,” he sneers as I wiggle my jaw, the pain starting to ease. “Where have you been, Preston? Don’t make me ask you again.”
“I’ve been staying at a club, okay? In the black room. Felt like it would be the best place to... have fun,” I lie. I’m not telling him about the sex club. That‘s something he will never know about if we have anything to do with it.
“Having fun?” he scoffs. “You mean fucking around. I love a good tight pussy, but you want to know the difference between you and me. I don’t flaunt my whores around like you do.”
Isn’t he lovely, ladies and gentlemen, bragging about the fact that he’s cheating on his wife with a bunch of women.What a fucking joke.
The fact that he could even compare the two of us at all makes me sick. I don’t want to be anything like him.
And I don’t have whores. I don’t sleep around as much as I like the others to think. Sure, I had my fun here and there. I like sex as much as the next person, but I‘ve only had a small window of time where I messed around recently because I was a damn fool and tried to get Sadie out of my head.
I stopped when Collin made me that deal, but it wasn’t the reason why I did it. It was because I didn’t want to be with any other woman. Every time I was with one, all I could think about was her.
Or her, Declan, and I together.
My dick is broken and only seems to work at the thought of those two these days. I’m fucked. Royally screwed, and not in the fun way.
“How's Mom feel about that?” I ask.
“What?” He glares at me.
“About you and your whores. Do you bring them over? Does she sit down and have tea with them?”
I shouldn’t be taunting him, it’s only going to lead to me getting my assed kicked, but I can’t seem to bite my damn tongue.
He’s in my face, shoving me back against the wall. “Shut your goddamn mouth, boy,” he growls. “Or I’ll shut it for you. I’ve had enough of you and your brother's bullshit. So here’s what you’re going to fucking do. Just like I’ve done with your brother, your wedding is being moved up. He’s getting married in February,and you're to be married by the end of this school year. So talk to Tina and pick a fucking date. I have her father breathing down my neck, bitching that you're having a bit too much fun, and Tina is getting worried. He’s mentioned replacing you with the Richardson boy,” he says. “And I’ll be damned if I lose a connection to that family. Do you understand me? I don’t care who you fuck, but it needs to be discreet. You better not fuck this up like you do everything else.”
He’s really going to lose his shit when I tell him I’m not going to be marrying Tina. I’d rather fuck myself with a rusty spoon than go anywhere near her. I’m disgusted with myself for even letting that bitch put her mouth anywhere near my dick. I’m glad I didn’t put it in her.The damn thing would probably have fallen off.
“I wonder who I learned all my skills from, huh? Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, right?” I grin, waiting for him to lose it.
And he does. He hits me, calls me every name in the book, and doesn’t stop until I’m groaning on the ground, mouth filled with blood.
It takes everything in me to pull my aching body off the ground. I laugh like a madman, grinning at him with bloody teeth before spitting at his feet. “Fuck you.” I laugh again before stumbling my way out of the house. He yells at me the whole time, but I ignore him. Getting my school books isn’t worth going back to that place. At this point, nothing will be.
I send Declan a quick text, asking if I can crash at his dorm tonight. I just... I don’t want to be alone. And maybe it’s wrong of me to use him for his company, but I need him. I hate that I need him, but I do.
As I wait for his answer I decide some time at the chapel would do me some good.
The sounds of crickets fill the air as the soft breeze rustles the trees. The moon is bright, guiding my way through the darkness towards the chapel.
My head is throbbing, lip aching. What I should be doing is going to Declan’s and getting some sleep. He texted me on my way here that it was okay to spend the night at his place.
I’ve been contemplating if it’s even a good idea to go over there. Sometimes, I think I’m truly a masochist. Because, clearly, I enjoy the heartache I get being around the people I crave but can’t have.
As soon as I step into the chapel, everything goes eerily quiet. “Not creepy at all,” I mutter to myself.
The steps creek under my weight as I ascend the stairs to the tower. I’m not even sure why I’m here. Something about this place calls to me, settles me when everything in my life is a train wreck.
I don’t expect to find Sadie when I reach the top, but there she is, sitting on the edge of the stone widow.