Page 37 of Tormented Kings

“I’m being real with you, Sadie, and I’ve made my intentions with you clear from day one.” He has. But I thought that was just the ramblings of a crazy man. Clearly, I’ve been proven wrong. “I want to marry you, have babies, and spoil you until the day we die.” He chuckles when I blush. “I can’t speak for the others, but I see it. They want you too.”

“I still can’t believe it,” I whisper.

“Well, believe it.” There’s a short pause as the server drops off our wings before leaving again. “I know you had a lot happen in your past that would make you doubt the good things happening in your life. But you deserve all the good things. And it’s not some big prank or joke that’s going to come back to bite you in the ass. And if Preston fucks it up, I’ll fuck him up.”

“Preston? He’s not a part of this,” I tell him.

He raises a brow. “Not yet. But I’m sure once he pulls his head out of his ass and comes to his senses, he will be. That is,if you give him a chance. None of us would blame you if you didn’t.”

“It’s not going to happen,” I insist. “The him wanting to be with me part. And it’s okay. I don’t expect him to.”

“You like him, right?”

I don’t want to answer that, so I look away.

“Sadie,” he growls.

“It doesn’t matter, okay? I’d rather not admit to having feelings for a man who doesn’t want me. Not when I have three amazing men who do. It’s not fair.”

“We all know how Preston feels. It’s not news to us,” Collin says like it’s no big deal as he eats a wing.

I blink at him. “He told me he hated that he wanted me. That's not really a thing a girl wants to hear a guy say when she might have feelings for him.” Honestly, I’m not exactly sure how I feel about Preston. He’s been nothing but an asshole to me. But inside that tower, it’s like we’re different people, transported in another dimension.

“He might hate himself for wanting you, but that’s because he’s not in a good place, Sadie. He has it the worst out of us all. My father is a fucking monster, you've seen it often enough with your own two eyes. While I have my mother, someone more powerful than my father, Preston is stuck with two selfish monsters for his parents. People who only care about themselves and how they can better their own lives with money and connections. More than anything, what Preston needs right now is a friend. He won’t let me be that for him because he resents me. I love him, and I don’t blame him for that.”

A friend. I’m not sure if we could even be friends. Would he want that? Would he allow it? I’d be lying if I didn’t think about being there for him, offering him a shoulder or an ear.

Isn’t that what the tower is anyway?

“Can’t change anything right now. If he wants to be friends, I’ll be his friend. But I’m not putting up with his bullshit attitude.” I grab a wing and take a bite as I glare Collin down.

He grins. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, baby girl. Call him out on his shit. He needs someone to do that. And who better than the pretty blonde that’s captured his attention.”

“You were abducted by aliens, weren’t you? That's why I haven’t heard from you since Monday.”

He bursts out laughing, shaking his head. “Is it so hard to believe I’ve had a change of heart.”

“Yes.” I raise a brow. “You were practically pissing on me a few weeks ago to mark your territory, and now you’re all team Sadie’s harem. What gives?”

“Harem...” he muses.

“Collin,” I growl.

He grins. “What gives?” his face sombers. He sighs, moving out of his seat and into the booth next to me. He cups the side of my face, brushing his thumb against my cheek. “I almost lost you. Sadie, the look in your eyes when I found you on the side of the road, I’ve never felt fear like that before. I never want you to look at me like that again.”

Tears sting the back of my eyes as I remember. It was by far the worst night of my life, and I thought the aftermath was going to be so much worse. There’s still time. Their father hasn’t been dealt with yet and probably won’t be for some time. Bringing down someone like Bradly Jones isn’t going to be easy. He’s not going to let it be. And if the guys aren't careful, it could go wrong in a very bad way.

Fear creeps in, making me lose my appetite.

“Hey,” he asks softly. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m worried. Your dad isn’t a good guy. He’s not going to go down without a fight. I don’t want to see you get hurt.” I lick my lips and swallow hard.

“I don’t want you worrying about that. Let us handle it, okay? And before you say something like ‘I’m not worth it’, you are. But this isn’t just about us. That man is a menace and needs to be brought down a few pegs, if not all the way. If he wants money and power, then he can go for it, but he’s not going to be using me or Preston to get it. At least, not anymore.”

It’s easier said than done, but I don’t argue with him. Just because he tells me not to worry doesn’t mean I won’t.

“Now, I have a question. Can you officially be mine? Can I confidently call you my girl now?” He gives me a hopeful look.

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