Page 76 of Triumphant Kings

But I mean everything I told them. No more running. No more hiding and no more secrets.

I’m not too stupid to think that the stress is gone, but it’s how I manage it that will make a big difference.

Starting with working on healing my body, more therapy appointments, and letting the people who love me help is the best way to start.

Chapter 17

Preston

As 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 doingstupid 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 WANTto 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.

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