Page 59 of The Broken Queen
Presley, however, seemed completely unfazed as she rounded the car and lifted the back hatch. She immediately grabbed a box and started jogging up the steps.
She was moving in.
Why did that realization send butterflies and knots throughout my stomach? This is exactly what I wanted, and yet the fear that only Gio would have this with her still poked around in the back of my mind.
“Kingston!” Kyle called for me, seeing me near the barn.
I pulled my gloves off and walked over. I smelled like smoke and had ash all over me, but I had enough respect for him because of Presley, not to just ignore him. Once I was close enough, he tentatively placed a hand on my shoulder.
“I wanted to thank you for finishing this house for her. I think she needs it now more than ever.”
Presley returned to grab another box, shooting me a glare. I guess we were back to hating each other.
“I’m glad it’s something she can feel at home in,” I replied, trailing after Presley’s dark hair that had lifted with the breeze. She’d jogged up the steps, and I knew my brother was going to kick his own ass for missing the opportunity to help her unload all her shit in the house. He’d been going crazy over how to get her to return to how things were. I didn’t know how to tell him that was likely never going to happen…especially after last night.
Kyle gave me one more pat on the shoulder before saying, “It means a lot to me that she has you boys. I know things are complicatedbetween you, but deep in my bones, I know you’ll always protect her, and for that, I am eternally grateful to you.”
My eyes found the ground, still feeling ashamed of the threat I’d made to Presley a year ago. Hopefully, he really believed that I would have never hurt her and would have shot myself before I would have ever allowed a single hair on her head to be harmed. Somewhere inside, I reallyneededhim to believe that.
Thankfully, Kyle moved on, joining in to unload the car for Presley. I decided to give them some space, so I walked back to the barn, grabbed some clothes, and made my way back to the manor to shower. I’d never had to put out a fire that had a burning body inside of it before. I’d never smelled burning flesh in a way that it seemed to coat my tongue and skin. I wanted to scrub for days until the smell left me, but as soon as his body cooled, I’d go right back to smelling like death because he’d have to be buried.
It was just one more thing I’d make Scotty pay for.
Hours later,after I had checked in with Henry and Gio regarding Scotty’s men, I headed toward the barn. It wasn’t super late, but I was exhausted and just wanted to sleep.
I didn’t even have the energy to slip out of my clothes before I pulled the blanket over my body. My face hit the pillow right as someone walked inside the barn.
“Why are you sleeping out here?” Presley asked, sounding irritated.
Opening one eye, I watched as she crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for me. She wore a pair of leggings with a cropped T-shirt, revealing her toned stomach. Her hair was down and the pouty look on her face made me instantly uncomfortable in the position I was lying in.
My mouth was half mashed into the pillow, but I managed, “Because this is where I live.”
Her lips pressed together while she took a few steps closer. “I thought you had decided to sleep in the house.”
“No. Just that one night.”
Hurt flashed across her features, making her lip tremble the smallest bit. I decided to sit up and clarify. “I thought you were pissed at me again, anyway.”
“I am, but that doesn’t change the fact that I want you in the house.”
I stretched and lay back down on the bed. “Tough shit. I’m not one of your sex toys you can pull out when you want to get off and then toss back in the drawer when you’re done.”
Anger gleamed in her bright blue eyes. Her fingers dug into her arms so tight she was starting to leave white indents. But still, she leaned forward and smiled while she replied. “Rather a toy to be used, than a heart to be broken. Suit yourself, I’ll gladly fuck Gio. He’s bigger anyway.”
She turned around and slammed the door on her way out.
She knew exactly what to say to get under my fucking skin. I should have just stayed in bed and let her go. I should have ignored her barb, because I knew she didn’t give a fuck that Gio was bigger; we were both massive, so him being bigger than me wasn’t her suffering in any fucking way. Still, her words scraped like talons down my mind and over my heart in invisible gashes.
I tossed the covers off and stormed out of the barn, stomping across the gravel drive way and up the steps to the farmhouse. The door was still unlocked as the automatic bolt hadn’t slid into place yet. I angrily turned the knob, pushed it open, then slammed it behind me. It made Presley jump while on her way up the stairs.
Her eyes were huge when she registered my expression.
“Kingston…I was just?—”
I pulled my shirt up over my head and pushed my jeans down. My boots flew off as I kicked them and then I ran.
“Wait…I’m,” she yelped while darting toward her bedroom, “I’m sorry!”
