Tormented Kings (Boys Of Kingston Academy #2)

Chapter 28

Collin

“Would you relax?” Mom laughs as she watches me pace the room.

“No,” I scoff. “Because this needs to be perfect.”

“It’s going to be. You have a tree full of presents for the girl.”

“Presents she would have opened this morning if you didn’t threaten me and make me stay home.”

“I didn’t threaten you.” She rolls her eyes with a grin. “This was their first Christmas together as a family.”

“We’re their family, too.” I stop pacing and shoot her a look.

“Yes, we are. But this is different.” She talks to me like I’m a child. Okay, maybe I’m acting like one, but still. I want my Sunshine here with me. I hardly get to see her as it is, so sue me that I’m beyond excited to see her for the holiday. And I’m not going to feel sorry for spoiling her. It’s not with things like jewelry and designer bags. It’s all the things she loves and enjoys. My girl doesn’t care about materialistic things, and I can accept that. I also respect it.

“She texted me that she was on her way over.”

Mom stares at me for a moment. “I’m proud of you.”

That has me pausing. “Thanks?” My brows furrow. “But for what?”

“For being you. For standing up for yourself. For knowing what you want and going for it. You’re a good man, Collin. And I can see how much you love Sadie. What I’m most surprised about, though, is how you’re not going all caveman about her being with other men.”

“I did,” I mumble. “Didn’t go over well for me.”

Mom laughs. “Now that I’m not surprised about. Sadie isn’t the type of girl to sit by and take it.”

“No. She’s strong, smart, and knows her worth.” I just hate that she’s had to go through so much bullshit. Things I should have been able to prevent and protect her from.

“The perfect woman for my son.” She smiles, pats me on the arm, and leaves me to my impatient pacing.

My phone rings, and I quickly look at it, thinking it’s Sadie. But when I see the caller ID, my stomach sinks. What the fuck does my father want?

He hasn’t tried to contact me in months.

It rings and rings, my finger hovering over the decline button. But if I do that, it will only piss him off.

Letting out an annoyed huff, I answer it.

“What do you want?”

“ Is that any way to greet your father? ” he growls.

“How can I help you?” I say through gritted teeth, trying not to lose it on him.

“It’s Christmas, can’t I just call my son and see how he’s doing?” I pause, knowing he’s full of shit. “Someone must have gotten coal this morning to be so grumpy,” he chuckles teasingly, and I want to strangle the fucker. “Unfortunately, I’m not just calling to chat. You’ve fucked up, Collin.”

Dread fills me. “I don’t know what you mean. I’ve done what you asked. I’ve stayed away from Sadie outside formal meetings.”

“While that might be true. You were doing so well. Until your little slip-up at the wedding.”

“The wedding?” Fuck. Fucking fuck.

“Your little show in the parking lot with the girl. You couldn’t just keep your hands to yourself, could you? She's a taken woman, Collin. You're a taken man. Do you have no shame?” he tsks. My heart pounds, a wave of nausea hitting me. If he saw, if he knows, what is he going to do to Sadie? I’m too terrified to ask. If he even thinks about hurting her because of this, I will go to his house and put a bullet between his eyes right fucking now and pay the consequences. I’d rather spend the rest of my life in jail than see any harm come to my Sunshine. “Of course you don’t.” He laughs again, and my hand grips the phone so tightly the screen cracks, but the call keeps going. “Because you’ve been doing so good at keeping away from her, and it’s Christmas, I’ll give you this one-time lenience. I won’t do as we talked about before,” he continues, making sure to keep things vague to cover his tracks. “But because I can’t trust you to do as you’re told, the wedding will be moved up.”

“What!” I bark. “You can’t do that.”

“I can and I will,” he snaps.

“When?” I growl.

“New Year’s Day. Be at the chapel at noon, or you won’t like what happens next. Don’t disobey me, Collin,” he warns dangerously.

He doesn’t give me a chance to argue before hanging up on me.

My chest heaves, anger coursing through my veins. “Fuck!” I roar, sending my phone crashing against the wall. It shatters into pieces, but I don’t fucking care.

I hate him. I fucking hate him, and I want him to die. He’s a twisted man; the shit I’ve dug up on him has me sick to my stomach, especially since I have his DNA.

But what I have is not enough. I can’t take it to the police because it won’t stick. I could get them to open an investigation, but my father would just find ways out of it like he has before.

The cops have been trying to pin him with something for a while, but nothing ever fucking sticks.

We need one thing, one golden fucking ticket that could get him locked up for good. Rosie’s contacts are working on it, and they have an idea for a lead but haven’t fucking told me anything more yet. Whatever it is, it better fucking be enough to nail him. Or I’m going to just be done with it all and fucking kill him myself. I can’t keep living like this.

I’m stressed all the time, worried that something is going to happen to Sadie. I can’t be there for her, because if I’m caught, game over.

But we were caught. I was stupid and couldn’t keep my hands off of her. I fucked up. Now I don’t know what to do.

New Year's Day is only six days away. There’s no fucking way I’m marrying that woman.

Grabbing handfuls of my hair, I try to think of what to fucking do. But I can’t come up with anything; my brain is spiraling, and I’m fucking panicking.

The doorbell rings, and my eyes snap over to the door. Fuck. Sadie.

Rushing over to the door, I swing it open to find her gorgeous face smiling up at me. “Hey,” she greets, stepping inside. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be here sooner. I didn’t want to leave my mom to clean everything up and—Collin?” her brows furrow. “What's going on? You look like you're seconds away from exploding.” That’s because I am.

“My father called,” my voice comes out low and gruff.

Her face falls. “W-what did he have to say?”

“We fucked up. No.” I shake my head. “I fucked up. Someone saw us in the parking lot at the wedding.” Her face pales, fear twisting her features. I don’t like that look. I never want her to be afraid of anything. It’s my job to keep her fucking safe!

“Is he going to–”

I stop her question. “He’s not going to fucking touch you, Sadie.”

“So he’s just going to let it go?” she asks in disbelief.

“No,” I growl. “The bastard moved the wedding date up. And we don’t have anything solid to use.”

She’s quiet for a moment, blinking at me. “When?”

“New Year’s Day.”

“What?!” she shouts. “No. Collin, no.” I hate the break in her voice. “Please. Don’t marry her.”

I step forward, taking her face in mine. “I’m not going to,” I promise. “Never. There’s no one else for me but you.”

“I don’t get it. Your family is a lot more powerful than his. Maybe we should tell your mom. She could help.”

“No.” I shake my head.

“Collin, there’s power in names! The Killian name is far more superior than Jones.”

“What would she do? Get a restraining order on him? For what? He hasn’t done anything to warrant that. Words don’t work in this world, Sadie. Money talks, not mouths. And yes, my last name holds power, but yours doesn’t. That’s why he’s using you against me because he thinks he has nothing to lose by taking out the grounds keeper’s daughter.”

She starts to pace, not saying a word, while I’m losing it. I feel out of control. Nothing is going right. I might have a fuck ton of money, but even that won’t be enough to get me out of this one.

“I have an idea,” she offers, pausing to look up at me. “It’s crazy, so fucking crazy, and I think it might cause more drama than we already have, but it could work.”

“What? What is it?” At this point, I’m willing to try anything as long as I don’t have to marry that woman.

She licks her lips, stepping closer to me as she takes my hands in hers. “Do you trust me?”

Without hesitation, I growl out, “With my life.”