Kingston starts pulling on the ends of his hair, while Reed sits there in shock. I think we might actually be witnessing a murder right now.
“Listen to me, you stupid cunt .” Spittle flies out of Preston’s mouth as he continues choking the life out of her. Madeline’s eyes are fluttering shut. I think she’s close to losing consciousness. “If you ever try something like that again, or do anything to get in my way, I will destroy you . Are we clear? Because if not, then I’ll just end this right now.”
Madeline gives the faintest of nods. She wheezes and gulps for air as Preston releases her.
“Oh, well, now look what you did,” Preston chides, stroking his erection through his pants.
I quickly turn around. “I can’t watch this.”
A tearing sound rips through the speakers right before I hear Preston chuckle. “I knew you’d get off on that, you little slut.”
“What’s he doing?” I ask.
Kingston clears his throat over the wet, sucking noises. “You can probably guess. She’s definitely enjoying it, though.”
Madeline cries out, but her voice is weak and scratchy. A moment later, there’s no question of what’s occurring on that video. There’s no mistaking those skin-on-skin slapping sounds or their corresponding grunts and groans. Kingston and Reed both turn away, obviously no longer able to stand watching, but none of us make a move to hit the pause button.
“You’re such a greedy little whore. A real sick bitch, you know that? I could’ve just killed you , and your pussy is dripping .” More grunting. “I bet you’d get off on watching the new girls go through seasoning. When they’re screaming and crying and begging for mercy. You’d love that, wouldn’t you?” Now there’s feminine moaning. “Yeah, I thought so. Maybe I’ll pop in next week for an inspection and bring you along. Would you like that? Would you like to visit the warehouse, watch those girls get taken against their will over and over and over again? Watch them be beaten and starved and drugged every time they fight back?” Her moans are even louder now. “Would you? ”
“Yes!” she rasps. “Yes! I want to see it all! I want us to fuck as we watch them get hurt!”
Preston chuckles. “Ah, Madeline, it’s too bad you’re a lying, cheating slut. I think we might be soulmates.”
“This is fucking gold,” Kingston murmurs over the grunting and moaning. “He’s incriminating himself left and right. Rafe is going to have a field day with this.”
“Sick motherfuckers.” I wipe the tears away from my eyes, but they won’t stop coming. “They’re getting off to the thought of torturing helpless, innocent girls.”
Reed reaches back and hits the stop button. “I think we’ve heard enough.”
“Agreed.” Kingston pulls out his phone and opens a text window. “Reed, what’s the timestamp on that?”
“Today. 2:24 p.m.”
“Got it.” Kingston nods. “I just sent the info to John so he can forward it to the FBI.”
“Now, what?”
Reed raises his hand. “I vote for heading over to Bent’s and getting fucked up enough to bleach our brains.”
Kingston flings his arm out toward the laptop. “After that, I think it’s a perfect way to ring in the new year.”
Agreed.
*
“Five... four... three... two... one... Happy New Year!”
As the ball drops on Bentley’s 85” TV, Kingston palms the back of my head and draws me into a kiss.
When he pulls back, he rests his forehead against mine. “Happy New Year.”
I smile. “Happy New Year.”
The five of us decided to keep it low-key for NYE, considering everything that’s been going on. Well, four out of the five of us, I should say, considering Ainsley doesn’t know the real reason behind our desire to hermit. She thought the boys were joking when they first said they wanted to chill tonight because, according to Ainsley, several Windsor kids throw huge bashes every year, but she didn’t fight ‘em on it. She simply shrugged and moved on to another topic. I’m guessing it’s because everyone we’d want to see is already in this room. Well, besides Reed’s sister or mine, that is.
“Let’s hope this year is significantly less fucked up.”
“Yes, that would be good.” I laugh, linking my hands behind his neck. “Although it hasn’t been all bad.”
His large hands frame my face. “Move in with me. For-reals.”
I search his eyes. “Kingston, we’ve been through this. I thought w—”
“I found a house,” he interrupts. “In Malibu. It’s fucking perfect, Jazz. I know you’ll love it. I don’t want to miss the chance to buy it.”
“King—”
“Happy New Year, baby girl.” Bentley hooks his arm around me and kisses the top of my head. “You too, bro.”
Kingston nods. “Same.”
Bentley looks between us. “Did I interrupt something?”
“I was just telling Jazz I found a house.” Kingston is looking at me, but he’s addressing the whole room. “You guys wanna go check it out in the morning?”
“Hell, yeah, I want to check it out.” Bentley holds his fist out for a bump-slash-bro-shake.
“Me too,” Ainsley and Reed say in unison.
“It’s such a great place.” Ainsley clinks her champagne flute against mine. “I can’t wait to see it in person.”
I raise my brows. “You knew Kingston was looking for a house?”
“Of course , I knew he was looking.” Ainsley taps her temple. “Twin mind meld, remember?”
“Or, you know, I forwarded the listing to you,” Kingston adds.
Ains laughs. “That, too.”
I hold my palm out in a gimme motion. “Well? Let’s see this supposedly perfect house.”
Kingston fiddles with his phone for a sec before placing it in my hand.
My jaw drops. “Oh, wow. You didn’t say it was right on the beach!”
If this house is even half as beautiful as it looks from the pictures, I can see why Kingston wants it so bad. The interior is spacious, bright, and airy, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a huge deck overlooking the ocean. The front end has a charming little courtyard with mosaic stepping stones bearing pictures of dolphins, turtles, and other sea creatures. There’s even a large pergola covered in gold bougainvillea, which adds the perfect pop of color.
Nothing about this place is cold and sterile, like my father’s McMansion. It’s homey and beachy and not nearly as big as I was expecting. The listing says it’s just over three thousand square feet, but that only makes it more perfect. It proves my boyfriend had me in mind when house hunting. He knew I’d never be comfortable in an over-the-top mansion.
Kingston smiles. “Told you. Perfect. And there are four bedrooms. Plenty of room for us, Belle, and Ains, for however long she wants it.”
“Whoa, that’s pretty sweet,” Bentley remarks over my shoulder. “Nice , Davenport.”
“So?” Kingston lifts his brows. “You wanna go see it in the morning?”
“Yeah.” I grin. “I really do.”
Chapter 23
KINGSTON
“Did you hear Christian Taylor shot himself over winter break?” Ainsley asks. “I mean, can you believe that? And Lucas Gale just up and disappeared. Rumor has it, Lucas dumped Peyton and ran off with an heiress. Peyton was supposedly so distraught, she begged her parents to send her to boarding school. Personally, I think it’s because Peyton’s former besties wrote her off, and she knew she’d be a social pariah. Whitney and Imogen were flouncing around, acting like queen bees, making sure everyone knows what a backstabbing cum bucket Peyton is. It’s all anyone’s been talking about at school. What a crazy first day back.”
Reed laughs. “Whoa there, Ains. Take a breath.”
Ainsley flips him off before turning her attention to Jazz. “Do you know why Peyton suddenly went to boarding school? Like, did the ‘rents say anything to you?”