Twisted Betrayal

by Davis, Siobhan

  We’ll see.

  “Then we’re back to our initial plan,” I concede. “Trying to dig up dirt on Dad we can use, and I have an idea.”

  “Okay.” Drew drains the last of his water, tossing the empty bottle over the table and into the trash can. “What is it?”

  “So much of this is tied up with the elite, and rules, and the past, and there’s got to be something there we can use against him. Atticus gave us lots of valuable intel at the ballroom, but certain things about both of their relationships with Mom don’t add up. I have questions, and there’s only one person who might answer them.”

  “Trent’s mom,” Drew says, catching on fast. Sylvia Montgomery was best friends with Emma Anderson and our mom from the time they were toddlers, and she’s the only person who knows what really went down.

  “No fucking way,” Kai interjects, and Xavier laughs.

  I roll my eyes to the ceiling. “Enough with the caveman routine, or we’ll just continue going around in circles.”

  “You’re not going near that asshole.”

  “Agreed.” I smile sweetly at him. “Sylvia attends a shrink in town every Tuesday at five p.m. I’ll wait outside and force her into talking to me.”

  “I thought she never left the house,” Xavier says, remembering stuff I told him previously.

  “She rarely does, but anyone unfortunate enough to live with those two bastards would need psychiatric help.”

  “Okay, fine,” Drew says, looking at his watch and standing. “That sounds like a good place to start.” He shoots me an apologetic look. “We’ve got to go.”

  “We’re not finished talking.” I’ve got a bunch of other questions.

  “I have something I must do, and I can’t be late,” Drew cryptically says.

  “Do you think the evidence Mom uncovered proving Dad murdered Kai’s mom is at Parkhurst?” I ask, blatantly ignoring his last statement.

  Drew shakes his head. “My belief is Dad never found it. I think it’s still hidden wherever Mom put it.”

  “Any ideas on where that could be?”

  He shrugs. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

  “We have to find it.”

  “And fast,” Kai says. “Because if they elect your father council president, then it’s useless.”

  “Let’s put our thinking caps on,” Drew agrees, removing his jacket from the back of his chair. “And then join heads and see if we can come up with some options.”

  “Wait,” I call out, as he strides toward the door. “There’s one more thing I need to know.” I stand, needing to be upright for this. Kai rises, watching me closely. “How long have you two been working together?” I ask, my gaze dancing between Xavier and Drew.

  Xavier’s alarm is clear for everyone to see, and air whooshes out of Drew’s mouth, confirming my suspicions. You’d think I’d be numb to betrayal by now, but I’m feeling their treachery in every part of my being.

  Every single person in my world has betrayed me, and I’m feeling more alone and vulnerable than ever. Even Jane has let me down although I’m not so emotional that I don’t understand it wasn’t by choice.

  The only person I can truly count on is myself.

  The others must earn back my trust before I’ll fully believe in any of them again. Saying they’d die for me proves nothing, because it’s just words. Their actions in the weeks ahead will prove whether they are sincere

  Until then, my survival is in my own hands.

  And I’ll be making decisions that benefit me.

  Escaping is tempting, and I’m not altogether convinced that I won’t just run off.

  For now, I’ll stick with the plan, but if they let me down again, I’m getting out of here.

  Kai wraps his arms around me from behind, and I lean against him, letting the warmth from his body drive out the bitter cold spreading throughout every part of me. “Was any of it real?” I ask Xavier, my voice projecting my anguish.

  “The stuff that mattered was.” He approaches me, pleading with his eyes. “I love you, Abby. You’re my best friend, and I’d catch a grenade for ya,” he says, quoting one of his favorite Bruno Mars songs. “All of that is true.”

  “How and why?” I ask that question of my brother.

  “You came back from Aunt Genevieve’s funeral changed. I could tell the difference.” He glances at Kai. “I didn’t know what’d happened, but I knew you were planning something, and it terrified me.” He steps closer. “I’d already lost Mom,” he whispers. “I couldn’t lose you too.”

  “What did you do?” My voice is devoid of emotion.

  “I hired Xavier to hack you, knowing how you’d respond, and I’ve been paying him to work with you ever since.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  My jaw slackens, and my heart leaks blood by the bucketful. “I can’t believe you’d do that to me.”

  Drew steps forward, ignoring Kai’s warning hiss. “I won’t apologize for helping you in the only way I could. I had to be sneaky in case Father found out because then everything I’m working on would be in vain. I’d studied the plans of the house, and I discovered the tunnel. I cleared it out, reinforced the electrical wiring, and fixed the rear gate. I was trying to figure out a plausible way of telling you about it when you stumbled across it yourself.”

  I’m so conflicted right now. I can’t deny it warms my heart to know my twin went to such extremes to help me. To know I wasn’t wrong about his intentions or his love for me. To understand it’s part of a bigger plan he’s working. But the way he went about it kills me. Betrayal was on every corner, and I was blind to it. “How could you lie to me like that? We used to tell each other everything!”

  “This was the best way I could help you escape and ensure you were safe. Mom died because she wasn’t cunning enough. You are. I know that, Abby. But I wanted to ensure you had as much support as I could give, even if I knew I was helping you to leave me.” He takes my hand in his. “I want the best life for you, and I know that’s not here. Not married to Barron.”

  He eyeballs Kai. “I always suspected you two would end up together, and I trust you with her. But mark my words, if you do anything to hurt her again, I will hunt you down, rip out your insides with my teeth, and feed them to you one disgusting morsel at a time.”

  “You don’t get to threaten him. You’ve hurt me too.” I cross my arms. “You all have.”

  “I’m holding myself accountable in the same way,” Drew replies.

  “I got the memo,” Kai deadpans. “And you’ve nothing to fear from me. We both want the same thing.”

  Drew nods. “I know you have lots of questions, and I know you’re hurting, Abby, but it’ll have to wait. We must go.” His face and voice brokers no argument.

  “Abs.” Xavier calls to me.

  I stare at him, spotting the remorse and fear on his face, but I just can’t deal right now. “I need time.”

  “You’re my girl,” he adds. “That won’t ever change.”

  I don’t reply, letting Kai walk me out.

  Drew wheels the bike outside while Kai pulls me over to the wall, caging me in with his muscular arms. Sawyer and Jackson have vanished. “I’ll miss you,” he says, sweeping my hair off my shoulders.

  “I’ll miss you too.”

  He rubs at my lower lip. “You hanging in there?”

  “Barely,” I honestly admit. “I keep thinking I’ve reached the end of the line. That I know everything there is to know, but there’s always more.”

  “It’s a fucking mess,” he agrees, kissing the tip of my nose. “But I’m here for you.”

  “Except you’re not really.”

  He removes something from his back pocket, handing it to me. “Got you a new burner cell.” He loops his fingers in the back of my jeans, reeling me into his hot body. “Call me every night before you go asleep. And if anything happens, I’m your first call.” He tips my chin up. “Right?”

  “Right.” I wrap my arms around him, rest
ing my head on his chest, listening to the comforting beat of his heart. “Tell me we can do this and win,” I implore, peering up at him, because I desperately need reassurance.

  “Losing isn’t an option. We have too much at stake,” he says before his lips descend. His kiss is tender and loving and wholly at odds with how he usually kisses me, because he instinctively knows this is what I need. I melt against him, and it’s a physical and emotional wrench to pull away when Drew impatiently calls my name.

  “I don’t want to say goodbye.” I smile sadly at him.

  “Then don’t.” He presses a hard, desperate kiss to my lips. “Message me when you’re in bed, and I’ll see you tomorrow even if it’s from across the cafeteria.”

  I crush myself to him, slamming my lips against his as footsteps approach.

  “Guys,” Drew says. “I’m sorry. But we need to go.”

  Kai breaks our kiss, caressing my face before letting me go. “Later, firecracker.”

  He swats my ass, and I spin around, blowing him a kiss as I walk backward. “Later, caveman.”

  Drew’s lips twitch as he wordlessly hands me my helmet, and we climb onto my bike. Then I kick-start the engine and floor it out of there.

  “A.” Drew calls to me as I’m walking down the hallway toward my bedroom.

  I turn around, leaning against the wall as he walks toward me. Silently, I stare at him.

  “I know it’s a lot to take in. And I know you’re pissed, but I had the best of intentions.”

  “I know,” I admit, sighing, because I genuinely do. And I instinctively know there’s more Drew is doing, so my issue isn’t his motivation. “But it’s the sneaking around and the lying that gets to me. That and the fact I thought I had a true friend in Xavier.”

  “You do, Abby. That guy cares about you a hell of a lot. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive him because he’s one of the good guys.” He levels me with a sober look. “And there are so few of them around.”

  After he walks away, I realize he never asked for forgiveness for himself.

  I’ve only just gotten into bed when my stomach rumbles, reminding me I haven’t eaten in hours and I missed dinner. I could ring down for something, but it’s late, and I don’t want to act like a pampered bitch, so I get up. Wrapping my silk robe around my body, I slip on my pink fluffy slippers and exit my bedroom.

  I’m yawning as I walk down the stairs when movement up ahead captures my attention. I’m about to call out after Drew when I notice his attire. I frown as my eyes take in the sharp black suit, crisp white shirt, and snazzy red tie. I step off the stairs and creep into the shadows as he turns around, watching the hint of a frown appear on his brow as he glances up at the staircase.

  He’s clean shaven, and he’s used gel to smooth his hair back from his face, and I can smell his cologne from here.

  What the hell is he up to, and where is he going this time at night?

  It’s almost midnight.

  On a school night.

  And my spidey senses are tingling.

  I tiptoe after him, maintaining a reasonable distance and keeping my back flattened to the wall, in case he should turn around and spot me. But he doesn’t. Distracted and on edge, he walks through the house, over to the very far west side of the property.

  I clamp a hand over my mouth to stifle my shocked gasp as he punches in a code on the secret door and enters the forbidden dungeon.

  Acid churns in my stomach, and my pulse is throbbing wildly in my neck. I make a split-second decision, hoping I don’t regret it, darting forward and catching the door just before it locks.

  I slip inside, waiting at the top of the dark, narrow stairs to ensure Drew has descended, and the door locks behind me, before I make a move. Strip lighting on either side of the stairs is the only illumination in the otherwise dark space, and my pulse is spiking to record highs as I put one foot in front of the other. When I reach the bottom step, I turn around the corner, facing another dark passageway with the same strip lighting on either side. Butterflies scatter in my chest and my stomach is lodged in my throat as I walk forward, scanning the dark hallway for signs of cameras, but I see none.

  I’ve purposely avoided investigating what goes on in my father’s dungeon for a variety of reasons, but I know this is not the public entrance. There is another, restricted entrance off to the left-hand side of our driveway, secured by high, black wrought-iron gates and accessible by a code that alternates on a monthly basis, where invited guests go. I have that intel courtesy of Oscar, but he refused to answer any more questions about what goes on, making me promise I would never venture down here.

  Thoughts of Oscar bring him to the forefront of my mind, and I make a vow to find out where he is and to visit him at my earliest convenience. I feel like a piece of shit that I didn’t ask Drew about him. All I know, from what Charlie told me, is he’s in a coma and that he’s being looked after.

  But given what I know now about Charlie, I can’t even trust it’s the truth.

  I force my thoughts of Oscar to one side when I reach the end of the hallway and come to a dead end in front of a single black door. Rhythmic beats tickle my eardrums from behind the closed door, and goose bumps sprout along my arms.

  With sweaty palms, and a heart that’s trying to beat a path out of my chest, I turn the handle, praying it doesn’t bring me slap bang into the middle of a clusterfuck. I step onto soft, black carpet, walking toward the billowy black curtain softly swaying in front of me. The music is much louder in here, but the sultry beats seem more like background music. Drawing a brave breath, I peek through the curtain, my eyes widening in shock.

  A rope hangs horizontally in front of the curtain, with a “restricted” sign hanging from the top, confirming it’s a cordoned-off area. But that offers little comfort as my eyes drink in the scene.

  It’s what I imagine a high-class sex club or strip joint in Vegas might look like. It’s a massive room, as big as the ballroom in the house, if not bigger, decorated opulently in shades of red, gold, and black. A few strategically placed chandeliers hang overhead, interspersed sparingly around the room.

  A circular rotating bar occupies prime position in the center of the space with a line of stools positioned in front of the counter. Most of the stools are occupied by older men in formal attire. At the back of the room is a large stage with a cluster of tables and chairs situated around it. A heavily made-up girl is gyrating around a pole, naked, watched by a crowd of older men, many of them with their hands stuck down the fronts of their pants.

  Ignoring the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, I look around the rest of the space.

  On the left-hand side is a rectangular elevated section with eight ornate gold-encrusted chairs. A group of men is standing around the dais, chatting and drinking. My father sits on one of the gold chairs, talking to a gray-haired man sitting beside him. Two naked women are on their knees, one in front of each man, sucking their dicks, as the men chat casually, like it’s commonplace to have a blowjob while discussing business.

  I’m guessing, down here, it probably is.

  I’m turning away in utter disgust when I spot Drew talking to a group of four men. Two of them look around our age, and the other two are older. Drew has a tumbler in hand, and he’s throwing his head back, laughing, looking for all intents and purposes like he belongs here. But the taut pull of his shoulders, his rigid posture, and the slight tick in his jaw reveal a different picture.

  It helps.

  But only a little.

  Turning my attention to the right-hand side of the room, I clamp a hand over my mouth to stifle my horrified gasp as I struggle to comprehend the scene accosting me. Overhead lighting is dim, but large lamps illuminate the multitude of open stalls, exposing the sordid acts in full swing.

  In the first stall, an older lady with flowing blonde locks is sobbing as a man ruts into her ass from behind. He has one hand wrapped firmly around her neck, and her face is turning a distinct
shade of blue. Another man watches from a recliner chair, laughing and joking with the man hurting her, while he pumps his bare cock. He reaches forward, gripping the woman’s chin before licking her face like she’s a dog.

  In the second stall, a girl with long, dark, wavy hair flowing down her back is bouncing on top of an older guy, dutifully riding his cock, while another man fucks her ass from behind and a third guy fucks her mouth. The guy behind her yanks her head back by the hair, giving me a full view of her face and upper body.

  A tear rolls down my cheek at the glazed, indifferent look in her eyes that confirms she’s on something.

  But she is so young, and my heart is breaking.

  She can only be fourteen or fifteen at the very most.

  Pain spears me through the chest as I cut my gaze to the next stall.

  It’s another young girl this time, wearing a similar zoned-out expression, but she’s tied to some contraption, and she has a collar around her neck and cuffs on both ankles. They have her arms stretched up over her head with her legs spread wide, exposing her fully to the group of men standing around her. Some of them are naked, stroking their cocks, while others are still in dress suits, drinking and joking as they watch men paw at her and take turns in her pussy.

  I avert my eyes, but at the last second, I spot a familiar face, and my stomach dips to my toes. I watch, disgusted beyond words, as Trent tugs at his cock, smirking at something the guy beside him says as they wait their turn with the girl. Trent is kneading one of her tits and tweaking her nipple in a way I know hurts, because he used to do the same thing to me.

  The stalls extend to the far end of the room, but I’ve seen enough. I can’t watch anymore.

  I need to get out of here.

  Before I throw up all over the place.

  And before Trent spots me.

  That thought propels me into motion, and I spin around, ready to flee this horrible, horrible place when I slam into a warm, solid chest.

  Panic races through my veins as large hands grip my arms and squeeze.