Crowd of Lies (Kingsley Academy Book 2)

by Lisa Helen Gray

  IVY: Stop, you’re killing me. LOL!

  CLARY: Got to go. Just had the best idea. Talk later!

  IVY: No animals!

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  KAIDEN

  The smell of freshly cut grass permeates the air as I speed through the narrow, zig-zagging roads after having left Ivy to her day.

  She was strong, but then, I always knew that. I just wish she’d stop fighting against us being together. I get her reservations, I do, but we’re two jagged souls meant to be together. The quicker she realises that, the sooner we can just be.

  But first, I need to get rid of the obstacles determined to get in our way. And as much as I’d love for my father to be the first, there isn’t much I can do until we’ve found out his whereabouts, so Danielle got pushed up the list.

  I’m meeting her father away from prying eyes and cameras. Because what use is blackmail if someone manages to use the same ammo.

  The shrill of my phone ringing blares through the speakers. I glance down at the screen, seeing Rome’s name. I pull off into a layby, pressing the button to connect the call.

  “Rome,” I greet.

  “Wish I was calling for something else, but one of the guys took Jenny Fields home last night. Apparently, she likes to talk after being fucked and let slip that Danielle has something planned for Ivy.”

  “What, pray tell, do they have planned?”

  “I’ve got no idea. He was drunk so didn’t even think twice about it until this morning.”

  “Did you get anything else?”

  “Well, after watching the video that’s trending around the school, I looked into the comment Whitmore made about Hackett. I spoke to Miss Crapper and she had a lot to say.”

  “Go on,” I encourage.

  “She said Danielle is the most frequent student to visit Mr Hackett. She’s in there for hours and Miss C is often sent out for lunch when she’s there.”

  “She’s fucking him?” I ask, my lip curling in disgust.

  I grit my teeth at the news. The only reason I ever dipped my dick inside of her was because of the fact she didn’t sleep around. And all along she was sleeping with him.

  “I’ve got no proof, but yes, I’d say it’s pretty clear she is. She’s manipulative. You know that. We just need to get something on Hackett, to see why she needed to keep him happy.”

  “Find out,” I order, clenching my hands around the steering wheel. “I owe you.”

  “Nah, call this a freebie. It’s about time someone put her in her place.”

  “Later,” I tell him, ending the call.

  I take a moment to compose myself. Because of me, Ivy is in danger once again.

  Maybe she is right. Maybe this won’t work because of who I am.

  But I’m selfish and I never give in, not when it involves someone I care about.

  I put the car in gear and drive off, wanting to get this meeting out of the way. The secrets I have uncovered, the lies that have been told, it will all come to an end one way or another.

  It’s a crowd of lies that have infested everyone around them.

  The burnt down church is barely standing, the stone crumbling from weather damage. It’s a place we’ve used for the races since the field isn’t owned by government or any living person. But because of the landmark, it’s protected, which means it can’t be bought or built on, which gives the police grounds to show up and break up the fighting, racing and gambling.

  It’s the perfect location to meet Malcom Holden.

  I pull the car to a stop opposite Mal, who looks annoyed to have been summoned to such a dire place. He leans against the bonnet of his car, hands tucked into the pockets of his trousers, and his eyes narrowed on my car. His lips press together as he widens his stance.

  I grab the envelope off the passenger seat, taking my time before sliding out of the car.

  “Holden,” I greet.

  “Why have you dragged me out into the middle of nowhere, Kingsley? Does your father know about this?” he demands.

  “If he does, I wouldn’t know, and I doubt it’s on his list of priorities right now. I brought you here because of Danielle.”

  He frowns. “Don’t tell me you’ve broken up again. I thought you got rid of that girl.”

  I force a chuckle as I try to hold back from the urge to wrap my fingers around his neck. “Is that what she’s telling you, that we’re back together?”

  “You aren’t?”

  “No, it seems your daughter has become quite delusional as of late. You need to reign her in, Mal, or I will. I’m giving you a chance to do it before I take matters into my own hands.”

  His jaw hardens as he takes a step forward. “How dare you threaten me, boy! You go near my daughter and I’ll have you arrested so quick you won’t know what’s hit you. And as, going by rumours, you don’t have anyone to bail you out, I would be careful if I were you.”

  I smirk, ducking my head a little as I pull out the blown-up photos my investigator got when I hired him after the tent incident. I knew this time would come.

  “I wouldn’t say anything else to the boy who holds your way of life in his hands,” I warn him, passing over the photos. “I guess Mrs Holden won’t like that her husband has gotten a sixteen-year-old pregnant, now, would she? I’m guessing the prenup states that she’s only entitled to a settlement if you are unfaithful or pass away. And your political seat will be gone within the hour of the newspaper articles being published.”

  He glares up at me. “These don’t prove anything,” he snaps, sliding them back in the envelope.

  “You should have looked through the rest; there are photos of you together, proof of your betrayal, and statements showing you’ve been paying her weekly to keep her mouth shut. Money talks, and she’s willing to give a DNA test. I mean, she just wants to be with the man she’s in love with. What quicker way to have that than to get your wife and children out of the picture?”

  “You bastard! You won’t get away with doing this. You aren’t the only one who can get blackmail material. I know things about your father,” he yells, his face red with anger.

  I tilt my head, my lips pulled into a firm line. “You seem to have a preconceived notion that I care about my father or what you have on him.”

  “You do this, and it will ruin my life—my wife’s.”

  “Then get your daughter in line,” I bark. “I’m sick of her trying to strong-arm those around her. She’s hurting people I care about and it ends, otherwise these, and the copies, will get sent to every newspaper—but not until I’ve personally delivered them to your wife.”

  The veins in his neck pulse as he charges towards me, his fist raised. I dodge the punch, gripping his neck and driving him backwards until we hit his car. I smash him down on it, looming over him, anger coursing through me. “That wasn’t a smart move,” I grit out, squeezing his neck tighter.

  He wheezes, words unable to form, which makes me smile.

  “Now, we’re going to start again. Are you going to reign in that brat of a daughter of yours? Because it won’t be just leaking those photos that I’ll do to you. I’ll take everything from you, including taking over Holden Limited. I hear you’ve hit a bad patch, and the board will only be all too welcoming of another investor, even if it means casting you out. And your parliament seat… Your image will be ruined.”

  Hatred burns behind his gaze as he looks away.

  “Three, two—” I chant.

  He jerks his head and I let go of his neck, giving him room to breathe. “Yes!”

  I let him go and he slides off the car, onto the ground, gasping for air. “I’m glad we have this settled,” I tell him, bending down in front of him. “Don’t make me come after you, and never, and I mean never, try to touch me again.”

  Lifting myself up, I chuck the envelope at his feet before walking off to my car. I don’t look back as I drive off. I want to find Ivy. She’s the only one who seems to settle the storms threatening to brew inside
of me.

  I’m just angry, angry that again there’s another person who knows something about my dad.

  It’s always him.

  I glance in the rear-view mirror, noticing a black hybrid Camry following me. It’s the same car I saw earlier on the way to the market. I wouldn’t have thought much of it, but it’s a new car that was only released a few days ago, and it was one I saw yesterday on the way to school.

  There’s only one way to find out if the person is really following me. I take a left turn down a road I know leads to a farmhouse on sale. It’s land my mum was going to buy to build another large estate on, but this one affordable for middle-class families. It fell through when she was refused planning permission.

  When the car follows behind me, I grit my teeth, speeding up a little. They’ve picked the wrong day to fuck with me.

  The car tries to be conspicuous but clearly fails as it tries to keep up, not realising this road leads nowhere. I jerk the wheel when I come to the drive of the old home, coming to a sudden stop facing the car following me.

  I peel out quickly, standing at the front of the car, waiting. Ready.

  The guy steps out, and I tilt my head, trying to figure out where I recognise him from. He’s clearly got money; his watch and clothes are verification of that. That or someone is giving him a hefty paycheque.

  He has a stocky build made for security, but the gleam of the sun reflecting off his sunglasses covers his identity.

  “Why are you following me?” I demand. He steps forward into the shade, sliding his sunglasses up onto his head. “Kieran.”

  Kieran is my dad’s head of security—a better word for lacky. He deals with things my father can’t be seen meddling with, such as forcing people to sell companies to him. Kieran is the one dad sends to persuade them.

  “I didn’t realise Father was paying you so well,” I tell him, eyeing him cautiously.

  He chuckles, stepping forward. “Your dad can’t afford not to. He’s got himself into quite the mess, one not even I can get him out of.”

  “Where is dear Dad?” I ask, slowly side-stepping him when he moves forward.

  “Royce asked me to deliver a message,” he admits, moving closer. Hearing he’s been in touch with my father has adrenaline pumping through me. This is the break we’ve been waiting for. Kieran is the key to finding my father.

  “Go on,” I order, still side-stepping him, trying to look for a weakness. The only one I’ve seen so far is that he favours his left leg, meaning he has an old injury causing him pain on the right.

  “He wants you to retrieve something for him.”

  “And why can’t you?”

  He sighs, like it pains him. “Because my price was far too great, and it seems your father is running low on money. He needs it, wants it.”

  “And that’s what he wants, money? He has it stashed in oversea accounts.”

  “Ah, but he can’t access them until he’s out of the country, which has become troublesome. He said you have access to a vital piece of evidence with which the police could convict him. He wants it. Without it, they have nothing to charge him with.”

  “And why on earth would I give it to him?” I snap.

  Kieran grins. “Because Mr Kingsley… he will make sure the ones you love suffer if you don’t.”

  “Are you threatening me?” I ask, walking up to him.

  “No, it’s a promise. He’s given me permission to get what he wants by any means necessary. We can do this the easy way or the hard way, but mark my words, I’ll always win. Your father always wins.”

  I stare at him dead in the eye as I tuck my hands under my armpits. “Is that so?”

  “I’m going to enjoy beating the superior out of you, something your father should have done many years ago.”

  I smirk at him for a moment, not saying anything, not blinking, and before he can counter my move, I snap my hand forward, whacking him in the nose. He staggers backwards, holding a hand to the blood pouring from it.

  There’s a hardness in his eyes as his head snaps up to meet my gaze. With one large stride, he comes at me. I duck, weaving in and out to miss his punches, but one hard blow to the ribs and the air is knocked out of me. It was a heck of a shot, but not enough to stop me. Pain ripples through my chest, and yet, the pain is welcome. I’ve fought most of my life, so I’m used to the discomfort. With adrenaline coursing through my system, I manage to get my bearings and hit him back, pleased when I see blood dripping from his lip.

  He’s bigger than me but not quicker. Fighting is like a dance; you have to know where to stand, what move to make next. You have to be in the moment.

  Pain radiates through my jaw when his fist connects with it. I take a step back before kicking out hard, hitting him on the side of his knee, knocking him to the floor, where he howls in pain.

  His movements are sluggish when he stands, trying to hit out me, but the knee injury is too much for him and he falls back down. A sickening crunch fills the air and I smile in satisfaction.

  Gripping his shirt, I drag him over to his car, pulling him up and over the bonnet until he’s lying down on his back, his expression scrunched up in pain.

  I slam my hand down on the bonnet, next to his head. “Where is my father?”

  “Why the fuck would I tell you?” he pants out, trying and failing to shove me off.

  I slam my fist down in his gut and he doubles over, coughing madly. Bending forward, I get in his face. “Don’t test me. I can do this all day, and I’ll enjoy it.”

  “Your father will hear of this,” he rasps, still trying to catch his breath. “I’m not telling you a thing.”

  “And yet, I don’t care,” I bite back. “Now tell me, where can I find my father?”

  When he doesn’t answer, I pull out my pocketknife. I flip it open and stab him in the leg, missing any vital arteries.

  He wails, writhing in pain as I let him go. Dust from the dirt-laden ground flies up around him.

  I lean down, pulling the knife out, grimacing at the scream that tears from his throat.

  “Shall we try this again? You’ve got plenty other places I can shove this blade into. It won’t cut you deep enough to cause major damage, but it’ll be enough to cause excruciating pain.”

  “I don’t know,” he groans, dirt sticking to the blood on his face.

  Numbing myself, I grip his thigh, pressing my thumb into the wound. “Are you sure?” I yell over his cries.

  “I’m telling the truth. Your father messaged me with orders. I was to let him know it was done and then he’d take care of the rest,” he rushes out.

  I dig my thumb in one last time, cringing at the feel of flesh and blood over my hand. But it needs to be done. To protect her, to protect my brothers, my mum, it has to be done.

  I search his body for his phone. When I find it, I grab his finger and press it onto the screen, unlocking his phone. There’s no record of a message from Dad, but I take the lock off, pocketing the phone before leaving him and heading to his car.

  Inside the glove compartment, there’s another phone, this one old without any features.

  As I pass Kieran on the floor, still writhing in pain, I pause, bending down and grabbing a chunk of his hair, lifting him to face me.

  “If I ever see you again, I will dump your body in the river. From here on out, you no longer work for my father, and if I hear any differently, all of this…” I say, gesturing to his body, “will seem like child’s play. Nod if you understand me.”

  He nods, making the right choice.

  I dust off my jeans and head back to the car. I have places to be, people to see, and I’ve already wasted enough time.

  It’s time to make Ivy mine.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  IVY

  This place is crazy. We’re only in the carpark and I can hear the bands playing in the background. People are going wild, screaming and dancing before they even get inside. They’re weaving in and out of cars, plastic cups of b
eer in their hand.

  I don’t want to show it, and I try hard not to come across like a little girl, but I’m looking forward to getting inside and listening to those bands play.

  “Your cousin is on my shit list,” Clary grumbles as she sorts whatever she has inside the boot of her car.

  I laugh, lightly running my fingers over the glitter on my face that Clary is still groaning about. Selina was all for going and made sure we knew it by forcing us to have glitter sprinkled above our eyebrows and around our eyes. She even put some on our cleavage. And then she left, saying she would meet us here.

  I decided to wear a white tank top, silver necklaces and a pair of ripped jeans and trainers.

  Clary wore a the same, except her tank is black with slashes across the back, showing more skin.

  Together, I thought we looked pretty hot, especially when Selina did my makeup. The only thing I wish I didn’t have on is my cast. It’s pissing me off, my skin itching to the point I want the damn thing off.

  “Where is the terrorist, anyway? I thought she was meeting us here?”

  “I don’t know,” I murmur, pulling my phone out to ring her. She’s been acting weird for weeks, ever since the accident.

  Ringing blares in my ear, but I also hear a ringtone at the same time. I spin in a circle, searching the nearby cars, when I see Selina up ahead, pressed against a car and frowning at her phone.

  “Holy fuck!” I yell, then squeak, ducking down behind the car, pulling Clary with me.

  “What the fuck?” she yells, and I place a hand over her mouth.

  “Selina,” I tell her, pointing in the direction she’s at. “She’s with… she’s with—” I cut myself off, too shocked to say it.

  When Clary goes to stand, I pull her back down, glaring at her. “What are you doing?”

  “Seeing what has your knickers in a twist. Don’t worry, she won’t see me.”

  I nod, following her as we look through the car door windows, seeing Carter Remington look down at her, his expression soft—before he kisses her!

  “Holy fucking shit, that’s Carter Remington,” Clary declares, her eyes wide. “Way to go, Selina.”