Page 20 of Tormented Kings

Maybe it started the other night, but I was too fucked up mentally and emotionally to notice.

He pulls his eyes away from mine, snapping us out of that moment.

My heart races as I struggle to get my breathing under control.

It’s not until I look down at the couch that I notice Declan is here, too. “Hi.” I can’t help but smile softly. When he smiles back, I’m just about done for.

“Hi, Sweetheart.”

“Come, sit,” Grayson urges, throwing himself onto the couch next to Declan. He doesn’t even give me a chance to respond before he’s pulling me down and into his lap.

“Would you stop manhandling me?” I grumble, but I’m secretly thrilled to be where I am.

“But I thought you loved it when we’re a little rough with you.” Grayson chuckles low in my ear, making me shiver.Damn traitorous hormones.

Preston rolls his eyes. “Look, we asked you here because we need to talk.”

“Asked me?” I raise a brow. “He pulled me in from the hallway by surprise.”

“Semantics.” He waves his hand.

“Are you doing okay?” Declan asks, my attention shifting over to him. “We’ve been worried about you. Did you get your phone back?”

“Mia gave it to me.” I smile. “Thanks. And am I okay?” I let out a huffed laugh. “I think that's a loaded question. Let’s see. I was kidnapped, threatened, and left on the side of the highway in the pouring rain. Am I alright? No, not really.”

“We’re going to make him fucking pay,” Preston growls and my eyes flick back over to his. “What he did to you was wrong. It was fucked up. And we’re not going to let him get away with it.”

“And what are you going to do?” I ask him, honestly curious.

He looks at the guys before coming back to me. “We have it under control.”

“What does that mean?” I raise a brow. “Because I don’t want any more trouble. It’s bad enough I’m not leaving after your father told me to. I don’t want to bring any more attention to myself.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Preston insists. “Just trust us.”

Trust them?It’s not that easy.

“Just know we’re handling Preston’s father and all the bullshit he’s put you through. So please, don’t worry about it. But knowing you, you’re going to, so at least try,” Grayson teases, running his fingers lazily up my arm as his lips graze the shell of my ear.

He’s making it really hard to concentrate right now.

“What did you drag me in here for?” I ask, a little more breathless than I want to be.

“To talk,” Preston repeats, that broody look he wears so well still in place.

“So, talk,” I counter back. I swear his lip twitches.

“We’re breaking off our engagements,” Declan announces.

That has my head snapping to the side so fast I wouldn’t be shocked if I broke my neck in the process. “What?” My eyes widen.

He scratches the back of his head nervously. “None of us want the future our parents, or in Grayson’s case, grandfather, set us up for. Futures none of us agreed to. At a young age it’s instilled in us how this world works and the parts we must play. So, none of us were surprised or fought it when the time came, and our choices for our lives were taken from us. We went along with it because it’s what we knew, it’s how it works. But...”

Declan looks from Grayson to Preston, then back to me. “We want to change the outcome. To take back our lives and live them how we want to.”

My heart pounds in my chest. They want to end their engagements? But why?

I ask them just as much. “I’m sure something like that isn’t going to be easy. I don’t think any of your parents or grandfather are going to take it lying down. Is it really worth all the trouble?”

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