Chapter 29 Kingston
Kingston
Iknew Presley’s need for vengeance wasn’t purely based on Adrian.
Gio was being shortsighted about things and, as usual, leading with that jealous heart of his. This was deeper to her.
I tried to remember that as I watched her walk around what used to be a safe house used by me and Gio.
It was back when we were scouting Mayhem Riot, the motorcycle club that we’d tried to infiltrate all those months ago.
The memory was still tinged with shame that we’d nearly cost our aunt her boyfriend.
Archer’s forgiveness was still something that humbled me, but having Presley see this place was like opening my veins in front of her and trying to hide the blood.
“So, this is the place you guys stayed while you were—” she trailed off while dragging her finger over a dusty shelf.
Gio had clicked on a lamp to help brighten the room, but it hadn’t been cleaned in months since we had no use for it after our attempted takeover.
It was something we planned to hand over to El Peligro at some point for them to use or sell.
Presley shrugged out of her long coat and laid it on the back of the couch.
“It’s very empty.”
Gio’s jaw tensed. “Well, we were only here to lay low, didn’t exactly set up shop.”
“Do you guys smoke anymore?” She picked up a glass pipe before setting it gently back on the shelf.
“I haven’t really since all the shit went down here,” Gio answered somberly.
Presley inspected him, then swung her head over to me.
“Well, let’s go to bed. I’m tired.” She slipped out of her high heels and then walked over to Gio, so he’d help with the buttons on her dress.
Once he finished, the fabric lowered from her shoulders, revealing bare skin.
Her tits were held up by a strapless bra, and the black straps of her thong rose high along her hip bones.
I watched every move she made before admitting. “We only have the two beds, and they’re small.”
With a smirk, she reached behind her to unclasp her bra. “Better move them together then because I’m not being forced to choose.”
My brother and I followed her like lovesick puppies.
Once we pushed our twin beds together, against the wall, Gio stripped and crawled on first. Presley moved next and snuggled in beside him.
Her face was buried in his neck, and his hand had wrapped around her waist. For the briefest moment, I felt like an intruder or third wheel, but Gio helped Presley turn so her back was to his chest, and she faced me.
“Come on, King.”
Her eyes drew me in just like they always did. The thick black lashes, and the way her freckles splattered over her nose. My heart seemed to ache with a heaviness, a fear of losing this.
Yanking my shirt up and over my head, I tossed it to the floor and dropped my jeans.
Sliding under the covers, I felt her soft skin rub against mine. Her fingers trailed over my neck and jaw until her lips met mine. Once we pulled apart, she said. “Tell me why you both became so determined to hurt everyone after I left.”
Gio wrapped a piece of her hair around his finger, but didn’t reply.
I heaved a sigh and traced her nose. “It’s difficult to explain, but for me it was a form of punishment for myself.”
“We’d already lost you, felt like there wasn’t much left to lose,” Gio added.
Things were quiet while my brother played with her hair, and I drew lines up her hip bone and along her ribs.
“So it was a form of acting out?”
Gio snorted. “What we did was wrong, Elvis. It was unacceptable. We aren’t proud of it. Just like we aren’t proud of what we did to you. It’s not easy for us to talk about, but trust me when I say it was far beyond merely acting out.”
Her fingers trailed up behind her, moving to my brother’s jaw. Her other hand moved to my chest, over my heart.
“I know it’s not easy, but I also think it’s important to not lock it away. You’re both the most important people to me. I want you to be whole.”
Drawing her hand up, I pressed a kiss to the pads of her fingers. “Just don’t give up on us. We’re trying to get back to who we were and make things right, but it takes time. It’s impossible to walk away from all the choices we made…some of them are more permanent.”
Presley drew a line over my chest while Gio stroked down her arm. “So walking away from El Peligro is…”
“Not possible,” I confirmed softly.
“What happened to the charity your parents were running? All the inner-city things they were doing with the power of that gang…is it all gone?”
Presley had grown up helping in those soup kitchens, alongside us. She had handed out backpacks and went shopping for school supplies just like we had when the inner-city schools would notify my family of various needs.
“Honestly, I’m not sure,” Gio answered somberly.
The thick lump in my throat was all the shame I still carried over this topic and the truth that was too painful to confront.
“There isn’t anyone left to help them. It’s all gone now.
Whatever is left will run on what money our parents have left to keep it going.
There are various donations and things that were made that they’ll ensure get stretched as far as possible, but it’s all over, and it’s because of us. ”
“You can’t put that weight on yourselves.” Presley chided, but it didn’t matter.
“It’s the truth,” I explained evenly.
Presley sat up and pressed her back to the wall, bringing her knees up under her chin.
“There must be a way to make the men go back and do what they used to for your father. Can’t you just redesign the same nonprofit plan that your parents made?”
Gio shook his head before bringing his thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose. “They have a bloodlust for this life. They don’t want to help; they want security, power, and money. Moving drugs and weapons gives them that.”
Presley forced her lips together before she let out a sigh. “Well, I think all they need is motivation. There must be a way you can do both. Run the drugs but use the money to protect the inner-city kids.”
I pulled her ankle, forcing her back down to the bed.
“You have a good heart, mi reina.”
She smiled up at me. “It’s made up of all the best pieces of you…” She glanced over at Gio and finished, “And you.”
“Do you want to help us bring El Peligro back to the vision our father had, then?”
Presley nodded. “I do.”
“Then we will,” I promised her before pressing my mouth to hers once more.
The following morning, I stared down at how Presley was curled into my brother’s chest and considered what I had last night.
Her need for vengeance wasn’t purely based on Adrian, and the number of times she’d asked us to just trust her had something tugging at my conscience.
She needed us, and more than just romantically or physically.
She needed her best friend’s. Just like we needed her to give us hope that we could somehow come back from all that we’d done to ruin our father’s legacy.
Gio looked peaceful as his jaw fit over the top of Presley’s head, tucking her close. He wouldn’t agree with me, and once I talked to her about this, he’d be pissed. Especially after his argument with Presley last night.
I decided to wait until we drove home to say anything.
March was warmer than I anticipated, with the sun shining and the warmer air blowing through the open car window.
Once we arrived at the farmhouse, Presley went to shower.
Gio went to check on all the animals, and I went to find some food.
About an hour later, I found her out in the backyard watering our flower beds.
She wore a cotton dress with her egg apron tied around her waist, looking relaxed and happier than I’d ever seen her.
Her hair was up, revealing her long neck, and I realized she had several of the chickens roaming around the yard with her while she tossed them feed.
“Hey,” I called. I walked up behind her, pressing a kiss to her neck.
Turning around with a smile, she leaned into me. “Hey.”
“Come sit with me.” I tugged her hand and walked over to the porch swing.
She leaned into me while the swing rocked us, and the sun broke through the clouds overhead.
A few trees nearby had begun sprouting buds and moss.
It brought me immense joy seeing all of this here for Presley to enjoy.
Her dream house had been completed, she had farm animals, and now, defeating Scotty might finally be within reach.
“I know last night was not about Adrian, and finding them is not about what Gio mentioned.”
She shifted against me while looking down at her nails. “No, it wasn’t.”
“I know this is about what he took from you. The miles he forced you to run as a nine-year-old. The smell of that ointment that clung to you when your knuckles broke open and healed. The fear he instilled inside you that your whole world would end if you didn’t become the perfect weapon.”
Her hand came up to dab under her eye. “Fuck, King. Warn me next time you’re going to just dig in like that.”
I kissed the top of her head. “That’s why I’m going to tell you this, and I’m going to respect what you do with it.”
Blue, vibrant eyes found mine in an instant, searching for what I’d say next.
“I asked Henry to look into the whereabouts of Scotty and Markos.”
She sat forward, pressing her feet to the floor. “And?”
“They’re getting on their private jet, bound for North Carolina.”
Her eyes searched mine nervously as if she was putting a plan together. “They’re coming here.”
“Seems that way.”
“He’ll come for the house, Kingston. He’ll torch it to the ground and ensure I have nothing to go back to.”
Hauling her back into my arms, I stroked down her arm while we rocked some more.
“He won’t get past my men, except for in the places we want him to.”
She smiled, tipping her head back. “You’re going to force him into a corner.”
“The manor, but yes, and when they get there, I want you to have the opportunity to end him.”
“And Gio? What does he think of this?”
“He thinks you’re fucking crazy if you assume I’d ever go along with this.
” Gio suddenly appeared behind us, arms folded across his chest, his grim expression set firmly.
As twins, we tried to diversify what we wore so we didn’t always match, but seemed we fucked that up today by wearing the same blue jeans, navy Henley, and brown boots.
Even our hair had gotten to roughly the same length.
Presley let out a sigh. “Gio.”
“No, we aren’t doing this. You’re not risking your life to appease whatever bloodlust is in your heart.”
I stood from the swing and faced him. “It’s not up to you.”
Gio shot back, “And it’s up to you?”
“It’s up to Presley, but either way, Scotty and Markos are coming.
They got the message Presley left when she murdered the son of the Vissimo family, and they are coming to enact their own revenge.
They will come for what matters most to her, which right now is us, this house, the animals and the greenhouse.
They’ll take it all from her and then toss her into another arrangement.
So, stop being so fucking stubborn and support her. ”
My brother’s jaw pulsed, but he seemed to get the message as he turned and walked away.
Presley held my hand on her way past me, and I decided it was time to go inform my dad and Kyle about what was about to happen to the manor.