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Preston stands up again and holds his arms out. “What do you think of your new accommodations? You’re my first guest on this particular yacht. We’re about to set sail on her maiden voyage.”
This jackass acts like he didn’t just kidnap me or tie me to a bed against my will.
I snort. “Last I checked, you’re not supposed to drug or kidnap your guests.”
Preston leans against the built-in cabinet beside him. “Yes, that was unfortunate. But my son never seems to leave your side—boy is like a dog with a bone—so I had to take the opportunity while I could.”
“By paying off my driving instructor?”
His salt-n-pepper hair brushes his forehead as he inclines his head. “You’re smart, just like your mother was.”
“Don’t talk about my mom,” I seethe. “You have no right to even think about her.”
Preston releases a hearty laugh. “See, now that’s where you’re wrong. I have every right to think about her.”
I scoff. “Oh, yeah? And why’s that?”
“Because she was supposed to be mine, but my asshole business partner had to go and knock her up!”
My eyes widen in surprise, from the words and the fact that this ordinarily poised man is yelling.
Preston straightens his spine and smiles. “You didn’t know that, did you? How much did your mother tell you about me? About your father?”
I know he doesn’t deserve an answer, but I also know the truth will be a massive blow to his ego, so I feel compelled to reply.
My lips turn up in the corners. “She said absolutely nothing about you. I didn’t know you existed until after I moved in with my sperm donor.”
I swear the vein on his forehead looks like it’s about to blow. “Liar!”
Damn. Mr. Calm and Collected has definitely left the building. Or the boat, rather.
“Nope.” I smack my lips together, popping the P.
Before I can even blink, pain ricochets through my face as he slaps me. My vision blurs as tears fill my eyes. Shit, my cheek feels like it’s on fire. I yank at my restraints, instinctively wanting to cup my burning cheek, but I’m reminded once again that I’m tied to a headboard.
“Watch your mouth!” Preston starts pacing back and forth in front of the bed. “You may look almost exactly like her, but you sure as hell don’t act like her. Mahalia was much more cooperative.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I knew there was something special about your mother from the start. Unfortunately, that bitch I was married to at the time refused to have live-in staff. I thought maybe when I knocked her up, she’d change her tune—especially when she found out we were having twins—but she had a stubborn streak a mile wide. Letting Mahalia go wasn’t an option, so Charles agreed to take her into his house. Then, the prick got her pregnant within the first month and decided to keep her to himself. I should’ve never married Jennifer. Look what I got out of it: two ungrateful brats who are sitting on a big pile of what should’ve been my money. If only I hadn’t had that foolish itch to produce an heir.”
I’m suddenly glad Kingston isn’t here right now to hear his father spewing vitriol.
I raise my brows. “So, my mother and father were in a relationship at some point?”
This man is psycho, no doubt, and I know it’s only a matter of time before he’s done with the talking portion of whatever he has planned. But you can bet your ass I’m going to glean as much information as possible while he’s so chatty. Plus, the longer I can keep him talking, the longer Kingston has to find me.
Preston glares at me. “No, they weren’t in a relationship, but she wasn’t treated like the others. Mahalia’s situation was... unprecedented. She was afforded certain... privileges, provided she cooperate. And oh, how she did cooperate. For a while, at least.”
I ignore the comment about my mom’s cooperation. I don’t need to hear him say he forced himself on her to know that’s what happened. If there was ever any doubt before, that’s long gone.
“What others?”
A wicked grin stretches across his face. “If you don’t figure out how to quickly fall in line, you’ll find out soon enough.”
The words Preston said to Madeline in that video suddenly race through my head.
I bet you’d get off on watching the new girls go through seasoning. When they’re screaming and crying and begging for mercy... girls get taken against their will over and over and over again... beaten and starved and drugged every time they fight...
