Broken Kingdom (Corium University Trilogy 3)

“Unlock it,” I order, and watch him do so with trembling fingers. The screen lights up, and I release my hold on his throat.

Valentine slumps to his knees, gasping for air, and I snatch the phone from his fingers.

“Why don’t you let me look,” my father offers. “I don’t think you watching this is a good idea.”

I consider it for a split second but decide I need to do this. “I want to know who was there. I have to see this for myself.”

“Quinton…” Ren starts, but I wave him off and pull up the saved videos from Valentine’s phone.

There are three of them. The first one is paused on Aspen’s face. Her eyes are closed, her features pulled into a pained expression. Gripping the phone tight enough to snap it in half, I press play.

“Fuck, Aspen… no wonder Quinton kept this pussy all to himself,” Matteo grunts, pulling her head back by her hair.

The camera zooms out and shows Aspen completely naked, her hands cuffed to something above her head. Matteo is behind her, holding her hips while he fucks her. Someone else is there, standing next to him and watching the whole thing with a grin on his face.

I know Matteo’s brother, Rico, and this is not him. I don’t know who that man is, but I will find out. He is living on borrowed time.

“Rico, you want a turn?” Matteo calls for his brother, and a moment later, he appears in the frame.

“Fuck yeah. I thought you would never ask.” Rico chuckles and flicks open the button of his jeans. “I want her ass, though…”

I pause the video, unable to stomach more of this right now. I send the videos to myself before putting Valentine’s phone into my pocket. He is still on the ground with his back propped up against the sofa I was sitting on earlier.

“Who was the other guy in the videos?” I question Valentine.

“I have no idea.” He shrugs, but I can smell the lie from a mile away. “I don’t keep track of my son’s friends.” I glance over at my father, needing some reassurance that he’ll have my back if I take this any further.

Dad gives me a slight nod, and that’s all I need.

“What the fuck is going on here?” A voice booms through the room. I turn my head to where it’s coming from and smile when I see who it is. Rico.

I don’t think I’ve ever moved so fast in my life. I’m across the room, slamming into Rico’s chest before he knows what hit him. I tackle him down to the ground and get on top of him. He fights me, even getting a few punches in, but nothing compares to the anger-infused strength I possess at the moment. I subdue him with ease, raining down punches until he stops fighting at all.

I’m vaguely aware of people screaming around me, then a gunshot being fired, but none of that makes me stop. I keep pounding my fists into his face until I’m certain I’ve broken every bone in it.

My hands are covered in blood, and Rico’s face is unrecognizable, but I still can’t stop. Someone grabs me from behind, pulling me away from Rico’s lifeless body. I start fighting, twisting my body to kill whoever is attacking me, but there are not only two hands holding me down, there are four.

“It’s okay, Quinton.” My father’s voice calms me instantly. “He is dead.”

I relax slightly, but Dad and Roman still keep their hands on me, almost like they are afraid I’ll lose it again.

“I’m fine,” I say, but it’s another few moments before they let me go, and I can finally turn around.

My eyes are immediately drawn to Dick Valentine, who is slumped to the ground with a bullet hole between his vacant eyes. Behind his lifeless body is his young maid, her body shaking like a leaf. Ren is standing next to her, his hand wrapped around her upper arm.

“You killed him?” I turn toward my father. “What happened to we can’t just go around offing people without a reason?”

“I guess we have to move to plan B,” my father announces. “We’re killing everyone. The whole Valentine family.”

Fuck yes.

3

ASPEN

As the last rays of sun breach the heavy curtains, I realize how large Quinton’s room really is. His king-sized bed is pushed against the wall, and you could easily fit three more beds between here and the large double window.

His room is sparsely decorated, but the few pictures he has in here are him with his sisters. It’s odd being here, especially without him. Even more odd is how Xander is okay with me staying here.

The doctor and nurse have been in and out of my room all day, making sure I’m comfortable and not in any pain. I haven’t seen Quinton since he left, but being in his room, surrounded by his things, makes me feel close to him.