Page 61 of Reign of the Queen
"Amelia, holy shit, girl, calm down. You did some shit; did he force you?" Her hands tighten in her lap at the question.
"What? No, no, he didn't force me. We hooked up. That was it. But I... I saw some shit about his home life that scared me, and honestly girl, it has me all kinds of messed up in the head."
"Illegal shit?" Raegan takes a deep breath.
I look at Raegan. I have known her for more than half my life. She has always been the only true friend I had here. Even when I left North Carolina for New York, she kept in touch with me. Sending me constant emails and then later on messaging me on insta and snap. We have always had a connection, even through the worst of times. When I told her I was coming back to Casbury and what I was planning, she was solidly in my corner, having experienced and watched the kings reign of terror for too long. I know I can trust her; whatever I tell her will stay safe with her.
"He's abused Rae, like violently. His dad is a fucking psychotic monster; he has scars all over his back and arms from his dad's beatings." I hold her wide-eyed stare.
"Amelia, oh my lord. Are you sure? That's insane."
I nod my head. "It gets worse, girl; his dad's a sadistic sexual deviant. He has women tied up in some messed up playroom at their house. I'm talking like a psycho version of Christian Grey from theFifty Shades of Greytrilogy. There were two women strapped to shit there today. When I tried to release them, they lost their minds. Theo's dad has convinced them that he's their master and his pleasure is more important than theirs." I take a shuddering breath. "They refused to allow me to release them."
"What did Theo say? About what his father does to him? When you found the women?"
"He was humiliated and devastated. He had no choice but to explain. His dad has been bringing women there since he was a little kid and doing fucked up things to them. He beats Theo when he can't control him. I think he makes him do sick shit to those women or makes those women do shit to Theo." I rub my forehead, a blinding headache making its way behind my eyes.
"You ran from him?" Raegan reaches out in understanding, taking my hand in hers.
"Yeah, I ran. I didn't know what to do or say. I was all messed up in the head, feeling sorry for him and at the same time thinking how this information is exactly what I need to break them."
"What did Finn say?"
"He asked me not to use this information to destroy them, not because it will hurt them, but because it will ravage what's left of Theo's humanity. He wasn't worried about his or the other guys' hides, just Theo." I let out a troubled groan.
"What are you gonna do? Are you going to use this info to bring them down?" Raegan's expression is distressed. I can't tell if she's for using it or against it.
"I honestly don't know. I came here to torpedo their world. To pay back all the shit that happened to me tenfold. If I don't use it, I may not get another chance to bring them down. They are still holding you and Isabella over me."
"I know… but there has to be another way. I know you want to ruin and dethrone them, but if he's abused, Amelia..." She doesn't finish her sentence.
I know what she means. If he's abused, and we use that against him, we are as much the monsters as his dad is. Although I want to pay them back for everything they put me through, I'm not sure that I can use this information to do it. After all, I know what it's like to be tortured.
Raegan leaves in the Uber I called to take her home after hours of going back and forth on whether to use the information on Theo. My mind is not any clearer with her absence, thoughts going round and round in circles.
I’m standing on my back porch admiring the dark, chilly night sky all lit up with beautiful stars. This far away from a major city, the sky is alive at night. I missed these stars in Manhattan. With all the lights and pollution, you can never see them.
I’m still dressed in Theo’s warm clothing; somehow, it comforts me. Taking a deep breath, I dial the number I’ve been hesitating about calling all night. It rings twice before she answers.
“Mia, my darling, to what do I owe the pleasure this late in the evening?” Her cultured New York voice comes across the distance between us.
“Grandmother, what do you know about the Saint-Lamberts? Specifically, Vincent Saint-Lambert.” I clench my phone in my hand.
There’s a pause and silence on the other end. I pull back the phone to check if the call has been disconnected.
“What has happened, Mia?” Her voice comes through warily.
“Do you know something about him?” My interest peaks. My grandmother is not afraid of anyone, but her tone suggests Saint-Lambert might be the exception.
“I know lots of things about lots of people, Mia. Why don’t you explain why you are asking about him, and I can decide whether my granddaughter needs the benefit of my information.” I hear a clinking on the other side of the line, indicating she’s shaking out her wrist with the bracelet my grandfather gave her when they were newlyweds in agitation. It’s the only tell she has, and she’s cautious with exposing it.
“I came face to face with some information about that monster today, grandmother.” I let out in a rush. “He likes to abuse his son and enjoys inflicting sadistic sexual torture on women.”
A sharp inhale of breath greets my announcement. “Did he hurt you, Mia? You need to tell me if he did.”
“No, grandmother, he didn’t. I was privy to what he does today: the perversion and sickness that a man like that can wield. I don’t care about his sexual deviances. It’s what he does to his own flesh and blood. I need information. I need a way to demolish someone like that.”
“Oh Mia, my love, you are so young, naïve even. So very vulnerable and kindhearted. Does this have anything to do with his son, Theodore? The one you are actively attempting to dethrone and ruin at your backward prep school?”
