Sweet Retribution (Rydeville High Elite #3)(82)

He drags his hand through his hair. “I did it to protect you.” I work hard to keep calm. “I hated that I couldn’t be by your side to protect you myself, so I did a few things. I’ve had a bodyguard following you around in public, and I spoke with Shandra and asked her to stick close to you.”

I hop up. “She’s only been pretending to be my friend?” I screech, incensed even though another part of me is happy he went to such lengths to keep me safe.

“I haven’t been pretending,” she says, walking into the room at the perfect moment. She drops her purse on the coffee table. “I’ve always liked you, Abby, but you were hard to get to know because of the whole elite bullshit rules.” She unbuttons her coat, draping it over the side of the couch. “I thought being engaged to Trent would pave the way for us to be friends. But the asshole was vehemently against it. Kai overheard us arguing about it at school, and he approached me later, suggesting it would work to our mutual benefit if we became friends.” She stands directly in front of me, and there is zero remorse or regret on her face.

“How much was real?” I ask, because I need to be sure.

“Nothing I have said or done has been fake or coerced. Having you as a friend has helped me process the clusterfuck of feelings I’m dealing with. I’ve been forced into this world kicking and screaming.” Her eyes plead with me for understanding. “I’ve needed you as much as you’ve needed me, and I hope this won’t come between us.” She glances at Kai briefly. “I was planning to tell you about my conversation with Kai, but the right opportunity never arose. I don’t want there to be any secrets between us.”

“This doesn’t exactly help me trust you,” I honestly admit.

“I know you have trust issues, and for good reason. But I swear I have no ulterior motives. I fucking despise Trent. You deserve the Nobel Peace Prize for putting up with him as long as you did. Never in a million years would I ever side with him. His bastard father screwed over my father, which pulled me into this life, and I hate the Montgomerys with a passion unrivaled.” Her eyes shine with anger, and I just know she’s telling the truth.

“Okay. I’ll take you at your word, but if you’re lying, I’ll put a bullet directly between those pretty eyes.”

I’d never go there, but I’m in a bit of a belligerent mood now, and I want to push her and see how she reacts.

“I’d expect no less,” she says, knotting her hands in front of her.

I stare her out of it for a few seconds, and I’m betting Jackson is hard as a rock watching our tense standoff.

“Okay.” I nod, giving her the benefit of the doubt.

Her shoulders relax, and she smiles. “So, we’re good?”

I return her smile. “We’re good.” I could cling to the suspicion simmering under the surface or embrace her at face value. With everything else we have going on, accepting her explanation as the truth is the obvious choice.

I have enough people I mistrust, and I’d rather not add someone else to the list.

So, I’ll accept her friendship, but all bets are off if she is playing me.

“What is it we are looking at?” she asks me.

“My father has a whole vault of evidence he uses to blackmail high-ranking elite members into supporting his campaign for presidency. We broke into his vault and stole some of the tapes. We’re watching them to see what’s on them, and we’re going to use it to approach these men and get them to switch allegiances.”

Shock splays across her face. “Ho. Lee. Shit.”

“It’s not going to be pleasant.” I take a few minutes to recap what I’ve seen in the dungeon and what we know from Drew about the young girls being abused down there.

“Oh my God.” She clasps a hand over her mouth.

“They are the sickest, most depraved bastards, and we’re planning to take them down.” I’m not elaborating any further because that’s as much as she needs to know for now. “Are you with us?” I ask.

“I’m in.” She doesn’t hesitate. “Whatever I can do to help, I’ll do it.”

We spend the next five hours watching bits of every tape. It’s all any of us can stomach. The scenes are scarily similar.

Men abusing young girls and boys. Men fucking men. Men submitting to other men and being physically and verbally abused. Men giving in to their darkest desires, using all the facilities and tools the dungeon has to offer. A few of them show men killing their sexual partners in some form of twisted sex fantasy.

A lot of these high-ranking elite are prominent figures in the world of business and politics. Drew and I had scrolled through the names at our disposal, choosing the best targets, and Father hasn’t let us down. If any of these recordings got out, their careers would be ruined, their reputations in tatters, their families torn apart and they’d definitely kiss their freedom goodbye. I don’t care how well connected the elite are, there is no way those men would avoid jail time with such incriminating evidence.

No wonder they are all scared to cross him.

“Fuck it. I need a drink after that,” Jackson says, stalking to the liquor cabinet, looking like he’s about to puke. The old Jackson would have pulled out a blunt and smoked his brains out. I’m not sure switching his addiction to alcohol is much better, but we all need a drink or ten after tonight’s harrowing session.