Beneath Black Crowns; Lust, Lies and Kings

JORDAN’S POV “It can’t be true,” I said trying desperately to convince myself that what I saw on my phone earlier wasn’t true. “It’s not true. Victor wouldn’t do this to me.” I stared at the door to his penthouse suite longer than I should have. With bated breath, I turned the handle, relieved but scared to find it unlocked, hearing the sound of my rapidly beating heart in my ears. Everywhere was eerily quiet. There was no sound whatsoever, it seemed like no human being lived there. “Vic?” I called out to him. My hands were shaking uncontrollably and just when I thought all was okay when I didn’t get a response from him, I heard it, the undeniable sound of his laughter coming from his bedroom. Slowly, I marched up to it and stood by the door. “You’re so pretty, you know that?” I heard him say. The feminine giggle that followed after that statement sucked all the air out of my lungs. “Jordan wouldn’t let me do this kind of stuff with her. She didn’t even want to have s*x with me until after we were married. Like I would marry her when you’re here, my beautiful angel.” I gasped, my eyes welling up with tears. “She is such a prude. I never really liked her. Plus, she is such a terrible actress. God, I can imagine how much money you guys spend on her when she’s not even making any waves.” The familiarity of the woman’s voice hit me like a bucket of cold ice. I gathered the courage to tear the door open, and the sight that I witnessed will forever be burned in my memory as the most gruesome scene I have seen. They were standing in front of a mirror, both completely naked with the exception of the handcuffs on the blond girl he was with. I could see little red marks on her wrist and abdomen, but she didn’t look to be in any pain whatsoever. He hovered over her with what looked like a flyswatter, his smile creepy and sadistic. “What am I to you?” he asked, his voice a low growl. “You are my master.” He trailed the fly swatter over her face and down her stomach. “Do you know why you are being punished?” he asked. “I’ve been a very, very naughty girl.” I felt sick watching them role play, but for some reason I couldn’t look away. I wanted it all to be a nightmare, just a terrifying dream I had slept into and not my reality. It seemed like he was going to hit her with it and I shrieked unconsciously. Both their heads snapped in my direction. I froze, not knowing what to do. For some pathetic reason, I wanted Victor to realize what he was doing and feel remorse and beg me to not leave or hate him, but instead he stood there with that instrument in his hand, smiling at me like he wanted me to see him cheat! “Guess he wasn’t as busy as you thought,” the blond girl said. Flustered, I ran out of his room feeling nauseous. It was pathetic to cry, but I couldn’t help it. My eyes were blinded by the tears streaming out of it and so I couldn’t see where I was going. With a loud thud and a bone shattering collision, I bumped into something that had me almost falling down the stairs. Someone’s arms wrapped around my waist, stopping me from plunging head first to my death. “Jordan?” Even in my flustered and depressed state, I couldn’t help but notice how deep and sexy his voice was. “Jordan Keyes? What are you doing here? What’s wrong?” I instantly recognized him as he called my surname, dread an addition to the emotions I was already feeling. Oh s**t! I didn’t want Treyden King to see me like this. There was nothing more embarrassing than your childhood sweetheart seeing you close up after so many years crying in a hurried attempt to flee a hotel room you just caught your boyfriend cheating on you in. God, could it get any worse? “I…I…” I stammered and tried to hide my face from his view but he wasn’t having any of it. He cupped my face in his large hands and I shivered at how cold they were. “What happened to you? Is it Victor?” My eyes betrayed me and admitted that he was the cause of my tears. Trey’s glare hardened and his jaw became taut. “I’m gonna kill that bastard.” I grabbed his hand before he could take any steps further and shook my head. “Please,” my voice cracked, “Don’t do anything. Please.” Right in that moment, some people making a video came up the stairs and saw us. “Oh my God! You’re Jordan Keyes!” The girl making the video squealed in excitement. She didn’t waste time in capturing Treyden and I together. He grabbed my hand and maneuvered me past the strangers, shielding me from their prying eyes. We got in the elevator on the next floor. Almost as soon as we stepped out of it, we were bombarded with photographers from all angles. It was like they knew we were there and were patiently waiting for us. “Jordan, is it true what the rumor says? Are you and Victor breaking up?” “Does that mean you’ll no longer be signed to VC Entertainment?” “What is your relationship with Treyden King?” “That video that was sent out, do you know who did it and why?” I was hyperventilating then. The lights, the questions the very thought of Victor with another woman just a couple floors above me had me reeling and feeling dizzy and nauseous. Treyden grabbed my hand and squeezed it tight. He looked at the swarm of reporters and journalist, his face serious and professional. “We didn’t plan on making this announcement now because we wanted everything to be set first. But seeing as you guys already got wind of it, there’s no point stalling any longer. “Jordan Keyes will not renew her contract with VC Entertainment and will be signed to Black King Entertainment immediately after.” I forgot how horrible I looked in that moment and looked up to stare at Treyden. “What?” I asked in a low, breathless tone. He didn’t seem to hear me, or maybe he was ignoring me, and just went ahead to continuing addressing the reporters. “And also, Jordan Keyes and myself are officially engaged. That’ll be all.” He didn’t give the paparazzi anymore chance to interview us. With my hand firmly held in his, he led me out of the Grande Cream Hotel and into his limo that was conveniently waiting for us right outside the building. I was too stunned to speak. My childhood dream had somehow become a reality right in front of me without me having a clue as to how it happened. I was engaged to Treyden Freaking King!