Cruel King (Royal Elite #0) by Rina Kent

Just as I’m about to get lost in the zone, the music comes to an abrupt halt. The entire crowd stands up, cheering and roaring at the top of their lungs. Since my vision is entirely blocked by everyone in front of me, I have no choice but to stand up, too.

The reason for the crowd’s transformation must be because of the players filtering into the stadium. I’m going to bet that the players with the white and black jerseys don’t elicit this madness. It’s the blue ones. The Elites.

I grin as my best friend walks in with his teammates, looking ready to kick some butts.

“Go get them, Danny!” I scream at the top of my lungs while everyone else chants the King name. Either Levi or Aiden — or both. Xander, Cole, and Ronan get a lot of cheering, too.

Levi leads the team with sure, confident strides. He still has the bruise around his lip from yesterday, but he looks as god-like as ever in his ‘fuck the world’ posture.

It’s not his confidence or even his last name that makes him untouchable, it’s his attitude. I’ve yet to discover anything that affects him — really affects him. And maybe I’m jealous of that. Maybe I wish I had his attitude about life.

He lost both his parents, but unlike me, he doesn’t act like it’s the end of the world.

But again, something is wired wrong about Levi.

It feels strange to see him in his lion’s den — the stadium — looking all ready to tear someone to pieces. It’s like getting another insight into who he truly is.

The two teams stay behind as Levi and another player from the other team advance to the middle. Unlike the other players, they both have a neon yellow armband. Pretty sure that means they’re the captains.

An older man wearing a black jersey and shorts stands in the middle. I assume that’s the referee. He says something and both Levi and the other player nod.

The crowd grows silent as anticipation fills the air until I can taste it on my tongue. I’m standing here like an idiot, having no idea what the hell is going on.

The referee throws a coin in the air and then nods towards Levi. The crowd cheers as the two players shake hands then shake the referee’s hand and each run back to their team.

I’m captured by the way Levi runs. It’s agile and effortless and so damn beautiful.

Everything about him is thick and hard and mesmerising.

His T-shirt sticks to his back muscles, rippling with every step he takes. His biceps bulge against the T-shirt’s short sleeves. I can’t see the throbbing veins of his arms, but I can almost feel them all pumped for the game.

His thighs and legs are a sight to behold. All muscular and toned like he’s human aesthetics.

Or more like a Greek statue.

Stunning, but cold.

All players take their positions on the pitch. The kickstart is between Levi and his cousin. The cheering from earlier must’ve been because Levi won the first ball.

The crowd sits back down, and I do too.

Although I don’t understand much of the game, I can tell Elites are doing better. They approach the goal more and the ball is almost always with them.

Every time Levi or Aiden touches the ball, the girls erupt in uncontrollable screaming. I can’t help the rush of adrenaline at seeing Levi commanding his team and giving instructions left and right.

I came here to watch Dan, but I barely gave him any attention. Every time I do, I find myself searching for Levi all over again.

Guess who the worst best friend award goes to?

With my sketchpad on my lap, I keep doing lines and trying to capture the moment Levi throws the ball. He has such a magnificent posture. One of his arms flings back, the other forward. One foot on the grass and the other is suspended in the air.

It’s like he’s about to fly.

The first half ends with a draw.

As the players start filtering back inside, I rush down the stairs and catch the Elites on their way to the locker room. The crowd are throwing encouraging remarks their way. Once again, the kings and the other three star players get most of the cheering.

Dan has his head tucked down. He must be feeling so down on his first game as a starter.

“You can do it, Danny!” I scream so he can hear me. “You’re the best of the freaking best!”

Two heads snap in my direction. The first is Dan. He grins from ear to ear and taps his chest then points at me.

The second is Levi and his expression is the complete opposite of Dan’s. The pale blue of his eyes darkens and he stares between me and Dan then stops. He stops walking inside, stops listening to a player who was talking to him.

He just… stops.

Everyone ceases to exist as his gaze focuses on me and me alone.

A strange awareness grips me by the gut at the strange, destabilising look in his eyes and his stiff posture. My air turns suffocating as if he were able to suck it all away from this distance.

The moment ends when another player slams his shoulder into Levi’s. Number Nineteen, Knight. Levi winces, breaking eye contact, and lets his teammate lead him inside.

I release a breath I didn’t know I was holding and trudge back to my place on the benches.

My fingers tremble as I gather my sketchpad and stare at Levi’s silhouette. My cheeks heat and my insides feel like a jumbled mess.

What in the ever living hell was that all about?

He didn’t touch me, but I can still feel his fingertips all over my skin and somewhere deep inside me.