Cruel King (Royal Elite #0) by Rina Kent

A chaotic string of feelings pushes through me. I want to hit and claw at him. I want to scream at him, but that will only show that I care, so I pretend to watch the painting of good versus evil as I ask, “Aren’t you supposed to be with Nicole?”

He grabs both my hands in his stronger one. “I’m supposed to be right fucking here, princess.”





24





Astrid





It’s not me, it’s you.



* * *



“Don't touch me,” I grit out.

His body pushes into me, hands tightening around my wrists.

The small of my back hits the table as he towers over me, all hard ridges and powerful. However, I feel no intimidation.

Hell, I don’t even see him as an irresistible Viking right now.

He’s just a fucking bastard.

“I told you I’ll ruin you.” There’s a maliciousness in his tone. A sharpness that’s meant to cut. “I told you I’ll break you, but you still didn’t back down. You still taunted me as if asking me to retaliate harder.”

“Fuck you, Levi. Fuck. You. All I ever wanted is to live my last year in peace, but no, you had to ruin everything. Did I ask you to take an interest in me? Did I fucking make you? You’re the one who set out to destroy me in your stupid games.”

“And you’re the one who refused to lose.” His face tightens as if he’s the one mad, not the other way around.

“I wasn’t born to lose or to become a pawn on your board.”

He watches me, then, all intent as if he’s cutting me open and looking inside me. It would’ve been unnerving under different circumstances, but now, all I feel is contempt.

I want to ruin him as much as he ruined me.

This time, I want to be the predator instead of the prey.

“What you saw isn’t what it seemed,” he says in a cool tone like we’re discussing the weather.

"Sure thing. I definitely didn't see you getting your dick sucked by Nicole, King."

“Don't call me that.”

“Isn’t that what you demand everyone to call you, King?”

“Not you.”

As if possible, his chest comes impossibly closer. My breasts brush against his Elites’ jacket with every breath. I try not to focus on how full and tight they feel or how my nipples ache in response.

His fresh scent mixed with a distant whiff of Vodka fills all my senses.

His presence is like a natural disaster; impossible to avoid and always leaves destruction behind.

And I refuse to be collateral damage.

I struggle against him, trying to headbutt him, but he easily moves out of the way.

“Do you consider me a joke?”

“A joke,” he repeats slowly, keeping his merciless hold on my wrists.

“Or am I a conquest? A war you need to win.”

“A war is a fucking child’s play compared to you, princess.”

“How many girls have you told that? Does that include Nicole? You know with her taking care of the captain and all that.”

His lips curve into a wolfish smirk. Damn him and how unreal he looks. “Why are you so upset, princess?”

“I'm not.”

"Are you perhaps jealous?"

“Screw. You.”

And screw Nicole and screw my heart for ever thumping for this bastard.

He pushes his pelvis into the space where my T-shirt meets my skirt. Something hard and thick presses at the bottom of my stomach through his jeans.

I can’t help the shudder that draws down my spine.

“Do you feel that, princess? There’s nothing more I want to do than to spread your legs and fuck you raw.”

His dirty words elicit a tightening at the pit of my stomach. It’s like a flashback from that night and I’m hardly stopping myself from rubbing all over him.

Then I recall, a certain blondie has been rubbing all over him not so long ago.

I bite my lower lip until I almost draw blood. “Nicole’s sloppy seconds aren’t on my to-do list.”

“Fuck Nicole. Fuck everyone. None of them matter.”

“And I do?” I scoff.

“You do.”

He pauses as if he surprised himself. His posture turns tense and we watch each other for a second too long as if we need to soak in the moment.

I’m the first who pulls myself out of the trance. “Leave me alone, King.”

“I told you to stop calling me that.”

He releases my wrists and grabs me by the hips. His hands are large and strong around my petite frame as he lifts me with ease.

I yelp as he sits me on the desk. He slaps my legs apart. The denim skirt stretches with the motion as he settles between my parted thighs.

Tiny shivers break on my skin and down my back.

“Do you know who I thought about when Nicole was between my legs.”

“I don’t want to know.”

His hot breaths tease the shell of my ear, drawing a shudder from my inner walls. “You don’t, huh?”

“I don’t.”

“I’m telling you, anyway. When she looked up, it was these green gates.” His fingers trace along my eyelashes. “When she opened her mouth, I saw these lips.” He trails a forefinger from my eyes to the corner of my mouth, hovering but not touching.