Cruel King (Royal Elite #0) by Rina Kent

Zach, Dan’s eldest brother, drove us home that night. By then, I had already run away from Ronan’s mum’s office and hid by the garden.

Okay, I might have called Zach, too, so he’d come to get us.

I mean, I can’t be blamed. Anyone would’ve freaked out if they were so wanton and vocal about their first orgasm. An orgasm that happened straight on Levi’s face.

Jeez. I don’t know what the hell took over my body.

He didn’t chase after me that night — thankfully, but he sent me a text.

Levi: You can’t run away from me, princess. I’ll catch you every time.

He sent another text yesterday morning. Six am on a Sunday. Does he even sleep?

Levi: Let’s go for a jog and train those legs to run better.

I ignored both texts.

I wish I could say I figured anything out over the weekend. On the contrary, everything is becoming more complicated than I thought.

Levi is a damn dilemma with no way out. That small part of me that’s itching to be pulled into his orbit? Well, that part isn’t so small anymore.

It’s still too early for Dan to pick me up. They have practice in the evening today, and he’s not that much of a morning person. He won’t be waking up until it’s time for school.

If I want to avoid breakfast from hell, I need to get out now before Victoria and Nicole are up.

Especially Nicole. I made sure we hadn’t crossed paths at home since that scene of her between Levi’s legs.

Before he ended up between mine.

God. That’s so screwed up.

My gaze meets Sarah’s from the kitchen’s window. I place a finger in front of my lips and beg her with my eyes to remain silent.

She rolls her eyes but waves me away. I throw her a kiss and duck around the pool house.

“Not happening. Astrid will not go through that again.”

I stop right at the corner at Dad’s voice. I peek my head around as slow as physically possible.

He stands at the edge of the pool, already dressed in his three-piece black suit. A hand in his pocket, he has the other holding the phone glued to his ear.

“I’m her father and legal guardian, Commissioner.”

My back snaps in a rigid line. This has to do with my accident.

“She lost her mother in an accident and had a similar one of her own,” Dad speaks in his no-nonsense tone that intimidates me even when I’m not the one on the receiving end. “She will not take the fall of your incompetence.”

Silence.

Long, thick silence.

Dad looks in the distance for a few seconds that might as well seem like an eternity. “The answer is no and that’s final.”

He clicks something on the phone and turns around. I duck and run in the opposite direction towards the pool house’s side door.

Dad stops right in front of the entrance and takes a deep breath, his shoulders drooping as he pinches his eyebrows.

I haven’t seen him do that since I was a little girl. I thought he completely lost that habit.

The moment ends as fast as it came. He straightens like the lord Clifford everyone knows, opens the door and strides inside.

“Sarah, is Astrid down for breakfast?”

Shit.

I sprint towards the back entrance, not looking back.

My head is a jumbled mess as I walk down the street and to the park. My fingers tighten around the backpack’s straps.

Dad’s hiding something that has to do with the police commissioner and my accident.

Astrid will not go through that again.

Go through what?

A finger taps my shoulder, and I yelp. I was too caught in my thoughts to notice someone approach me, let alone walking by my side.

My heart rate returns to normal only to spike up again when I meet those sinister, pale blue eyes.

Sometimes, it’s like they belong to an angel. Other times, it’s like the devil is staring down at me.

This morning, it’s a mixture of both.

I can’t help the spike of my pulse or how heat smothers my skin by just looking at him.

Levi has his golden, Viking hair slicked back today as if he’s out on a fashion show. His team’s royal blue jacket clings to his shoulders like a second skin.

His mouth curves to the side. The same mouth that sucked and nibbled and brought me a pleasure I didn’t realise existed. The same mouth that kissed me like a madman with my taste all over him.

“You’re blushing, princess.” His grin widens.

“I’m not.”

He taps my nose with his index finger. “It’s adorable.”

I step back until he has to drop his hand.

Dammit. A single touch is all it takes for me to crave crawling into his side.

“Why were you blushing? Are there certain memories prickling your mind?”

“Oh, please. Don’t flatter yourself. It wasn’t that special.” I lower my heating face as soon as I say the words, not wanting him to see my reaction.

“It?” he asks with an amused tone.

“You… know.”

“No. Enlighten me.”

“Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

Ugh. He’s infuriating. “Can’t you just drop it?”

“Are you too shy to say I went down on you? That I ate you up like I’ve never eaten anything before? That I licked and bit your hot, wet pussy as you came all over my face and —”