Cruel King (Royal Elite #0) by Rina Kent

I hit his arm. “You’re a pig. Does everything have to be about sex with you?”

“They do,” he says matter-of-factly. “Tell me you don’t think about Captain in a sexual way.”

“I don’t!” I say too fast, too defensively. But even saying the words bring back how much I look at Levi’s lips when he’s not kissing me and how much I don’t want to break apart when he does kiss me.

Damn the bastard for getting me addicted to his lips.

“Yeah, right.” Dan takes a long swig of his drink. “I completely believe you.”

“Dan!”

“What?” He plays nonchalance, grinning like an idiot. “I said I believe you.”

“If you don’t stop right now—”

“Wait.” He cuts me off, sliding his iced coffee in my direction.

“What?”

“Cool off a bit. All the talk about Captain has got you blushing.”

I hit him again, and I finish his iced coffee, too.

We spend the rest of the evening bowling. Zach, Dan’s older brother who’s studying at Imperial College, joins us near the end.

He’s a taller version of Dan with a toned body that he spends a lot of time perfecting at the gym.

Sometimes, when he’s not with his college friends, he joins us. He also helps us sneak out from the parents’ grasps since he knows all the ‘tricks’.

Dan goes to get us something to drink while Zach and I continue competing. He always gets a perfect score.

“That’s so unfair,” I huff, watching his hands. “You have some sort of trick to always knock them over, don’t you?”

He laughs, revealing pearly-white teeth. “Not a trick, just skill, babe. Let me.”

With me holding the ball, Zach comes behind me and snakes his arms on either side of me to help me grip the ball tighter.

“Keep your hands steady. Don’t push the shot and take your time.” He presses a hand on my back. “Bend slowly and let go.”

All the pins fall down in one go.

“Yes!” I jump up, hugging Zach. “I did it!”

“You did it.” His arms wrap around my waist.

A strong hand pulls me back by the arm, and I yelp as I trip and almost fall.

I come head to head with Levi’s destabilising pale eyes.

Only now, they’re completely black.





28





Astrid





You don’t own me, your majesty. No one does.



* * *



That part about being scared of the ‘black’ Levi?

I take it all back.

I’m not scared of him, I’m terrified. There’s this complete disregard for everyone around him when he’s in this mood and it seems impossible to carve a path into him.

He’s wearing simple jeans and a royal blue pullover, but his entire aura is as black as the look in his eyes.

With a deep breath, I attempt to dissipate the tension in the air. “Levi. This is Zachariah, he’s —”

Words die into my throat when Levi slams his lips against mine.

We’ve had wild kisses before — they’re all we’ve had, actually — but this is different. His teeth clash against mine and it’s like he’s sucking the life out of me.

Claiming me.

Punishing me.

The roughness of his mouth turns my head dizzy. I’m like a marionette in his steel-like arms, unable to breathe or forge a path out.

I push at his chest, but it’s like he doesn’t feel my grip.

He doesn’t feel anything.

When he finally lets me go, I’m breathing so heavily, I’m afraid my heart will pop out of its cavity.

Levi pulls me to his side with a steel-hold on my waist despite my protests.

I’m tempted to slap him for kissing me in public like that.

Lots of kids from our school come here. If anyone finds out, my already sour reputation will only get worse.

He promised to keep it under wraps. He freaking promised.

The clearing of a throat brings my attention back to Zach who had front row seats to the entire show. Aiden stands not far, watching us with an indifferent expression.

My cheeks flame at the thought of Zach watching me being kissed savagely by Levi. That’s definitely not the image I want to give to him.

I bow my head, unable to look at him. “I… umm… Zach, this is…”

“Levi King and she’s mine.” He says the words with a coolness that negates his death grip around my waist. “Keep your fucking hands off her.”

Before Zach or I can say anything, Levi drags me out of the bowling centre as if I’m a rag doll. I’m too stunned to react or say anything. I can barely keep up with his wide strides, let alone form any words.

Once we’re in the car park, I come back to my senses and fight him off, but his hold tightens around my waist until it’s painful.

I wince. “You had no right to do that.”

He yanks me around until my back hits the side of his jaguar. It’s the first time I get a closer look into his eyes since the show he put on inside.

They’re still black with not an ounce of the peaceful blue.

He’s like a storm waiting to erupt.

“No right?” He repeats, pushing into me with his entire body until I’m covered with his scent and the hardness of his chest. “So he had a right to put his hands on you?”