Cruel King (Royal Elite #0) by Rina Kent

Everyone seems to have eyes for me. I think I’m strong, but I’m not when half the school hates me and the other half judges me.

“Slut.”

“Bitch.”

“Whore.”

Similar murmurs break everywhere I go, despite Dan’s glares. If he weren’t by my side, they would’ve attacked me full on.

“Hey, Danny!” A senior calls. “Pass over the slut once you’re done, would you?”

Dan swings at him with his hand in a fist. I pull him back at the last second, tears blurring in my eyes.

I won’t cry. I will not cry.

“I’ll go home,” I tell Dan.

Dan’s been working so hard to have the score for engineering in Cambridge. I don’t want him to get in trouble because of me. And that’s exactly what will happen if someone else provokes him.

He clutches my shoulder. “Are you going to let them submit you into feeling weak?”

“Well, it’s not like I can stop this from going viral or go back in time and stop it from happening…” I trail off.

You might think you have a choice, but you don’t. You will bow to me.

Levi’s words explode into my brain like destructive firecrackers.

It’s not a coincidence that he was blurred while my face was clear for the entire school to see.

This can’t be happening.

No.

No.

I fly out of the school with tears blurring my vision and my heart breaking into a million pieces.





31





Levi





No one messes with what’s mine and lives to talk about it.



* * *



On late Monday morning, I’m on my way to my car when Aiden, Xander, and Cole block me.

“What is it now?” I massage my temples against the pounding of the hangover.

The weekend was basically all about addictions. First, the high of adrenaline during the game, then alcohol and cigarettes.

I might have gone too far in the shots battle with Ronan. He better be feeling worse than I do.

Coach will kill me if he sees the hangover face.

“You didn’t see?” Xander asks.

What a fucking shit show on a Monday.

“He doesn’t have social media,” Cole jabs Xander.

“Is any of you dickheads going to tell me what’s going on or do I need to start punching first thing in the morning?” I pat my back pocket for my cigarettes.

Seems I burned through my last stash yesterday. Another addiction spiralling out of control.

Fucking perfect.

“Promise that you’ll remain calm,” Aiden says.

I nod absentmindedly. I’m in the mood to say fuck the school and go back to sleep.

“Here goes nothing.” Xander holds his phone for me.

My shoulders turn rigid as I stare at the two photos of Astrid. She’s not naked, but the shots don’t leave much for the imagination.

I yank Xander’s phone and study the pictures.

“It could be photoshop,” Cole says in an uncertain tone.

“No, that’s me.” I tilt my head to the side, trying to figure out where the fucker stood while taking the pictures.

The first picture looks like it’s been taken outside the left window.

The second picture was taken somewhere near the car park’s elevator.

Whoever did this is fucking over.

“You promised.” Aiden clutches my shoulder and presses down hard. I don’t know if he’s trying to keep me in line or he’s simply stopping me from going berserker.

I won’t do this with rage. No. That will make things messy. This one will be done with so much fucking calm, they’ll wish I was angry instead.

“Have you seen her at school?” I ask.

“You won’t like this, Captain.” Cole stares between me and the other two. “She did show up with Danny and she looked like she knew.”

I kick a nearby pole, not caring for the pain exploding in my toes. Of course, she showed up. Astrid isn’t the type who runs away.

I’m going to fuck up Daniel’s face for letting her go through that.

“How bad was it?” I ask them.

“Aside from the slut and whore remarks…” Xander trails off. “Some made suggestive remarks her way.”

Those fucking arseholes are dead.

No one messes with what’s mine and lives to talk about it.

“We’re going to teach the fucking school a lesson.” I’m about to head to my car when a black BMW screeches to a halt beside mine.

Daniel barges out with a fuming face and his hands clenched into fists.

I look past him, expecting Astrid to come out of the passenger seat.

When she doesn’t, the weight that’s been perching on my chest since Friday becomes heavier.

“Where is she?” I ask him.

“That’s what I ought to ask you, King,” he snarls.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“After her accident, the shrink said she needed to get out of her shell and I so foolishly believed you’d give her that, but this is over the fucking line. Even for you, Captain.”

He lunges at me but Aiden yanks him back by the shoulder. “Back. Off.”

“You think I did this?” I ask with an incredulous tone. “If I wanted to ruin her reputation, I would’ve done that at the beginning, not now.”