Cruel King (Royal Elite #0) by Rina Kent

“How about sacrificing for the greater good?”

“A true warlord sacrifices soldiers, not generals.”

I mimic the tilting of his head. “How did you come to love chess so much?”

He’s silent for a moment. “It runs in the family, I guess.”

“Your uncle plays?”

“He does, but he didn’t teach me, my father did. It was one of the few things he taught me.”

I straighten, feeling the tension behind his words. “So you weren’t close?”

“We were when he wasn’t having his manic episodes, which wasn’t very often.” He stares at me as he’s surprised he just divulged that.

My lips part.

What Aiden said makes sense now. Levi doesn’t have mental problems, but he lived in the shadow of a father who did. Maybe that part of his father rubbed off on him, too.

Before I can say anything, Levi smiles in a challenging way. “Do you want to go again? I promise not to crush you this time.”

“Bring it.”

We go at it for hours. It’s the most time I’ve spent in one place – aside from the art studio – without going out of my mind. In fact, I have fun.

Even though Levi wins every time.

I try to distract him by pushing the jersey up my thighs or pulling it down or licking my lips. Even though his eyes darken with lust, he wins the game, pushes the board away, and scoops me in his arms.

“Were you seducing me just now, princess?”

I look away trying to hide the goosebumps covering my skin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You were playing dirty.”

“I… wasn’t.”

“Do you know what happens to bad girls who play dirty?” His lips find the lobe of my ear and he sucks before biting down.

I moan, my head falling against his neck. It’s crazy how something so little can turn me into a wanton mess.

Levi isn’t someone I should be involved with, but my body doesn’t understand that.

All I can feel is the thrill and the desire for more.

I want more.

I want everything.

And that’s disturbingly similar to how Levi thinks.

Maybe I’ve become the devil king myself.

He lowers me to the sofa and yanks down his boxer briefs. I pull the T-shirt over my head and toss it behind me so we’re skin to skin. Heartbeat to heartbeat.

My nails dig into his chest, drawing long red marks. Like he left his own marks all over my neck, collarbone, and breasts.

He hisses in pain, but his eyes gleam with undisclosed lust.

“You do like a bit of pleasure with your pain, princess.” He smiles, his sinful lips hovering over mine.

“So do you, Lev.” I drag my nails down his back this time, ripping a groan from him.

“Sure do.” He smirks and my heart skips a beat.

It’s not even funny how gorgeous he is.

His fingers trail down my stomach to my wet folds, leaving scorching tingles in their wake.

He teases my clit until I’m bucking against his hand, begging for more.

The building starts at my core and spreads all over my skin. Just when I’m about to come, he replaces his fingers with his cock, thrusting inside me in one go.

“Oh, God.”

“Not quite.” His lips curve as his face turns feral with lust and something else I can’t place.

I hold onto his neck as he sucks the tender skin of my breast. Is there even a place he’s left unmarked?

He sits up and pulls me into him so I’m straddling his lap. The depth of this position makes me feel him everywhere.

In my body.

In my air.

In my freaking soul.

His lips find mine and he kisses me hard and wild and totally out of control as he picks up his pace. His thrusts are hard and unyielding like he wants to engrave himself deep within my soul.

He hits a pleasurable spot inside of me and something in me shatters.

We’re skin to skin.

Heart to heart.

There isn’t a piece of me that he doesn’t own at this moment.

I come with a hoarse scream.

As I fall from the wave, I realise something is so utterly wrong.

He didn’t use a condom.

I push at his chest as he picks up his pace, but I can’t find the words to tell him to pull out.

Oh. God.

How the hell could I forget about that?

“Pull…” I finally breathe, coming down from my orgasm halo.

His eyes darken as he pounds into me harder and faster with his hands threaded into my hair.

“Levi…” I fight the pleasure building inside me and igniting every nerve ending. “I’m not on the shot or anything.”

I didn’t think I’d need that considering I was a virgin, but I seriously should’ve thought about it.

As if I put an idea in his head, Levi’s lips quirk up in that contemplative smirk that only means trouble. He doesn’t make a move to pull out. If anything, his pace becomes so wild, it’s impossible to keep up.

His back turns rigid, and panic grips me like a vice.

“Please… please…” I beg, tears blurring my vision.

His hand shoots up to wrap around my neck, firm enough to keep me in place. “Is having kids with me so fucking sad?”

I shake my head frantically, but due to his hold, I can’t move much. “It’s not that… I don’t want to be another version of my mum… I d-don’t… Levi… Please…”