Cruel King (Royal Elite #0) by Rina Kent

“And what do you want?” I ask in a whisper.

His eyes find mine and they soften. “You.”

If my heart could escape its confinement, it would be spilling at our feet about now.

“What else?” The words come out on a breath.

“Just you would do.” His lips find mine in the slowest, most toe-curling kiss he’s ever given me.

I push him away with a hand on his chest. “There must be something else you want.”

He’s silent for a beat. “Football.”

“You want to play pro?”

He nods once. “I had some calls and interest from Liverpool and Manchester City.”

“Wow. Those are big ones.”

He narrows his eyes. “How do you know that, Miss-I-don’t-care-about-Football?”

“I had Dan educate me.” I smile. “But wow, I’m happy for you.”

I try to camouflage the breaking of my heart at the thought that he’ll be on the other half of the country.

“Doesn’t matter. If Uncle forbids it. No good team will accept me.” He stares down at our entwined hands. “What about you? Where do you plan to go?”

“Dad is thinking about Imperial College.”

“And let me guess, that’s not where you want to go.”

“I’m an artist. I want to continue being an artist.”

“Did you tell him that?”

“Have you seen my dad?” I laugh awkwardly.

“He seemed a lot more reasonable than my uncle.”

“Do you really think that?”

“Not really.” He lifts a shoulder. “But Uncle’s enemy is my friend.”

I laugh, leaning my head against his shoulder. For a moment, we get lost in the lights in the distance as the Ferris wheel continues its ascendance to the top.

Then, a crazy thought comes to mind. “Levi… did you see who hit me that night?”

“If I did, I would’ve told you.”

I pull back, staring at him. Then I grab both his arms and feel around them. “Were you there at the moment I got hit?”

“I heard the hit.”

“Meaning, you were at the road? Did you see anyone?”

“Believe me, princess, if I knew who hurt you, I’d be the first to fuck them up.”

But a crazy idea won’t leave my mind.

Could it be…?

I lift his long-sleeved T-shirt to his elbows.

He chuckles, “Am I going to be your sugar daddy sooner than agreed?”

My gaze zeroes on the lines in his veiny forearms. I pull it to the shadows and gasp.

The mole near his elbow looks like a small star in the darkness.

My eyes blur as I look at him. “You saved me.”





47





Astrid





Just when I think I have you, everything dissipates into thin air.



* * *



Weeks pass and every day is surreal.

Every day, Levi tests my limits and I test his right back.

We’re like two pieces of a jigsaw, him and I. It’s impossible to have one without the other.

I walk into the school with Levi’s arm wrapped around my waist. Most of the football team surround us like knights.

Dan, Aiden, Xander, Ronan, and Cole are like my own protection and follow me whenever Levi isn’t there. I can tell Aiden doesn’t like it, but Levi forced his hand somehow.

Since that pool punishment, the three others keep quiet around Levi. Apparently, their captain has been out for their lives at practice. I’ve been hoping it’s not because of the orgy joke.

But knowing Levi, that most likely plays a part in it.

Levi isn’t only possessive to a fault, but he’s also the petty jealous type when I as much as look at his teammates. I might have been doing it on purpose to get a rise out of him.

I smile mischievously as I tell Ronan, “When are we going to have another drinking competition?”

“Tonight if you like…” his grin falters when Levi cuts him a glare. “Or never. Yeah, never.” He leans in to whisper. “Come down when Captain is asleep.”

“I heard that.” The look on Levi’s face is that of pure contempt. I can only imagine all the ideas he has going on in his head on how to punish Ronan.

“You’re pathetic.” Aiden shakes his head at his cousin.

Levi flips him the finger.

“Twenty-two hundred.” Ronan coughs and my gaze immediately flies in that direction.

The blonde girl, Kimberly’s friend, hugs books to her chest and walks towards the library. The guys stare at her, but only Aiden and Levi check her out openly.

“What’s the deal with her?” I ask. “An old ex of the both of you?”

A stab of jealousy hits me. Levi said he doesn’t date, but if he has an ex of that level, it makes my self-confidence shaky.

“She’s no one’s ex or current” Xander laughs. “She’s Frozen. An ice princess.”

“Unfortunately for this chap.” Cole nudges Aiden.

He throws him an undecipherable look and scrolls on his phone as if nothing happened.

“She’s sort of like you,” Xander snaps his fingers at me. “Captain had his knickers in a twist because of you.”

“Piss off, Xan,” Levi tells him.