Deviant King (Royal Elite #1) by Rina Kent

He laughs, the sound long and genuine. “Sorry, love. You’re pretty but you’re not my type. I’d rather not be frozen to death.”

So he’s not after sex. Well, well.

My interest peaks and I face him fully. “Then what do you want from me?”

“Be my pretend girlfriend.”

My jaw almost drops to the floor. “What?”

“You know, not a real girlfriend, just a pretence in front of everyone.”

“I know what a pretend girlfriend means. I’m asking why you want me to act like yours.”

“It’ll stop the bullying.” He grins. “Isn’t that what you want?”

I narrow my eyes. “What’s in it for you?”

“Why do you care? You get to spend your senior year in peace.”

“You seriously expect me to just give in without knowing what I’ll lose?”

He holds a hand to his heart. “I promise that you’ll lose nothing.”

“No. Tell me about your reasons.”

Being in the dark is a sure way to lose before even starting.

He remains silent, scowling at me, to intimidate me no doubt.

I meet him glare for glare. “If you don’t tell me, I’m not signing up to this.”

His shoulders turn rigid as he says in a monotone tone, “I’m teaching someone a lesson.”

“Who…?”

It hits me then.

Xander was beyond pissed off when Aiden held Kim the other week. He’s been unnecessarily aggressive with him during practice, too. And I noticed that they only stand together only when Ronan and Cole are with them.

“You’re doing this to spite Aiden?” I whisper-yell then inch closer to him when a classmate gives us the stink eye while passing by.

Or more like she gives me the stink eye. She’s one of Xander’s endless admirers.

Another reminder of what I’ll deal with if I agree to become his pretend girlfriend.

Xander raises an eyebrow. “You have a problem with that?”

“Not really, but…” I inch closer. “You’re overestimating Aiden’s temporary obsession with me. He doesn’t care about me.”

He cares about belittling me, dominating me, and having me bend at his will.

He only cares about breaking me.

“Why do you think no one asked you out these past two years?” Xander lifts an eyebrow.

“W-what?”

“Other girls have boyfriends, but you don’t. Ever wonder why?”

“Other girls aren’t bullied,” I grit out. “They aren’t called Teacher Sluts.”

“That’s the point.” He snaps his fingers and points at me. “Who do you think started the rumour that you sucked off the biology teacher? That you’re a Teacher Slut? And the other about you having a contagious disease?” He counts on his fingers. “King and King and… oh, King.”

I’m too stunned to speak. My mouth opens then closes like a dying fish.

All these years, I thought Aiden just stayed in the background. I thought the bullying started only because he expressed hatred towards me in front of the whole school that day and therefore, they acted upon loyalty to him.

Turns out he staged it all and let his minions do the rest.

Minimum effort. Similar results.

The bastard.

My blood whooshes with a hot, red feeling.

“Why?” I don’t even recognise my haunted voice.

“It’s his way to eliminate competition.”

“Why would he want to eliminate competition?”

“Beats me.” He lifts a shoulder. “I’ve known King for his entire life, and I’ve never seen him as transfixed by someone as he is with you.”

Aiden said it, didn’t he? His care isn’t normal, labellable, or conventional.

But then again, why do I have to pay for his unconventional ways?

Anger sweeps over me like a black, bottomless ocean.

Somewhere in my brain, I realise that I shouldn’t make snap decisions while I’m angry, but I couldn’t care less.

“Deal,” I tell Xander. “I’ll be your pretend girlfriend.”

There’s no better way to have revenge on Aiden than to ‘date’ his best friend.

And I know why Xander approached me.

He likes the idea that Aiden has spent years successfully ‘eliminating’ all competition, just so I’d end up in Xander’s arms.

It’s such a dick move, but I like Xander a little bit for it.

I like anyone who rebels against the entitled, psycho king.

Xander’s lips stretch into a wolfish grin as he offers me his arm. “Let’s make our first appearance, love.”

I reluctantly slip my arm in his.

This isn’t my character.

Hell, I don’t even like to lie, let alone be someone’s pretend girlfriend.

But if Aiden’s using my best friend against me, the only way to strike him is to use his best friend back.

Eye for an eye.

Blood for blood.

He started the war. I’m just keeping up.

My feet falter in front of the cafeteria. There’s a reason I don’t eat here, and it’s not the food.

It’s like a high-end restaurant, but for high school kids. Even the staff appear like butlers straight out of the palace.