Deviant King (Royal Elite #1) by Rina Kent

I have no idea how to dissipate the silence — or tension — between Aiden and Xander, so I just focus on stroking Kim’s hair out of her face.

She swats my hand away as if I’m a fly. The smell of tequila permeates the air. She’s so going to regret the hangover come tomorrow.

Ronan’s house is only a ten minute drive from Kim’s and I’m so thankful for the short distance. Aiden parks in Kim’s driveway.

“I could’ve driven,” Xander says in a bored tone. “I live here anyway.”

Aiden’s expression is stoic. “You’re not allowed near her when I’m not around.”

I’m not sure which ‘her’ Aiden means, and something twists in my chest at the thought that he could mean Kim.

They were childhood friends and practically raised together. Same schools. Same hobbies. Even their parents belong to the same circle. Maybe Aiden has a bond with her. He did hug her while she cried.

“You mean my girlfriend?” Xander turns around and winks at me. “You want me to drive you home, babe?”

Aiden grips the steering wheel so hard, I’m surprised it doesn’t crush to pieces.

When he smiles at Xander, it’s almost manic. “Do you have a fucking death wish, Knight?”

“Do you, King?” Xander’s expression hardens until his jaw ticks.

I swallow past the lump in my throat. Despite the bruises from last week, they still look like they’re on the verge of cutting each other from limb to limb.

There’s no football team to stop them from killing each other this time.

“Hey,” I try to sound nonchalant as I open the backseat’s door. “Can one of you help me get Kim out of the car?”

Xander breaks the murderous war of glares and steps out of the car. He pulls her from my lap with ease. I catch a whiff of alcohol from him, but it’s not as strong as the tequila on Kim.

He lifts her in his arms bridal-style with so much ease like she’s a rag doll.

Her eyes crack open the slightest bit and she groans, head falling against his chest. Then, seeming a bit awake, she checks him out and pulls at his hair.

“You!” She slurs. “All because of you!”

“Kim.” I follow them.

“Elliiie.” She grins, and it’s surprisingly charming considering that she’s drunk. “Let’s commit muuurder!”

I smile. “Not a good idea, Kim.”

“Noope! Best ideaaa,” she slurs as her fingers lazily plunge in Xander’s hair, almost… stroking it? “Xaaan, am I pretty?”

“No.” He doesn’t even hesitate.

Her eyes shine with tears. “Are you ever going to forgive me?”

“No.”

“Fuuuuck. Youuu.”

Xander halts and I do, too, to avoid slamming into his back. Some staring contest erupts between him and Kim. Her eyes fill with unshed tears while his darken under the garden’s dim light.

A strong hand wraps around my arm and pulls me back, closing my connection with whatever is going on between those two.

Kim falls limp again and Xander punches in the code to their house.

Wait. He knows the code?

“It’s the last room on the second floor,” I tell him.

“I know that,” he says over his shoulder.

Okay. That’s not weird at all.

I’m sure Kim’s mother won’t come out from her workshop or even if she does, she wouldn’t care much. She’s very… open.

Once Xander disappears inside, I meet Aiden’s narrowed gaze. His posture is rigid at best. What is he angry at me for?

“What?”

“Close your doors and windows. All of it.”

“Uh, the house has an alarm system. We’ll be fine.”

“All of it,” he grits out. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

The hot and cold is giving me whiplash.

Even if he’s pissed off at Xander, he has no right to unleash his anger on me when I haven’t done anything wrong.

I hate it when people use a weaker opponent as the punching bag of their emotions.

A whip comes down my back and another and another. I scream so loud, my ears pop.

I flinch at the random vision. What in the ever living hell was that all about?

“Elsa?”

My gaze flicks to Aiden who’s clutching me by the shoulders as I almost topple over.

Wait. Did I just… lose time?

Aiden’s inquisitive eyes search into my soul. “What happened just now?”

“Nothing.”

“I don’t lie to you so give me the same respect in return and don’t fucking lie to me.”

“The same respect?” I wiggle free. “You and the word respect shouldn’t even be in the same sentence.”

“What happened to you just now?”

“I don’t want to tell you.”

How dare he demand that when he freaking triggered that vision?

“Either tell me or I’ll extract it out of you.” He grips my jaw. “I’ll find out anyway, the method is up to you.”

Screw him and his mind games.

All I want is to curl into a ball in a dark, small corner.

Just when I’m about to give him a piece of my mind, the front door opens and Xander comes out with a deep frown etched between his brows.