Deviant King (Royal Elite #1) by Rina Kent

I take Aiden’s momentary distraction, run inside the house, and lock it.

I remain behind the door and peek through the lounge area’s tall windows. Xander has crossed over to his house. Aiden remains where I left him, staring at the door.

Ten seconds pass.

Twenty.

Thirty.

Sixty.

His poker face is on as he follows Xander.

My phone vibrates in my back pocket and I jump.

Aiden: A queen or a pawn.

Aiden: You don’t want me to make the move for you.

With a groan, I power off my phone and tuck it back in my pocket.

Screw him and his mindfuckery.

My eyes flutter closed and then open when that vision assaults me.

Only, it wasn’t a vision, was it? It was a memory.

Something that happened in my life.





Chapter Twenty-Three





“Remind me to never drink again.” Kim groans from behind the wheel of her car.

She cursed me all ways to Sunday when I woke her up this morning. She only appears a bit human because I gave her Advil and Kirian helped me in preparing her hot soup for breakfast.

If it weren’t for Kir’s school, she might’ve never left the house.

Her hair is in a messy bun atop her head and her uniform is barely in order.

I’m not in any better shape either.

Sleep has eluded me most of the night — I chased it away by drinking a gallon of coffee.

The thought of a nightmare terrified me. I don’t sleep after visions as Dr Khan calls them.

Visions.

As if I’m psychic or something.

They were memories, not visions.

To chase them away, I studied, re-read the Art of War by Sun Tzu and I might have spied on Xander’s house from Kim’s balcony.

Aiden spent the night there — since his car remained in the driveway. I hoped Xander’s parents were home to prevent any murder plots between Elites’ strikers.

I dozed off after dawn, and when I woke up, Aiden’s car wasn’t there.

“I look like shit, don’t I?” Kim asks.

“Not worse than me.” I sigh, then face her. “What actually happened last night?”

“Aside from drinking?” She hits her head. “I don’t remember much.”

“When Xander carried you last night, you apologised and asked for his forgiveness. What is that supposed to mean?”

She throws me a terrified look. “X-Xander carried me?”

“All the way to your room.”

“And you let him?”

“To my defence, I couldn’t carry you inside.”

“Shit.” Her eyes almost bulge as she glances at me. “What else did I do?”

I hold up my fingers and count. “You pulled Xander’s hair, asked him if you were pretty, then you asked if he forgives you, then you cursed him.”

She groans, head bowing. “Someone kill me. Let’s go home. I can’t physically be at school today. I’ll stuff you with ice cream and not tell a word about it to your aunt. ”

“I don’t think it was that bad.” I laugh. “At least you didn’t get kissed in front of the whole school.”

Kim hits the brakes so hard, I would’ve tumbled forward if I hadn’t the seatbelt on.

“Kim!”

“You…” She swallows, giving me a frantic look. “Y-you were kissed by Xander?”

“Xander? No. Aiden.”

“Aiden?”

I lift a shoulder, feeling subconscious.

Her eyes widen, but it’s not in a judgemental way. “Wow… I don’t know how to comment on that.”

“I’m still not wrapping my head around it either.” And all the things we did in private.

I climaxed. Twice.

I hide my head in my hands, groaning. “It was in front of the whole school, Kim. I don’t know what the hell am I going to do about that.”

“Do you… like him?” she asks almost hesitantly.

Do I?

Aiden destabilizes me. From the beginning, he has never looked at my surface. He dug his nails deeper and brought out sides of me I didn’t even know existed. He toys at forbidden lines that rattle me to the bones.

I crave his sickness. I’m becoming attuned to his darkness and intensity.

But do I like him?

It takes a level of trust to like a person, and I can safely say that I don’t trust Aiden.

Or maybe I don’t trust myself around him.

“No.” I groan. “I don’t know.”

Kim makes an affirmative sound as if she knows what that means. “But you liked the kiss?”

“I… don’t know. Maybe? I was kissed in my previous school but it wasn’t all that consuming, you know?” I pause, peeking at her through my lashes. “You’re not going to judge me?”

“Hell to the no.” She faces me and leans over to half-hug me. “I’m always on your side, Ellie. You need some adventure in your life and consuming kisses sound like one hell of a start.”

I didn’t know I needed her approval until she voiced it. I squeeze her arm, silently telling her how grateful I am.

“Just…” Kim’s features sober up. “Be careful, okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“I just don’t want you to see you hurt.”