Steel Princess (Royal Elite #2) by Rina Kent

Aiden isn’t an open book, but he’s not completely closed off either. He has multiple layers that he carefully chooses which to hide and which to show.

His methodical thinking is maddening sometimes.

Okay, most of the time.

That doesn’t mean I’ll stop probing him.

We’re walking through the long hallway when I ask. “Were you a quiet kid?”

He narrows his eyes. “Have you been talking to Lev?”

That means Levi knows more about him than he’s letting on.

I lift an eyebrow. “Maybe.”

He grips me by the shoulder and pushes me to the side of the ninth tower.

My back hits the stone and he sandwiches me between the wall and his hard body.

“Don’t talk to Lev.”

“Why? Are you afraid I’ll figure everything out and you won’t be able to blackmail me with sex anymore?”

He lifts my chin with his thumb and forefinger. “You can lie to yourself and think that I’m blackmailing you with sex any day, sweetheart.”

The amusement in his tone pisses me off.

“Isn’t that the truth? If it were up to me, I’d vote for the story without the sex part of the deal.”

“Hmm. Is that why your tight pussy begs for my cock the minute I’m out of you? Or is that why you demanded, and I quote, Don’t you dare fucking stop?”

I block his mouth with a hand and search my surroundings with my cheeks in flames.

Damn him and his dirty mouth.

I’m almost sure he’s doing it on purpose to make me squirm at school.

He removes my hand to reveal a sly smile. His fingers thread in my hair, tugging the band free. And just like that, his poker face returns. “Don’t talk to Lev. I mean it.”

“If you have nothing to hide, why shouldn’t I?”

“It’s not about that. He won’t tell you anything.”

“Then what is it about?”

He scoffs and resumes walking. Aiden just freaking scoffed at the mention of his cousin.

I keep up with him, tying my hair back, and watching his body language intently. There’s something about his reaction that I can’t put my finger on.

“By the way,” I probe. “Isn’t Levi your cousin? Why did he specifically choose Cole for the captain position and not you?”

“Because Nash appears normal and he’s all about compromises and team spirit.”

Appears normal? As in he isn’t?

“Wow. Levi must take football more seriously than you. I guess that’s why he went professional and you won’t.”

He stabs me with a glare. “Are you done?”

“Done with what?”

“Idolising Lev.”

It hits me then. I suppress a smile. “You’re jealous of him.”

He remains silent, but I know I’m on point.

“You are.” I laugh. “Why? Because he was so popular? He had all the girls and the attention? Even Jonathan came to RES so many times because of him, and not you.”

“I don’t give a fuck about any of that.” He wraps a hand around my arm. “I told you not to idolise other men in front of me.”

“Does that mean I can idolise them behind your back?” I taunt.

He gives me the stink eye.

I laugh. “Is that a yes?”

“That’s cheating.” His expression darkens. “And you know my rules and my reaction to that.”

Geez. Only the level of Aiden’s possessiveness would consider idolising other men cheating.

Now that I think about it, if Aiden idolises any other woman in front of me, I might flip.

Hell. I dislike the woman he lost his virginity to and he didn’t even speak that highly of her.

I poke him as we continue walking towards our class. “Don’t worry, King. You’re popular, too. Levi is just more approachable.”

He continues glaring at me as I laugh. It’s fun to get on his nerves. It’s almost as if our roles are switching.

Maybe I really need to have a talk with Levi and see if he would tell me anything. I’ll have Astrid there to loosen him up.

God. I’m starting to think with a manipulative mind like Aiden’s.

Down the hall, Silver and Adam walk to class together. She doesn’t have the scarf or the bruise today. She must’ve done a killer makeup job to make it disappear.

Wait. Silver and Adam?

Now that I look closer, they’re not walking together or even talking.

However, their steps are almost in sync.

Wait.

It’s Adam.

He’s a few steps behind her, keeping his footsteps in sync with hers.

It stands out because he’s tall and buff and his steps are usually wide. He wouldn’t walk in moderate, elegant steps like Silver.

The latter is scrolling through her phone, appearing oblivious to her surroundings.

But is she oblivious to Adam’s existence, too?

Although they’re both bullies — Adam more so than Silver — they never struck me as being close. She wouldn’t have testified against him last year if they were.

But maybe I was wrong.

Silver slips inside the class. Adam pauses and meets my gaze.

It’s brief, barely a second, but it’s enough to send chills down my spine.

Stay the fuck away.

I can read it in his eyes even if he says nothing.