Steel Princess (Royal Elite #2) by Rina Kent

I push the hazy memory away and stagger to my feet. As soon as I open the door, I’m attacked by a hug from Kim.

“Where were you today? I missed the hell out of you. I’m officially not going to college without you.”

“Hey, Kim,” I smile in her neck before pulling away.

“Brought chips.” Ronan motions at his bag.

Xander shakes his head. “More like he stole them from Margo.”

“La ferme, Knight. No chips for you.” Ronan pushes him and Kim aside to clasp me in a bear hug. “How’s my second favourite girl?”

“Second favourite?” I nudge him in the stomach.

“Sorry, Ellie. Kimmy came first in my heart.”

Both Kim and I laugh as I wrap my arms around him, feeling about ready to cry again.

I didn’t realise how much I needed their friendship until now.

I know the horsemen aren’t the type to offer their support, so the fact that they showed up for me makes me grateful.

Ronan is known as a player, not a friend. A hug from him isn’t to be taken for granted.

“King is here!” Xander shouts and Ronan jerks back from me.

Xander burst out laughing.

Ronan hits him upside the head and drags him to the lounge area with a laughing Kim following after them.

I laugh, too, closing the door. I stop when another one comes inside.

“Hey, Elsa,” Cole gives me his welcoming smile.

“Oh, Cole.” Didn’t Aiden say he won’t be coming?

“You seem surprised to see me.”

“No. I’m glad you’re here.”

I really am. I always felt more comfortable around Cole. Even though Ronan and Xander crack me up, there’s something about Cole’s calm that soothes everyone in his vicinity.

It’s not the threatening calm like Aiden’s. It’s a wise-pacifying type of calm.

We all walk to the lounge area. Ronan and Xander are fighting playfully — mostly — and Cole goes to break up the fight.

I search in the refrigerator for something to drink.

Kim joins me, propping her elbows on the counter opposite me. There’s a spark in her eyes as she watches her surroundings.

“So this is the Meet Up. It’s such a legend from how everyone at RES talks about it. I didn’t expect it to be so… cosy.”

“Yeah.” I bring out bottles of juice and place them on the counter.

“What’s going on, Ellie?” Kim rounds the counter and takes my hands in hers. “King said that you’re not feeling well and we should visit. He scared the shit out of me. I thought something like the other time happened.”

I bite my lower lip. “It’s about my past.”

She blinks twice. “Your past?”

“I’ll tell you all about it. Just not now.” I motion at the commotion in the lounge area. “Later, okay?”

She hugs me. “I love you and I’m always here for you whenever you’re ready.”

“Don’t make me cry, Kim.”

“We can cry together.”

I wrap my arms around her and we stay like that for long seconds.

“Ooh, is there room for one more?” Ronan’s voice cuts through the moment.

We pull apart to find Xander and Ronan watching us.

Xander is glaring — at Kim, not me.

Ronan is grinning like an idiot. “By all means, don’t stop on my account. Proceed, Mesdemoiselles.”

That gets him a slap upside the head from Xander.

“Ow, what was that for, fucker?” He’s about to attack Xander.

The latter ducks and heads to the refrigerator. He ignores the juice and pulls a beer.

“I knew Captain Levi keeps this place loaded.”

“That would be King,” Cole corrects, grabbing his own beer.

“So, Ellie,” Ronan wraps an arm around my shoulder and leads me to the lounge area where everyone is headed. “Remember my suggestion about a threesome the other time?”

I laugh. “I do.”

“I changed my mind about the participants and I came up with a brilliant plan. We’ll put sleeping powder shit in King’s water and get rid of him. Then, the threesome will be you, me, and Kimmy.” He waggles his eyebrows. “Genius, right?”

“You know Aiden will wake up at some point, right?”

“It’ll be worth it even if he kills me.” He stops. “Alors?”

“I don’t know.”

“Pff. I guess it’ll just be me and Kimmy then. Your loss, Ellie.”

“In your dreams, fucker.” Xander slams his shoulder into Ronan’s on his way inside.

“If you want to drug Aiden, it’d be more effective if you put the powder in an alcoholic drink.” When I raise my head, both Ronan and Xander watch me with curious expressions. “Just saying.”

“Have you ever seen King drink?” Xander flops on the sofa right beside Kim who visibly stiffens.

Right. Aiden doesn’t drink. “Why doesn’t he drink?”

“He thinks it’s beneath him,” Cole says from beside me.

“Which is cool since he’s an alien, anyway.” Ronan barges between Xander and Kim and wraps an arm around her shoulder. “Isn’t that right, Kimmy?”

She smiles, but it appears more from relief rather than agreement.