Black Knight (Royal Elite #4) by Rina Kent

Maybe.

I’m about to deflect when Teal runs out of the house, cursing. She’s wearing jeans ripped at the knees, under which there are fishnet stockings.

Elsa laughs, her attention being robbed by her foster sister. “Knox spooked you again?”

“He’s a twat.” Teal regulates her breathing and takes a deep one as she watches me peculiarly for a second before she joins us.

Her white T-shirt for the day reads, No Man’s Land.

“Nice one.” I smile at her, thankful she saved me from Elsa’s questioning. I know my best friend will revisit the subject one day, but that day isn’t today.

Besides, when that day comes, I’ll just be ready for it.

Teal nods but says nothing as she sits on the other side of Elsa. Usually, she’d settle between us, and I’ve always thought it’s because she sees me as the middle line between her and her sister. I thought we were becoming friends. Hell, she even goes to Elites’ games with me.

Just not anymore.

Lately, she’s been keeping her distance as if she doesn’t want to be involved with me. Not that it should be a surprise. I don’t have the best track record with friends.

“Are you guys going to the game?” Elsa asks us.

“Wait, you’ll go?” Teal twirls the earbuds between her fingers.

“Sure.”

“What happened to I’ll never go to their games?” I poke her side.

“Aiden.” She smiles like an idiot. “It’s his last season and I want to be there for him.”

“Ohh,” I taunt her.

“Stop it. So are you going?”

“No, I have to take care of Kir.” And keep a distance from a certain arsehole with golden hair and ocean eyes.

I don’t even like football, but I’ve always gone to Elites’ games. I pretend it’s for the team, for Ronan, for the thrill, but it’s for him.

Only him.

I stand there, watching him from the beginning to the finish. I learnt the rules because he plays the game. I bought jerseys with Xander’s number nineteen for Kir because he loves him so much.

It’s pathetic.

And for that reason, it needs to stop.

I meant it earlier, I’m done.

“You should go, Kim.” Teal motions at Elsa’s juice and when she nods, she takes a sip. “Thirteen can use moral support.”

“Pretty sure Ro can use a different type of support.” Elsa grins.

Teal’s face remains neutral.

I laugh. “That he can. He’s been talking about that threesome again.”

“He mentioned it the other day, too.” Elsa shakes her head. “If he keeps doing that, he’ll get killed by Aiden before the end of the year.”

“I told him that. I swear he has no fear for his life.”

“He doesn’t?” Teal’s question stops us both in our tracks. “Have no fear for his life, I mean.”

Elsa hums, “Actually, I think he doesn’t. He said his father has his entire life planned for him, including his marriage and all, and he hates it.”

I nod. “I think he’s treating this as a last hurrah before he’s shoved to succeed his dad’s name and legacy.”

Teal’s lips twitch and I swear she’s about to smile, but she goes back to her signature poker face.

We drop the subject and Teal returns inside, peeking first so Knox doesn’t startle her again.

Then Elsa and I finish studying, and after I tell the girls goodbye, I pick up Kir.

Once we get home, we blast music and dance to it together, goofing around. He’s the only human I can dance this freely in front of. I’ve been teaching him moves and he’s been telling me I’m getting old.

The dork.

Mum comes out of her studio once to pick up supplies that are delivered. We lower the music and keep tickling each other and blocking our laughs so she doesn’t hear.

However, not once does she acknowledge our presence as she directs the deliverymen to carry the canvases to her studio.

Kirian’s pout appears as he watches her with puppy eyes, fidgeting, waiting for a smidge of her attention. It looks so much like me when I was a child.

You mean, even now.

I continue tickling him to divert his focus from her. As soon as the deliverymen leave and she closes her studio – that’s soundproof – we go back to dancing until we collapse.

It’s his bedtime anyway, so I usher him to his room.

“Can Xan come over?” Kir asks me once he’s put on his pyjamas and I’m tucking him in his bed.

“No,” I snap, then smile to camouflage it.

“But why not? It would be fun to dance with him.”

“I don’t like dancing in front of others. Only you, my little monkey.”

“And Dad!”

“And Dad.”

He FaceTimed us earlier and we spoke to him for thirty minutes. Kir didn’t shut up about school and his friends and how he’s the most popular one.

He is. Girls are starting to give him letters.

At least one of us isn’t a complete loser.

I told Dad I miss him and resisted the urge to ask him when he’s coming home this time. It’ll only make him feel guilty and I don’t want to ever do that to him.

“Are all the tickets really gone?” He narrows his eyes.