Vicious Prince (Royal Elite #5) by Rina Kent

“No, but…” She stares up at me, biting her lip. “You’re my friend, too, and I think you need to know this.”

“Know what?”

“I think Teal has always had a crush on Agnus.”

Fucking Agnus again. The next time I see that man, something childish and out of character will happen — or criminal, depending on my mood.

“For the record, I like you best, Ro.” Elsa pats my hand that’s dangling on her shoulder. “Agnus is manipulative as hell, and I don’t like that he’s important to Dad’s business. If I have to pick a side, it’ll undoubtedly be yours.”

I place a hand on my heart. “I knew you loved me. Now, about that threesome Aiden shouldn’t know about…”

“Stop it.” She chuckles.

“I swear my dick is bigger than his.”

“How would you know that?”

“Shower, Ellie. Ever heard of it? Aiden and I have taken them together more times than I could count.”

Her cheeks redden. “I didn’t need that image.”

I waggle an eyebrow. “Yes, you did. Now, let’s plot the fun we’ll have without him.”

“Without who?” Aiden’s voice cuts into my plan like a devil’s sword. He yanks my arm off Elsa’s shoulder and plants himself between us as he holds her to him by the waist. “From today onwards, you’re not allowed near Elsa when I’m not here.”

“Question is, how would you know if you’re not here?” I taunt. “Nice jersey.”

He cuts me a glare and I grin. He changed into the team jersey and shorts before he found out practice was cancelled. Since I’m still in my uniform, it means I knew all along and didn’t tell him.

Pushing Aiden’s buttons. Good times.

“Elsa was just agreeing to the threesome,” I continue. “You’re welcome to watch.”

Elsa motions at me to shut up, seeming worried about my safety. I expected Aiden to threaten my life and remind me of the grave he’s been digging for me since the beginning of the year, but he smirks instead.

The fuck? Is he immune to it now?

No, come on. Provoking Aiden so he shows his non-poker face is one of my recent favourite hobbies.

So, I go with it and snap my fingers. “This means you’re cool with it, right? Ellie, I meant it about the size, and —”

He cuts me off. “How is your fiancée, Astor?”

I smile. “Probably performing some satanic rituals.”

“Hey!” Elsa scolds me.

I pretend to grin back. What Elsa doesn’t know is that I need to keep up the façade, need to make everyone believe I don’t give two fucks about Teal — even she needs to know that. She needs to realise there’s no way in fuck she’ll become my weakness like Aiden is parading his around in the form of Elsa.

I don’t have weaknesses. I have people.

Lots of fucking people who fill every corner of my life.

So what if Teal stands out from that crowd? So what if I’ve been looking for her during lunch break and haven’t found her? I won’t show it or ask about her.

She’ll be the one who’ll admit her fault and come back to me, not the other way around.

I’m an earl’s heir. We never show our true emotions.

“I see,” Aiden muses. “That must be why she’s with Cole then. You know, for pointers.”

What the fuck is she doing with Cole?

As if reading my mind, Aiden’s smirk widens. “You know his rituals. They can get…interesting.”

“Uh-huh.” I don’t know how I manage to get that out with how firmly I’m gritting my teeth.

“They’re in the garden, near the back.”

Cole is with Teal in the garden, where he usually reads alone like a creep. What is he doing there with her?

And what is she doing with Cole instead of coming to me?

“I didn’t ask.” I smile at Aiden.

“I’m just saying. They were cosy.” He’s talking to me, but his lips are whispering the words against Elsa’s forehead. “Send me updates.”

And then he disappears with his girlfriend down the hall, and not in the direction of the pitch.

For a second, I stand there, processing Aiden’s words. He could be lying to get a rise out of me, but that’s the problem: he doesn’t — lie, I mean. He likes chaos, but not to the point of making things up.

Cole and Teal are cosy.

I run a hand through my hair. Fuck!

“Hey, Ron.” Claire’s soft voice barges through my head before she grabs me by the arm. “You look tense. Do you want me to loosen you up? Reese would help, too.”

I stare at her face, but I’m not seeing her. My dick is so flaccid, Ron Astor the Second is about to start weeping — and not in a good way.

Claire and her friend do shit for me now. I never even planned to fuck them, and my challenge to Teal yesterday was only that — a challenge. I never planned to act on it. I’m almost sure she never meant to act on her threat either.

So what the fuck is she doing with Cole?

“Later, Claire.” I push her and her disappointed expression out of view as I hurry to the other entrance of the school and towards the garden.

I try telling myself Cole isn’t her type. She prefers older and fucked up.