Vicious Prince (Royal Elite #5) by Rina Kent

Still, cosy. Aiden said cosy. What does cosy mean? They’re sitting together under the tree and reading poetry? They’re talking — which is as cosy as Teal would get? Maybe they’re writing their own book titled How to be Fucked Up, and Other Questions.

Even as I tell myself that, my blood boils with every step I take. They’re not even in view and I’m about ready to cut a bitch and murder a fucker.

I try not to think of small things, like the fact that Cole was the first one she openly greeted when she first transferred to RES.

Or how when we watch games at Aiden’s house, he’s the only one she’ll willingly sit beside, and how she even listens to him when he speaks.

He’s not her type.

Then I recall the fucking fact that he’s the one who accepted her into his club and that he knew she’d be there that night. A coincidence, the bastard said.

There’s no coincidence with Cole. He plots everything to a T then pretends it’s been a coincidence all along.

The fucker.

My feet come to a stop of their own volition. Sure enough, Cole and Teal are sitting on the same bench, reading from a book.

They’re reading from the same fucking book like in some period drama.

Teal tucks her hair behind her ear. It’s useless. Her strands are too silky and will fall over her face in no time. She smiles up at Cole, and the fucker smiles back as if this is some sort of cheesy teen film.

My vision turns red.

I don’t care if this is planned by Cole and Aiden; they’ll all learn their places — starting with Teal.

A hand grips my arm, stopping me in my tracks. I stare down at Silver’s calculative features, her bitch mask in place and ready for trouble.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“Aiden sent me a text to meet him here.”

Of course he did. That arsehole is out for blood while he’s shagging his girlfriend somewhere.

“He’s not here,” I mutter while gritting my teeth.

“I can see that.” Her gaze doesn’t leave Cole and Teal as she releases me and folds her arms.

“What are you going to do about it, queen bee?”

“What makes you think I’ll do anything?”

“Come on, Silver, it’s me. We both know you’re plotting trouble in that pretty little head of yours.” I grin. “How about a collaboration?”

She raises a brow. “A collaboration?”

“Cole and Teal think they can play everyone, but they didn’t consider us, did they?”

Her lips curve in a smirk, and I smirk back.

I warned Teal. I told her she’s fucked, but she didn’t listen.

If words didn’t put her in her place, action will.





18





Teal





Researching on Google is tricky. You have to know which resources to believe and which to chalk up to rumours.

Like the latest gossip about the Astor family. I wonder if Ronan knows about his uncle’s return and where the mighty earl is rumoured to have taken Charlotte the past months.

Not that I should care if Ronan knows or not. He’s an Astor, after all. If some forums on the internet know, he probably does, too.

Dad and Agnus always tell us to stay away from the internet’s rabbit hole since it says more lies than truths, but there’s no smoke without fire.

I can already see the Astor family’s demise, because I’ll make sure of it.

The only person who makes my chest do some strange stuff is Charlotte. I wish I could do this without implicating or hurting her, but as they say, there are no victories without sacrifices.

I’m so sorry, Charlotte.

Maybe I should stop the hypocritical stuff and not visit or text her anymore.

I switch to the article about the correlation between death and fear. It’s about how humans are instinctively afraid of dying, even those who are suicidal.

Fear of death is a foreign concept to me. Why would you be scared of something that will eventually happen? It’s coming anyway, so might as well make the trip towards it worthwhile.

“Death and war. Interesting.”

My head rises at Cole’s serene voice. He slides beside me, clutching a book called Calila e Dimna that has animal illustrations on it.

“Interesting book,” I say.

“I know. I finally got my copy.” He motions at my phone. “But it’s not as interesting as your article.”

I stare back at my phone. Death and Fear in Times of War.

I make the screen go black, not because I’m ashamed to read about it, but because Cole’s book seems more fascinating.

Cole is in his uniform, minus the jacket, and the sleeves of his shirt are rolled to beneath his elbows. With the calm expression on his face, he seems like one of those handsome book nerds whom the girls admire from afar. It’s for different reasons than Aiden. My sister’s boyfriend doesn’t care — at all. Cole does, but in a dispassionate kind of way.

When I came to RES, he approached me first and talked to me as if we’d known each other our entire lives. We also share certain…tendencies.

While our interactions are easy and raise no alarm, I know Cole always has a purpose up his proper sleeve.

He sold me out once, and if he thinks I didn’t figure it out then he doesn’t know who he’s dealing with.