Ruthless Empire (Royal Elite #6) by Rina Kent

“Jonathan and I were talking,” Papa starts. “And we think it would be a marvellous idea to join our families through marriage. That is, only if both of you agree.”

If I were drinking something, I would’ve spat it all out right about now. It shouldn’t be a surprise that Papa and Uncle Jonathan would want to join forces, but I never thought it would be this soon or in this way.

“Aiden has no reason to disagree.” Jonathan raises his brows at his son. “Isn’t that right?”

“I’m fine with it,” Aiden says.

My eyes snap in his direction, asking him without words, what the hell he’s doing.

“Remember what I told you about becoming allies?” he whispers.

“But we’re only fifteen,” I tell Papa.

“There will be no marriage until at least after university, Princess. This is just putting the rocks in place.”

“Or rather, the chess pieces.” Jonathan sips from his drink.

I know the whole meaning behind this. Papa is a secretary of state who can help Uncle Jonathan, and in return, he’ll push him in the next elections towards Papa’s most coveted dream — becoming the prime minister.

He’s already gathering votes to become the leader of the Conservative Party, and by the next general elections, Papa will be the strongest leader of the country.

I want to help him with everything in me. I really do. But…something in my chest aches at the thought of being engaged to Aiden when —

No.

I won’t let my brain finish that thought.

My phone dings, and I apologise, pulling it out to shut it off. The name on the text notification stops me in my tracks.

Cole.

It’s almost like a sign. He messages me now to stop me before it’s too late.

My heart thumps so loud as I open the text.

Cole: You and Aiden deserve each other. You’re a bitch and he’s a psycho. One day, you’ll fall, Butterfly, and I’ll stand there and watch as you burn.

Something breaks inside my chest.

I hear it, feel it, I just can’t see it.

My eyes burn with tears, but I inhale deeply, disallowing them from spilling.

I’m a lady.

Ladies don’t cry in public.

“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to, Princess.” Papa smiles at me with so much warmth, I want to hug him all over again. “You know I’ll never force you to do anything.”

“I want to do it.” I manage a smile. “I’ll be engaged to Aiden.”

I’ll help Papa.

And most importantly, I’ll get over the cancer that’s been eating at me for years.

The cancer without a cure. Cole.





7





Doll Master





I’ve watched for long enough.

Waited for long enough.

The time has come to take the next step.

My beautiful doll has been growing up into a woman every day in front of my very eyes. She’s been becoming this next upgrade I cannot wait to touch, to run my fingers over.

To taste.

The problem with my pretty little doll is that she spends a lot of time with non-important people like her bitch mother whose only good quality is that she gave birth to her.

Or those friends who make her look stupid when she’s anything but.

My doll will keep growing up, and the more I see her, the surer I become about how she deserves to be number one in my collection.

The others aren’t like her. They never will be.

I used to be fine watching from the sidelines, being proud of my creation and of how she was turning out.

I liked the fact I knew about her and she didn’t know about me.

Isn’t invisibility a wonderful thing?

I’d played it before when I hid from my father. All I had to do was look at my doll and pretend he wasn’t there.

Other days, I’d go to the closet.

Hiding in the dark isn’t hard. At first, you see nothing. Then you might get scared. Then you feel things pulling you by the limbs, and soon enough, you become friends with those things.

The monster under the bed understood me when no one else did. He listened to me when no one else would, and for that reason, he’s my friend. All my demons are my friends. They sit with me when I plan and they’re there when I watch my pretty little doll.

But my demons and I don’t like being ignored. We’ve been on the sidelines for years now, watching quietly without making a sound.

A few weeks ago, I decided my pretty little doll should start getting acquainted with her master.

I chose an untraceable method, of course. So even if she freaked out and told her daddy about me, they wouldn’t be able to find me.

She didn’t.

My little doll can be an attention whore, which is understandable with the bitchy mother she has. My first text to her was, ‘You played the piano perfectly today.’

She read it with a furrowed brow and then she smiled. She lost that day and no one tells those who came second that they played perfectly. All they say is better luck next time.

However, Silver didn’t need luck. She needed encouragement and I gave her that.

Ever since then, I send her texts to compliment her, but also to tell her without being specific that I’m close. Maybe not enough to smell her — her scent is of cherry and Chanel most days — but I’m there.