Ruthless Empire (Royal Elite #6) by Rina Kent

“From today onwards, Silver and I are engaged. We accept congratulations starting this Sunday. You can drop the gifts at the post office.”

“You’re what?”

“Engaged? She’s my fiancée? We’ll get married and have kids? That includes fucking on a daily basis, by the way.”

I lift my fist to punch him, but the smirk on his face stops me in my tracks.

He’s playing with me. He knows I never resort to violence and he’s now using this masquerade against me.

“Come on.” He motions at my hand. “Finish what your head is telling you to do.”

“Was this Jonathan and Sebastian’s doing?” I ask.

“And us. Nothing would’ve happened if she and I hadn’t agreed.”

“She agreed.” My hand drops to my side, the fight inside me withering to nothing.

Silver agreed to become Aiden’s fiancée.

What the hell is this thing breaking inside me?

“Of course she did. It’s me. Besides, you pushed her my way, Nash, and do you know what I’ll do now? I’ll play all the games you never wanted to play before.”

“And you’ll lose every fucking time.” I turn around to leave.

“Can’t wait,” he calls after me. “She has a tight cunt that I’m looking forward to tasting again tomorrow.”

I swing back and this time, I smash my fist in his face. He winces, clutching it, but he laughs out loud, the sound echoing in the room.

“What was that for, Nash? Do I smell jealousy in the air?”

“That’s a declaration of war. It might not be tomorrow or next year or even the next decade, but I’ll find a way to crush you.”

“Good luck with that. In the meantime, please enjoy my and Silver’s engagement.”

I storm out of the house before I throw the fucker out of the window. I jump on my bike and ride it in the rain.

For hours, I just roam the empty streets, my chest rising and falling heavily as the downpour drenches me. My T-shirt sticks to my back and my wet hair glues to my temples.

My head crowds with chaos so strong, I can’t begin to solve it. I usually need the beginning of the riddle, and no matter how much the thing is tangled, I’d figure it out. I’ll find a way and solve it.

Not this time.

This time, it’s almost like the chaos isn’t in my head — it’s in my chest. It’s aching and beating in and out of synch. Something tells me it’s not because of the rain or the cold.

She ruined it.

She ruined everything.

She killed the small living part in my chest, and now, I’ll kill her in return.

It might not be today or tomorrow, but Silver Queens will pay for this pain. I’ll make it slow and torturous, just like the thing dying in my chest.

I only return home around five thirty in the morning because it’s close to Mum’s waking time and I don’t want to worry her.

She worried enough for a lifetime when William Nash was alive.

I shrug my wet clothes off and stand under the shower for half an hour before I step out and put on my uniform, then join Mum downstairs.

The sound of humming stops me at the entrance to the kitchen.

Mum.

She’s singing.

It took her seven years, but Mum is singing again, and not only that, but she’s also doing it with a smile on her face as she checks the oven.

When I was a child, Mum used to sing me to sleep or when she made breakfast like this. She has a soft voice made for lullabies and sweet dreams. Over the years, William killed that voice. She stopped singing and even stopped writing. She went into a slump for the last three years of his life.

She picked up writing again soon after his death, even though she battled with depression. It was her outlet, something she found refuge in. However, she never sang again and I thought William had taken her voice with him.

Now, she’s found it. She dug it from the grave and got it out.

I drop my messenger bag on the chair and hug her from behind. “How is the best mother in the world?”

“Oh, darling.” She places a hand on my cheek and tiptoes to kiss me on the forehead. She hasn’t stopped doing that since I was a kid. “Have you stayed out?”

“How do you know that?” She shouldn’t. Her pills make her go out from ten to six. “Have you not been taking your pills, Mum?”

“No, I don’t need them to sleep anymore.” She smiles. “At least, not every day. Now, young man, where did you go?”

“Aiden’s. We were playing and lost track of time.”

“You better not have ridden your bike in the rain.”

“Is that my favourite citrus cake?” I kiss her on the cheek and take the plate before settling at the counter.

She shakes her head and starts dragging things in front of me as I eat my slice of cake. There’s coffee, juice, jam, eggs, bacon, toast, butter, and what’s fit to feed an army. Mum has always cooked things that feed a large family.

“You’ve been radiant lately, Mum.”

“I have?” She touches her chestnut hair that she’s started to let loose. Her eyes sparkle, and it’s the most beautiful view. She has lived as a shell of herself for years. Even after William’s death. Once, I heard her tell Ronan’s mother that, sometimes, she thinks maybe William will come back.