Ruthless Empire (Royal Elite #6) by Rina Kent

Snap out of it, Silver.

“Your compliments are music to my ears, even better than your piano playing.” His lips brush against the shell of my ear. “And I love your piano playing.”

My heart beats so loud, it’s about to burst free of its confinements. It’s the first time he’s said that.

“Then why do you always make me lose in competitions?” I whisper.

“Because you act like a bitch.”

I wish I could punch him right now, but since countless students are buzzing around us, I can’t.

Cole must realise that, too, because his lips lift in an infuriating smirk. No, he didn’t only realise it, but he planned it all along. He loves taunting me in public, knowing that I can’t react to it. I swear he lives to torment my existence.

I can’t believe he was inside me yesterday. He pushed me to the table and touched me and fucked me and –

No.

I swallow the desire that bursts to the surface every time I recall what happened. Stop thinking about it. Just stop.

Huffing, I stride in Aiden and Elsa’s direction to continue my mission, but he places a hand on my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

“This is one of the bitch moments that make me retaliate, Silver.” His voice is still calm, but the fact he’s calling me by my name means he’s either pissed off or annoyed. Or both.

“Well, I don’t care what ticks you off, Cole.” I wiggle away from him because his touch makes me feel things I shouldn’t — even through my jacket and shirt. I clutch my hip and glare him down. “Besides, Aiden is my fiancé.”

He narrows his eyes but soon schools his expression. “So what? It’s not like you’ll marry him.”

“What makes you think I won’t?”

“Are you blind?” He steps slightly behind me so both of us are watching the scene ahead. His voice drops in volume as his breaths warm my ear. “Can’t you see the way he looks at her? He’ll never give you that, Silver. No one will.”

I tighten my grip on my hip, but it’s not because of Aiden and Elsa — I couldn’t give too shits about them.

It’s the last part of what he said.

No one will.

Why? Am I going to end up alone and sad like Mum? Will I have a daughter and make her worry about me twenty-four seven?

“Break it off.” Cole’s voice brings me out of my stupor.

“What?” I stare back at him.

“The fake engagement. End it.”

“It’s not fake.”

“Sometimes, I think you know me the best, and other times, it’s like you don’t know me at all.” He’s not touching me, but his close proximity is enough to make me aware of every word leaving his mouth, of his scent oozing with cinnamon and lime. Of his body warmth that mixes with mine.

For someone so cold, he’s so warm. I felt it. Hell, I still feel it with every step I take.

No baths or self-care home remedies will be able to remove the feel of him inside me.

“Did you really think I didn’t figure out you and Aiden were doing this whole thing to spite me?”

“W-what?” He knew all along?

“If I’d had the slightest doubt, it was eliminated when I knew you’d saved your virginity for me.”

“I…didn’t.”

“Why are you such a liar, Silver?”

“Why are you?” I elbow him discretely so no one else sees it.

He barely winces before his grin returns to the surface. “If you don’t end it amicably, I’ll step up. Believe me, you don’t want me to step up, Butterfly.”

“You don’t scare me, Cole.”

“But I can do other things to you.”

“In your dreams,” I hiss low enough so no one hears.

“We’ll see about that.” He motions at Aiden. “I was thinking about telling Aiden about our first time — your first time.”

“He wouldn’t mind. We’re open like that.”

“With Elsa in the picture, I wouldn’t be so sure.” He tugs on my hair. “End. It.”

And then he disappears from my back, leaving me empty.

No. Screw him. I’m not empty.

I focus back on Aiden and Elsa. She’s telling him something, or rather, yelling something at him, but he only smirks like the bastard he is.

Cole is right. It won’t be long before Aiden dumps me for her.

I hate it when Cole is right.

A new plan forms in my head. Elsa is jealous of me and she doesn’t even know about the engagement. Aiden wants her to be jealous because that would mean she cares about him, and his ego needs that confirmation more than anything.

I’ll make a deal with him; we stay engaged and I won’t mention a word about it to his precious ice princess.

In return, Cole will stay away.

Perfect.

“Hey, Sil.” Veronica and Summer join me as we go to class.

They’re both blondes — not naturally so — and their lives are all about the latest fashion and makeup trends and the best way to spend their daddies’ money.

Shallow doesn’t even begin to describe them, but they’re the camouflage I need for my image at school. Besides, it doesn’t matter if they get too close. They’ll never be able to read me.

“Hey, girls.” We air-kiss before they start talking about the latest stupid reality TV show that I don’t watch but pretend I do. It’s easy to do that. All I have to do is pick up on what they say and build on it.