Ruthless Empire (Royal Elite #6) by Rina Kent

“Why don’t you go after her?” I ask Xander who’s still watching the place she stood in, his fingers strangling the bottle.

“Why don’t you?”

“I…can’t.”

“Maybe I can’t either.”

“You were her best friend, Xan. She needs you more than she ever needed me.”

“So now you care? You didn’t when you were acting like a bitch towards her.”

“You aren’t a saint either. She used to always brag about how you promised to never leave her and that you’re her knight.”

He swallows, his Adam’s apple moving with the motion. “Yeah, whatever.”

“What happened back then, Xan?”

“Nothing. Or maybe everything.” He throws a dismissive hand and chugs down the entire vodka-juice down his throat. “What are you doing here anyway?”

The reason why I came slams to the front of my mind. “Searching for Cole. Helen needs him and can’t reach him.”

Lies and lies and more fucking lies.

“Oh.” He blinks slowly. “Are you sure you want to interrupt him?”

“Yes.”

“It won’t be pretty.”

“Let me worry about that.”

“Whatever. He’s in the west wing, second room to last.”

I kiss his cheek. “You’re the best.”

“You bet.” He winks.

The only reason I don’t run is because I’m not supposed to.

You never know where reporters are hiding, Silver. Always be on your best behaviour in public, Babydoll.

Mum’s words are engraved in my head like a mantra.

As soon as I ascend the stairs and I’m out of everyone’s view, I run all the way down the hall, ignoring both the pain from my heels and the one in my chest.

Images of that bound girl I saw on Cole’s phone flash in my head like a horror film.

Stopping in front of the door, I realise that my heart hurts. So much that I feel like I’ll throw it all up if I’m touched in any wrong way.

Do I really want to see what’s inside? Do I want to witness it with my own eyes?

Maybe I should go back, bring out my journal and curse him in it.

And then what? Cry myself to sleep like a pathetic fool?

I won’t do that. I’m not a coward. Cole Nash will never break me.

Taking a deep breath, I grab the handle and push. It’s locked.

Shit. Of course it’s locked. Why had I thought Cole would not think of that?

I don’t leave, though. I knock.

That’s what you do when you’ve decided to attack — you can’t pull back. You have to get on with it. Finish it. Conquer it.

If you lose, so be it. At least you tried.

I raise my hand to knock a second time, but the door opens and my fist nearly hits Cole’s chest. I’m tempted to do just that, but the shadow peeking from inside stops me.

He’s still wearing the T-shirt and jeans from earlier. His face is neutral except for the small twitch at the corner of his lips. “Why, Silver, what are you doing here?”

I push him aside and barge inside. The girl, Jennifer, sits on the bed in only her lace bra and underwear. She doesn’t even try to hide her nakedness.

My blood boils at seeing her. She’s like me, or rather, a fake me with fake blonde hair that’s filled with extensions and fake blue eyes and fake everything.

“Silver?” She stares between me and Cole, who’s still standing at the door. “I thought we were going to play. What is your sister doing here?”

Sister.

Freaking sister?

“Kicking your butt out.” I gather her stupid skirt and T-shirt off the floor and hand them to her. “Out.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” She has an annoying voice that I want to hit the mute button for. “What makes you the boss of me?”

I grab her by the arm, my nails digging into her flesh.

She whines. “Stop her, Cole.”

He doesn’t.

He just stands at the entrance with that blank expression that I’m sure harbours the devil and his minions.

Ignoring him, I drag Jennifer outside and throw her clothes behind her.

She picks them up, shaking her head. “No one mentioned anything about a crazy sister.”

“I’m not his fucking sister!” I slam the door shut to mute her voice.

My breathing is shallow and harsh as I stand facing the door.

There. Another one out of the way.

Mum is right. Women can conquer.

“Not my fucking sister, huh?” A sinister voice whispers from behind me.

It’s then I realise what I’ve done and that I’m all alone with Cole.

Now that I stopped whatever he was planning, I can go. I place my hand on the handle when he speaks, “Leave and I’ll call Jennifer to finish what we started.”

I whirl around and fold my arms over my chest. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Proving that you want me, even if you don’t like to admit it.”

“We both know that’s not true.”

He strokes a strand of hair behind my ear, murmuring, “We both know you’re a liar.”

My breathing loses its regular rhythm as his hand stays beside my face.

“You dressed up for me, put on red lipstick, your fuck-me heels, and your favourite Chanel perfume.” He sniffles me, and I fight the need to lean in and smell him too. “But I prefer your hair loose.”