Ruthless Empire (Royal Elite #6) by Rina Kent

“Uh, excuse me?” I force a fake smile. “I ordered mayonnaise with my French fries.”

“Coming right up.” She smiles one final time. I glare at her back as she leaves and even when she brings it to me.

“The service here sucks,” I grumble.

Cole smiles.

“What are you smiling at?”

“Your jealousy can be adorable, Butterfly.”

“I’m not jealous.” I take my first bite of pizza and burn my tongue. Ow!

Cole slides the cup of cola to me, still smiling in that blood-boiling way.

“I’m not jealous,” I insist, taking a slurp of the drink. “I just wanted my mayonnaise.”

“Who even eats mayonnaise with French fries when they have pizza?”

“I do.” I stuff one in my mouth.

He leans over the table so his face is mere inches away and he reaches a hand to me. I freeze. What is he doing? Is he going to kiss me in public or something?

Oh, God.

Cole wipes my nose and then sits back down. “You had something there.”

I release a long breath, not knowing if I should feel relieved or disappointed. What the hell is wrong with me?

We spend the rest of the meal in easy conversation about other fiction authors Cole reads, which aren’t a lot. Aside from Haruki Murakami, there’s Helen, John Le Carré, Honoré de Balzac, Kahlil Gibran, and Lee Child.

Speaking of, Cole says there’s a new release by Lee Child that he needs to buy, so we swing by the bookstore after we leave the restaurant. He teases me all the way about my mayonnaise eating habit. He really does enjoy getting on my nerves.

So in the bookstore, I load the dice against him. “Hey, nerd. You’re supposed to live your life, not spend it stuck in books.”

“I have both.” He retrieves a few copies from the new release shelf. “I have fun and read books.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Didn’t I just prove it in the club, Butterfly?”

Touché.

“You’re still a nerd, Cole.”

“You still find it hot. I know you watch me when I read.” He winks. “I watch you when I read, too. Especially in the pool.”

“Pervert.”

“I think we’ve already established that. But so are you.”

“I’m not.”

“You are for me.”

“I said I’m not.”

Fine, so maybe I watch him a little. Okay, whenever I get the chance. Now that we live under the same roof, I can’t actually take my eyes off him, even if I try.

He runs his fingers over the books as he moves from one row to another and I swallow, recalling those same lean fingers inside me not so long ago.

I follow him like a lost puppy, unable to cut eye contact with his hand.

“Remembering something?” He smirks at me.

“No.” I stare at the opposite shelf.

“What did I say about that word?”

“What are you going to do about it?” I place a hand on my hip. “Fuck me in the middle of the bookstore?”

He stalks towards me, and before I know it, he cages my nape with his hand. He pushes me until my back hits the shelf, then he slams his free hand by my head. His lips inch forward until they’re a breath away from mine, as if he’s about to kiss me.

“You think I wouldn’t do it?”

“C-Cole, stop.” I search our surroundings, my heart beating fast.

“Don’t test me, Silver. I’m barely able to keep my fucking hands off you in public.”

“Silver and Cole sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” Ronan appears in front of us with a huge grin, grabbing Xan by the shoulder.

I push away from Cole, my cheeks flaming.

“By all means.” Xander motions between us. “Continue. We don’t even need popcorn.”

“There’s nothing to continue,” I say in a cool tone. Mum says even if you’re caught, act as if you did nothing wrong.

“Yeah, right, Queen B,” Xander huffs.

“Merde!” Ronan’s face falls. “Does this mean we can’t see your tits anymore?”

“Don’t mention them again or life as you know it will be over, Astor.” Cole’s face and voice remain calm, but the menace is clear in his eyes. “You too, Knight.”

“I knew you were the jealous type,” Xan grins, showing his dimples.

“You knew?” Ronan hits his shoulder.

“I suspected they were making babies at your house the other night.”

My face heats. “We weren’t!”

“Yes, you were.” Xander waggles his brows. “Aiden had to help drive you home after one of Cole’s sessions.”

“Under my damn roof and yet I’m the last to know? Again?” Ronan speaks in a dramatic voice. “I feel left out again. Now I have to see my therapist. Are you going to pay for his bill or take responsibility for the emotional damage? Are you? That’s what I thought. Why am I always left out of the cool stuff, merde?”

“It’s not what it seems.” I try to keep my calm façade, but I’m trapped with no way out.

Cole holds his paperbacks nonchalantly to his side. “It is.”

“Cole!” I glare at him.

“I knew it.” Xan extends his hand to Ronan. “Hand me my hundred.”