Twisted Kingdom (Royal Elite, #3)

by Rina Kent

“You have yourself another enemy.” Queens studies her pink nails. “Why am I not surprised?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be gone?” I stare at the top of her head. “Charming, as usual, King.”

“Don’t you have someone else to bug? Oh, wait. He’s not speaking to you.” “You’re ...

“You know, I was thinking about helping you out, but I...

Queens was completely against this when I ordered her before. She didn’t budge even when I threatened to expose everything to Nash.

One: somehow she was persuaded. Two: she’s taking revenge against me.

“It’s because of her,” she huffs. “I might have unnecessarily been a bitch towards her.”

“Yeah, but I’m not worse than you.” She points a finger at my chest. “At least I didn’t hide something so big from her.” “Shut it, Queens.” “Whatever.” She walks by my side as we head across the pitch.

“Oh, by the way.” She flips her hair back. “You’ll...

Of course. She’s using my desperation to get what she wants. Just like fucking Nash. I swear they...

Alicia used to say that in order to be accepted, you have to bare yourself.

You’re cancer who’ll keep eating me from the inside out until there’s nothing left. I’m done being your pawn.

I’m done being played. I’m choosing me this time. Not you. Me!”

“That’s smart,” Silver says.

“Queens,” Aiden warns.

“Fine.” She rolls her eyes and faces me. “The eng...

“King and I were promised to each other since we were kids. We used it to get into our fathers’ good graces. That’s it. We ne...

“I would rather die before marrying this bastard. He’s an...

“Mutual, Queens.” He smiles at her wi...

“Then why…” My voice comes out scratchy and I clear my throat. “Why did you act so territorial about him?”

“I needed to stay engaged to him for other reasons, but he wanted to end our arrangement because of you. I figured if I pushed you out of the way, he’ll keep his side of the deal.”

“I can’t say. I mean… It’s personal.” She meets my gaze with a determined one. “We’re ending the arrangement in front of our parents somewhere next week. I’ll be completely out of your hair.”

“That’s all from me.” She throws up her hands dismissively. “Good luck with this twat. You’ll need a lot of it.”

She flips him her middle finger on her way out. Aiden returns the gesture without breaking eye contact with me.

“What are you expecting? A kiss or something?”

“That would be a good start. Although I have dirtier things in mind.”

“Do you really think I’ll jump into your...

“And bed and sofa, and the fucking wall.” The sadism shines bright on his fac...

“If you think what Silver said will let bygones be bygones, you’re utterly wrong.”

Every time I decide to give you a chance, you stomp all over my heart and prove me wrong, so excuse me if I have no trust to give anymore.”

“I never fucked Silver,” he says in a detached tone. Wait. What?

“You heard her. We can’t stand each other.”

“You don’t have to stand her to fuck her.” “Yes, I do.” I watch him

“But you didn’t deny you had her as a fuck buddy.” “I didn’t ...

“Why the hell didn’t you?” “I liked seein...

“Besides, Nash will have my head on a stick if I come within two metres of his stepsister.” He lifts a shoulder. “I need my head.”

“Run and I’ll chase. Hide and I’ll conquer.” He places a chaste kiss on the corner of my mouth. “Time to make your move, sweetheart.”

“It’s not fine. Daddy says children can’t get cold or they’ll get sick. I don’t want you to get sick.”

I’ve even given him my Maltesers and he still wouldn’t smile as big as I do.

“If you keep your promise, I won’t get sick.”

I grin and lean my head on his shoulder. It’s warm, his shoulder, even though the rest of him isn’t. “I will! Absolutely.”

Or the warmth of his shoulder when I laid my head against it. Or how easy our interactions were. We’re like two pieces of the same puzzle, him and I.

He was beautiful even back then — with his boyish features and tousled hair. He grew up to be lethal. The words we exchanged play in a loop in my mind. We made a promise. How come I don’t remember it?

You’re the one who never keeps h...

Surely, a promise made by a seven-year-old and an eight-year-old can...

Since Aiden and Silver talked to me on Friday, I went back to stalking him. What?

The longer I stare at his face in the pictures, at his midnight hair and cloudy eyes, at his infectious smile and the devil inside, the harder I’m tempted to reach out to him.

Agnus got everyone of us that same alarm clock with blue numbers instead of red. He said it’s better for relaxation.

He’s always busy making our lives better down to the smallest details. Knox mentioned that he took care of them, the company, and my comatose Dad during the past ten years.

The loyalty he holds for Dad is admirable, to...