Royal Bully (Mafia Royals 0.5)

Next was Junior, flanked to her right, arms crossed, looking too bulky, a bit broken, he stood to her right like he was ready to protect her, he locked eyes on her like he would do anything for her. He was all muscle, and for the first time since enrolling, I noticed an Eagle tattoo down the left side of his neck by his ear, his hair was buzzed short to the sides of his head, but on top it was long, luscious like a freaking supermodel’s golden halo. And like slow motion, Asher moved to the right and held out his hand to me.

Me.

Wait.

I looked at his hand.

Then I looked back up at the two of them. Serena nodded slowly while Junior looked away like he wanted nothing to do with it.

His hesitation seemed wrong.

Slow motion, it was all slow motion, just like drinking poison and knowing it’s going to kill you as it slides quickly down your throat, your life flashes before your eyes, you tell yourself you’ll fight, you’ll scream. You tell yourself that you’re different.

And then the poison hits.

And you realize, you’re just like them.

I took Asher’s hand, noticing the cuts on both of us that bonded us together right along with the sickness in my chest that said I couldn’t survive without him.

And just like that, the rest of the cars pulled up.

And one by one, all of the cousins got out.

Serena and Junior in front. Maksim, Breaker, Izzy, Violet, and us in back.

All wearing black.

Maybe because this was like their funeral.

Maybe because it was everyone else’s.

I swallowed the lump of fear in my throat as the most beautiful and lethal people in the known world walked right up behind us, fully armed, and looked down at their kingdom. Evil grins on their faces like they couldn’t wait to bring on suffering and destruction.

And I had to wonder, is this what their parents had in mind when they had kids? To make carbon copies of themselves? Or to create better lives for them?

All I knew was that the devil descended on Eagle Elite that day.

And I held his hand.

“What happens next?” I asked in a hollow voice.

Serena was the first to answer, she turned to me, handed me a pair of Gucci sunglasses, and said. “Whatever the hell we want.”

“Yours to command,” Junior said with a smirk like he was going to bow to a queen, and maybe, he was.

“After you cousin.” Asher put a hand on her shoulder.

And I watched the princess begin her reign of terror as she walked ahead of everyone down a line of gawking students to take her place in history.

Chapter Eight

Asher

I would take it to my grave—but I finally understood what it felt like, that raw power coursing through your veins with each pump feeding the addiction, the justification for more and more until you’re sick with it.

Students watched us in awe as we made our way down the sidewalk. Professors paled, the braver students pulled out their cameras and started snapping pictures.

Serena kept her head held high, her smug smile in place, I knew the princess had finally found her throne, and she would bring death and destruction because she was good at it.

Because she was Nixon Abandonato’s firstborn.

Because he’d trained her well.

Too well as far as I was concerned, at least I wasn’t the unlucky son of a bitch that had to spar with her, no that honor went all the way to Junior.

I watched them closely. I knew what we had to do. One day they’d realize I was saving their lives, protecting us from a war, keeping the families together.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” Claire said, squeezing my hand.

“Tough shit,” Serena said in a cold voice. “You made your choice, you’re one of us now.” Her face softened a bit even though she continued walking. “You’ve always been. You’re Nikolai’s niece, the fact that you ever thought you could have a normal life is laughable.” She gritted her teeth. “We’re in this curse together.”

Claire licked her lips “At least we have each other.”

Junior glanced behind us as four of our cousins followed closely behind. “We just brought a fucking army; they don’t stand a chance.”

“They never did,” I muttered as more students started gathering around us. I leaned down and whispered into Claire’s ear, “Play along.”

She frowned.

Not enough time to explain.

It was the perfect opportunity.

My brain worked in violent, manipulative ways, and I knew all of Serena’s hot buttons, she hated losing control, and she was jealous as shit.

She gave Junior a black eye when she found out he had to go to a strip club to grab an informant.

I always wondered why she was so pissed over it, now at least I knew.

I mean, the guy was there five seconds.

Maybe six, and that’s me being generous.