Malum: Part 1 (The Elite King's Club 4)

But I am still human, and a girl, so pain rips through my flesh, cutting me open and exposing all of my impurities and insecurities. He’s never been so cruel to me—ever. Yeah, he’s Nate Riverside, the school playboy, but he has never been cruel. I feel like my world has stopped spinning, gravity threatening to release.

Picking up the pizza box and my shoes, I make my way into the pool house, leaving Nate’s stupid shirt on the porch.

I flop onto the bed, dropping the pizza box on the coffee table and close my eyes. So. Fucking. Drunk.

The next morning, I wake at seven with a pounding headache. Slipping in and out of the shower quickly, I throw on some skinny jeans that I bought yesterday and a slightly loose shirt. As soon as I’m inside the main house, I can hear Micaela and I quickly round the corner that leads from the sitting room into the kitchen, but my smile falls when Nate has her on the dining table.

His eyes come to mine, but he looks right through me before going back to Micaela.

“Oh, morning, Tillie!” Elena says, walking into the kitchen with a coffee mug between her palms. It feels awkward, and the words Nate said to me are ringing in the back of my head.

“Morning. Thank you for watching her last night.” But it won’t be happening again.

“Oh.” She brushes my comment away. “Don’t even mention it. We had lots of fun. How was your night?”

I pause, swallow and then shuffle uncomfortably. “It was, fun,” I lie, because I don’t have the energy to get into anything right now.

Nate is still ignoring me when Elena tells me to again, help myself to the kitchen. I don’t like it, so I shake my head. I’ll have to go shopping today after looking for a job. This blows.

I make my way into the dining room, taking the seat far away from Nate.

He licks his lips and stands, handing her to me. I ignore the ache that sets over me when his arm brushes against mine as he lays her in my arms.

“I won’t be back tonight. Text me if you need me.” Then he looks up to his mom. “Did you write up the contract?”

What? I look between both of them, confused. Elena’s pained face flinches. “Not yet, and you’re not leaving yet. Sit down, we all need to talk.”

Nate shakes his head. “Nah, fuck that. You know where I stand.”

“Nathanial! Sit!” His mother points back to his chair. Shit.

God, I’m so not ready for this. I can’t leave because I couldn’t take Micaela with me. He’d have me arrested for kidnapping if I do, so again, fuck my life.

Nate glares at me, dropping down to his chair. “Mom, I got shit to do today and tonight. I’m sorry, but can you rush this along? Fuck.”

Joseph enters, takes one look around the table and then looks at me. “Tillie, might be a good idea if I take Micaela, yeah?”

I chew my lip and then nod, knowing he’s right. Once Joseph has bounced a happy Micaela out of the room, I look directly at Nate. “What’s happening?”

He searches my eyes, and then says, “We’re going to have shifts between both of us on who gets her. Just like joint custody if you weren’t living here.”

I clear my throat. “Why? I haven’t tried to stop you from seeing her?”

I’m confused why he would feel the need to do this. We live together, for fuck’s sake.

He leans forward, his eyes flat. I already know that he’s about to say something hurtful. “I don’t want to see you, Tillie.”

“We run in the same circles, Nate,” I shoot back using his own tone.

He looks to his mom. “She’s right. But I still want guaranteed nights that I get her alone.”

Elena seems to be watching both of us. I shrug. “I can agree to that, Nate.” Then I flinch. “All you had to do was ask. You know, communication.”

His hate for me is real. He’s been so up and down and right to left that I don’t know how to take him anymore.

“Okay, then it’s settled.” Elena reaches for my hand.

Nate’s eyes follow her gesture, but he doesn’t display how it makes him feel.

“What days do you want?” I ask him, my head pounding slightly.

“Every Tuesday night, Thursday night and the whole day on Sunday. I’ve already spoken with Hector, and he’s cool with it.”

I forget he’s a King. I nod. “Sure.” Because I don’t want to be difficult. Then mainly because I’m tired of fighting with him and generally feeling reckless as fuck anyway lately. I stand from the table, ready to leave.

Elena’s hand comes out to stop me. “Can I speak with you for a second?”

I smile down at her. “Sure.”

Nate keeps his eyes on me as he stands. “I take it you’ll be with Madison tonight?”