Cruel King (Royal Elite 0)

“Can he really do that when you’re over eighteen?”

“Yeah. Even if he can’t, I can’t challenge him in court. No lawyer will beat Uncle’s harem of hotshot lawyers.”

“Why is he doing this to you?”

He releases a long breath. “He doesn’t want me to become my father. You see, my father wasn’t the perfect King that Jonathan is. James King loved life more and he never engaged in the family business. He played rugby in his early years and had a horrible injury that forced him into early retirement. He became depressed then manic. While Uncle built the empire, my father either gambled the King’s money or spent it on drugs.”

Humming energy pulses off Levi the more he talks about his father.

I inch towards him, slowly as if I’m afraid of setting him off. My heart aches for him and I can taste his pain on the tip of my tongue.

No king is born as a king. They’re made into one from their childhood. Levi never had a silver spoon. His mother abandoned him without a look back, his father had mental issues, and his uncle is obviously a control freak.

Oh, and his cousin is a psychopath.

“But you told me you had a good relationship with your father.”

“I did when he wasn’t manic or high, which leaves very little room for father and son bonding.” He pauses. “He taught me to be myself. I didn’t realise how much he really meant to me until I lost him.”

I lean my head against his tense shoulder, squeezing his hand in mine.

This must be why he has prejudices against drugs. It was part of the reason he lost his father.

“Jonathan doesn’t want me to be a failure like my father and Jonathan stops at nothing to get what he wants.”

I can see where Levi and Aiden got their ruthless side.

Levi wouldn’t admit to it openly, but he takes after his uncle in more ways than one.

“And what do you want?” I ask in a whisper.

His eyes find mine and they soften. “You.”

If my heart could escape its confinement, it would be spilling at our feet about now.

“What else?” The words come out on a breath.

?

??Just you would do.” His lips find mine in the slowest, most toe-curling kiss he’s ever given me.

I push him away with a hand on his chest. “There must be something else you want.”

He’s silent for a beat. “Football.”

“You want to play pro?”

He nods once. “I had some calls and interest from Liverpool and Manchester City.”

“Wow. Those are big ones.”

He narrows his eyes. “How do you know that, Miss-I-don’t-care-about-Football?”

“I had Dan educate me.” I smile. “But wow, I’m happy for you.”

I try to camouflage the breaking of my heart at the thought that he’ll be on the other half of the country.

“Doesn’t matter. If Uncle forbids it. No good team will accept me.” He stares down at our entwined hands. “What about you? Where do you plan to go?”