“It’s nothing.” I force a smile out of my trembling lips. “You’re going to be okay.”
After smoothing my expression and cleaning my hands, I step out of the bathroom.
I’m lost in my thoughts when I walk back into the lounge area where music thumps and everyone dances like they’re in a club.
I barge into a hard wall — or a person.
Ow. Strong hands clutch me before I fall back on my butt.
“Sorry,” I mumble. “I didn’t see you.”
“Obviously.” The laughter draws my attention to the tall, broad and very familiar face.
Levi King.
The previous captain of Elites and the current gem of Arsenal’s midfield.
I’m caught in a near-fangirl moment at seeing a Gunner in real life. I mean, I did go to games with Uncle Jaxon, but this is the closest I’ve gotten to a player.
“Have you seen my dickhead cousin?” Levi’s inquisitive eyes roam over my shoulder.
His cousin. Right. Aiden is one year younger than him and his cousin. Jonathan King is his guardian.
I visibly shake myself. I can’t believe I was almost too caught in the fangirl mode to forget who Levi actually is.
“Wait a second.” He studies me close — too close — that I smell his expensive aftershave.
While Aiden has the whole dark vibe to a T, Levi has pale blue eyes that flick to clear grey in the dim light. His sandy blonde hair is tousled and messed up like he couldn’t care less about combing it when he rolled out of bed.
He’s wearing Elites’ royal blue jacket over a white T-shirt and dark jeans.
“It’s you.” He grins. “Frozen.”
“Elsa is fine, thanks,” I say with sarcasm.
He laughs. “Elsa, right. I didn’t know your real name.”
Of course, he didn’t. Kings don’t know all their peasants, do they?
“What are you doing at Ronan’s party?” he asks. “Wait. Did Aiden drag you here?”
I’m honestly not surprised that he thinks that.
“He did, didn’t he?” He searches me up and down as if Aiden will materialise from underneath my skin. “And where is he now?”
“Don’t know. Don’t care.”
“Huh. He must be playing a chess game against himself like a freak.”
“Wait. He does that?” That’s so weird. I thought I was the only one who does that.
“Stage five freak. I’m telling you.” He winks.
Well, Levi isn’t exactly like the image I painted in my head. After everything I had heard about screwing the teacher and being Elites’ captain, and the king of RES, I expected an older, more bastard version than Aiden.
Instead, he’s more… welcoming?
Would I appear like a creep if I ask for his autograph? Uncle Jaxon would be so happy.