Steel Princess (Royal Elite 2)

“You scared the shit out of me.” I search around him, expecting to find Aunt or Uncle.

But they should be at work. Uncle texted me earlier that they’ll be pulling another all-nighter.

“What are you doing here?” I remain rooted in place, not daring to get close.

He looks on the verge of combusting if someone touches him.

“I told your Uncle I forgot my textbook and he gave me the code.”

Of course, he did. Uncle likes Aiden more than he cares to admit.

“We both know that’s a lie,” I say.

He motions at the table where a textbook lies. “I did leave it, but I did it on purpose in case something like this comes up.”

“Something like this?”

“The whole masquerade you’re doing.”

I hate the neutral way he speaks with. It’s like he’s preparing for the punch. I’m nearly fidgeting, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Aiden is never good when he’s pissed off. He’s never good when he’s calm either.

I watch him closely, he’s still in RES’s uniform, minus the jacket. That means he didn’t go home.

My eyes widen when I notice the red marks in his knuckles. I run towards him and sure enough, his knuckles are bruised and the skin is reddening and cracked in some places.

“W-what happened?” I search his face for a sign that he’s hurt. There’s a small bruise at the side of his eye, near the mole. Other than that, he appears fine.

Aiden isn’t the violent type. He’d rather manipulate his way out of any situation. After all, he lives by being smarter, not stronger.

“Aiden?”

He remains silent, staring ahead.

I lower myself to his level so I can watch him properly. “What is it?”

He grabs my wrist and I cry out as he yanks me down. I fall on his lap, sitting sideways on his hard thighs.

“I sent you a text to meet, but you ignored me and went out with the new boy.”

He sent me a text? Does that mean he was willing to compromise? I don’t know why that makes me happy.

I place a hand on his shoulder. “I turned off my phone and forgot —”

“In our coffee shop.” His hand wraps around my waist so tight, it’s like he’s gripping my bones. “You took him to the place that should be ours. Why did you do that, hmm?”

Shit. I didn’t think about it that way. Besides, how would I know Aiden would be watching? Now, he’ll think I did it to spite him which was absolutely not the case.

“I didn’t take him there,” I soften my tone. “He’s the one —”

“How would it feel if I took Queens there, hmm?” He’s still talking in the frightening calm voice.

My temper flares at the mere mention “Don’t threaten me with Silver.”

“Do you realise what a fucking double standard that is?”

“It’s not a double standard because Knox is just a friend. Silver is your ex or fuck buddy or whatever. It’s different.”