Steel Princess (Royal Elite 2)

He’s not resurfacing.

I jump on shaky feet, the jacket falling to the ground.

“A-Aiden?” I slowly approach the edge of the deck, my heart thundering against my ribcage.

“This isn’t funny, Aiden!”

No answer.

Oh, God. No.

Oh, please. Not Aiden, too.

Please. Please.

“Aiden!” I shriek. “Stop playing around!”

He’s not coming out. He’s drowning. Like Eli.

Just like Eli.

No.

I kick off my shoes. My movements are frantic at best, but I don’t stop.

I won’t let him die.

Not Aiden, too.

I don’t care if I die in my quest to find him. Lake water and my phobias be damned.

A hand grips my ankle.

I shriek.

Aiden’s wet face resurfaces as he uses the deck to jump beside me.

I watch him closely, my eyes filling with tears. “Y-You’re here.”

He comes closer, his chest glistening with water and his hair sticks to the side of his face. “What’s wrong —”

I wrap my arms around his waist and hide my face in his chest. “I lost my brother that way! Eli drowned that way!”

“I didn’t know that. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

A sob tears from my throat. “Don’t ever do that again! I thought you were dying. What am I supposed to do if you die?”

His wet fingers stroke my hair and he tugs me closer to him. “That means you’ll be free of me and I don’t like that idea, sweetheart.”

I snort in his chest, breathing him in. “You’re incurable.”

“For you?” He kisses the top of my head. “Always, sweetheart.”

I pull back to look at him.

He’s watching me with a strange gleam. It’s like affection mixed with obsession.

I knew Aiden has been obsessed with me for a while, but now I realise just how much I’m obsessed with him, too.