Black Knight (Royal Elite 4)

“I never agreed to being fired,” Cole says.

“You mean you were my friend?” Aiden scratches his chin. “I don’t remember that.”

Cole snaps his fingers as if he recalls something crucial. “But we do remember what you did last week when –”

“Don’t make me go Death all over you, Captain.” Ronan is smiling, but his usual playfulness and warmth are gone.

“Fine.” Cole sighs. “Then let’s play a game.”

“I love games,” Aiden encourages.

“Me, too,” Xander chimes in, but his finger continues caressing my skin underneath my top in a sensual rhythm.

“Bah, merde.” Ronan flops to the sofa opposite everyone else and diagonally from us. “What game?”

“Something simple like…” Cole’s gaze strays to Teal, who remains focused on her phone. “Truth or Dare.”

“Let’s make it more interesting by only doing dares,” Aiden suggests.

Elsa rolls her eyes. “Why am I not surprised you want that?”

“Because I’m going to win and make you do that dare, sweetheart.”

“In your dreams, Aiden.”

“We’ll see about that.” He stares at her for a beat too long. It’s as if he forgets everyone else is here, just like I do when I focus on Xan’s warmth behind my back and his finger wrenching tiny bursts of pleasure from within me.

“Now, where were we?” Aiden addresses everyone else. “Right, dares. Let’s do that.”

“Teal loves dares.” Knox rubs his hands together.

“She does, huh?” Ronan smiles genuinely for the first time since they started ganging up on him.

“Oh.” Cole’s eyes ignite. “That’s a surprise.”

Lie. He knew it all along and is now pretending like he didn’t plot it from the beginning with Aiden.

And Xan’s knowing help.

“She does. They’re her favourite.” Knox falls down beside her. “Aren’t they, T?”

“Shut up, Knox,” she hisses at him without breaking eye contact with her device.

“Why not? The more the merrier, sis.”

“Not interested.” Teal chances a glance at Elsa, but Aiden has already gone back to whispering in her ear, so she might as well not be here.

“Come on. Surely you can give it a go?” Cole asks in a persuasive, gentle tone that I’m certain resembles the devil’s when he’s luring people to sin.

“Afraid of losing, ma belle?” Ronan winks.

“Never.” She meets his gaze for a beat too long, then focuses on the phone again.

“Leave her alone,” I say. I won’t stay still as they corner her.

Teal peeks at me for a second, silently relaying her thanks and I nod at her.

“Stay out of it, Green,” Xander whispers in my ear, eliciting goosebumps on my skin.