Vicious Prince (Royal Elite 5)

“I told you — I’m just trying to help Dad.”

“I see.”

He knows I’m lying, damn it. I don’t want Agnus to have that idea about me, but at the same time, I refuse to come clean. This secret will follow me to the grave. Neither he, Dad, nor Knox will be hurt by this.

It’s only me and the shadow on my shoulder.

“I really want to help Dad, and I might have something else going on. I just want you to trust me.”

“I’ll consider that if you tell me what’s going on.” He doesn’t miss a beat.

“Agnus, come on, everyone needs to have their secrets.”

“Not when it can harm Ethan.”

“I’d never do that.”

He gives a curt nod, and just like that, the subject is gone. I have no doubt he’ll dig after me, which means I need to be extra careful about my moves.

Agnus has zero tolerance for anything that could harm my father. He nearly turned against Elsa when she was proving to be a problem in Dad’s path to success.

That’s probably why the two of them don’t really get along.

My phone vibrates with a text — Ronan.

He sent the picture he snapped of me in the club. My cheeks heat at the position I’m in — a position I’ve never been in my entire life. Submissive, confused…aroused. His finger is pinching my nipple, and I nearly feel the touch in my throbbing breasts.

Ronan: Since you ruined my getting-off session, I’ll jerk off to that picture.

The image of him wrapping his hands around his dick and wanking off to my picture causes my stomach to dip. Why the hell would that have this effect on me?

I loathe male masturbation, so why do I not hate it when he does it?

My phone vibrates with another text.

Ronan: Then maybe I’ll send it off to Ethan and my dear father. Come on, end this, ma belle, and I promise you the world.

Ronan: Just kidding. I promise you pain.

Teal: What type of logic is that? You’re okay with touching me when I’m not your fiancée but not the other way around?

Ronan: Ding dong, you finally figured it out.

Teal: Why?

I allow myself a curiosity I would’ve never followed if it were any other person.

I’m a strategist; my eyes are always on the end goal. I don’t allow myself to swerve in the middle of the operation.

But Ronan is the exception to all rules.

He’s a damn anomaly with his stupid grin and his punishing hands and the contradictions in his personality.

Ronan: Because the title comes with burdens. I don’t want to fuck with burdens. Sort of like how you don’t want to fuck normal.

I mark the text as read but don’t reply.

Ronan: This is your final warning. End the engagement before I do it. Mmmkay?