Vicious Prince (Royal Elite 5)

Or wait…maybe I can.

It’s pretence, after all. An eye for an eye.

I’m a firm believer in justice. He started this whole mess, and he keeps making it worse.

I throw one last glance at Silver’s French-manicured nails toying with Ronan’s tie and then place m

y palm on Cole’s cheek, making him face me. “We can do something more fun than reading.”

Something flashes in his eyes, something like sadism. It vanishes as soon as it appears. Before I can take the next step, a strong hand wraps around my arm, and I gasp as he hauls me to my feet.

Ronan stares down at me with raging eyes on the verge of breaking hell and all of its friends loose. “What the fuck — and I mean, what in the actual fuck — do you think you’re doing?”

“I told you.” My voice is calm. Too calm. “I might let you do things to me, but disrespect me not. I am not your damn toy.”

I push at his chest and storm out of the garden, my chest heaving and my heart nearly bursting out.

As I arrive at the car park, I place a hand on my chest, willing it to stop beating this hard, this fast.

What the hell is wrong with you, heart? Why are you coming back to life?

And for who? A fucking gigolo? Couldn’t it be someone, I don’t know, more available?

Someone trips into me from behind and I yelp, my lungs constricting. The person apologises and moves along.

I slump against one of the cars, holding a hand to my heart, and I realise I just wished it was Ronan who bumped into me. When it wasn’t, my heart might have died a little.

“What do you think you’re doing, Teal? If you want the bitch façade, that’s what you’ll get.” Silver’s voice cuts into my thoughts.

She walks like a model to face me, her arms folded and her face full of malice. I wonder if that’s what I would look like if I had the ability to show emotions.

I mirror her stance, widening my legs and crossing my arms. “Funny, because I thought the show back there was you being a bitch.”

“You’ve seen nothing, Teal. Don’t make me show you.”

“Do you honestly think I’m scared of you? If you stab, I’ll stab right back.”

She attacks then. Her hand shoots up and she pulls me by the hair, nearly ripping it from its root.

I do the same.

We’re clutching each other by the hair, but instead of feeling the pain, all we offer each other are glares.

“We had an arrangement,” she manages to mutter.

“And you ruined it.”

“Oh, I did? Are you hearing yourself?”

“I told you at the club I’d stay out of your way as long as you stayed out of mine, and what did you do? You were running your claws all over my fiancé. My —”

I cut myself off before I say more, before I admit that seeing her with him has put me entirely off balance, that I might’ve even felt small in comparison, that maybe she fits him more than I’ll ever do. Silver is the daughter of Sebastian Queens, the most probable future prime minister. Her mother is a member of parliament who’s a smart, beautiful and eloquent. Even her stepmother, Cole’s mother, is a bestselling, genius author who’s known for her intelligent storytelling. Silver is the epitome of everything an earl’s son should be with. Her outfits are always pristine, she smells of Chanel and is a social media goddess with picturesque family and life. She even plays the fucking piano.

I never feel small. I don’t allow myself to.

What on earth is Ronan Astor doing to me?

“You were there first.” She grunts. “I’m not a nice person, Teal. Don’t test me.”