Ruthless Empire (Royal Elite 6)

He won’t let me live this down, will he?

Aiden grips Elsa by the shoulder, hard. I can almost imagine the tightness I’d see in Cole’s jaw if I were brave enough to look at him. “How do you know about that, sweetheart? Hmm?”

“He was bothering her in the car park; I stopped him,” she says.

“You stopped him,” Aiden repeats. “How did you stop him exactly?”

“I just threatened him with calling the principal and using pepper spray.”

“You don’t have pepper spray.”

“He believed I did. What are you so agitated about?”

“What am I so agitated about?” His words are clipped. “Why do you fucking think? He could’ve taken both of you to God knows where in his state. Do you have no sense of self-preservation?”

“I only did what I thought was right. Okay?”

“Not okay. It’s not fucking okay to throw yourself in danger like that.” He glares at her and she glares back, unyielding.

I respect that about Elsa. Aiden is a psycho, but he’s met his match in her.

During their entire exchange, I try to ignore the gloomy energy at my back but fail.

“Very well, Silver. Very well.” Cole’s voice is the equivalent of being stabbed with a thousand knives. “Tell them why we’re here.”

“I only found out yesterday.” I stare at my nails. “Adam came over and…well, he said a lot of shit.”

“Say it,” Cole whips out his order.

“Adam said that…” I lick my lips. Damn. Why do I feel so guilty about this? “He was the one who pushed Elsa in the pool.”

Elsa’s blue eyes double in size, but she stays silent.

“He did, huh?” Aiden drawls.

“Go on,” Cole urges. “Tell them why he did it.”

“He said he did it to get in my good graces, okay?” I slide my gaze to Elsa’s. “I swear I had nothing to do with it. I only just found out myself. If I’d known, I would’ve told you.”

“But you knew Adam’s intentions.” Cole digs the knife deeper. “And apparently, you’ve known about them for a long time.”

I swallow. “Cole —”

“Not a word.”

“Cole —”

“Go wait in the car.”

Ugh. Seriously. Why does he keep doing this?

You know what? Enough is enough.

I jerk up, throwing my hands in the air. “Come here, Silver. Go there, Silver. What do you think I am? Your fucking toy?”

He remains motionless as he repeats, “Go wait in the car.”

Then I do something I’ve never done in public before. I flip him off.