Ruthless Empire (Royal Elite 6)

Currently, she’s in the hospital, carrying the m

ost beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.

Our baby girl, Ava, was born a day ago. Silver and I haven’t been able to stop staring at her.

She’s playing with Silver’s butterfly necklace and blinking slowly.

“Oh, my God. Look at her, Cole.” Silver nearly bursts into tears.

“I know.” I stroke her shoulder and kiss her nose, then Ava’s head.

For years, Silver has worn a sad expression whenever she’s seen kids. She dotes on Aiden’s, Ronan’s, and Xander’s children, but it’s always with that loss lingering deep within her.

I worship her body afterwards and try to take her mind off it, but it’s a reality that we’ve had to live with.

Now, we’ve made that non-existent child possible.

Our friends are here: Aiden and Elsa, Xander and Kim, Ronan and Teal. It took them some time, but Silver eventually made peace with Elsa and Kim. She had to apologise for those years at school. Elsa apologised for beating her up, saying she shouldn’t have. Kimberly didn’t take long to forgive Silver after she learnt from Xander and Teal that Silver had always asked about her and looked out for her. At uni, Kim and Silver built back their friendship from when we were younger.

She’s now sitting on the other side of Silver, about to cry with her because she knows how much Silver has dreamt of this child. Kimberly has always been a softie, and unlike Silver, she’s not afraid to show it.

Elsa’s hostility towards my wife has lessened since Silver told her about Adam pushing her into the pool. With time, they became friends, considering that they share Kim and Teal. The latter, Ronan’s wife, has always had some sort of an agreement with Silver. Both of them are the most furious when making crucial decisions. They never — and I mean, never — hold back.

Ronan is always grinning like a proud idiot whenever he sees his wife in action.

The eight of us have never broken apart. We share the same world and business ventures. We often meet to watch games and even go back to the Meet Up. Levi and his wife Astrid join us, too. Knox, Teal’s twin brother, comes too when…well…when he’s not so caught up in his new life.

The nights start and end with Ronan and Xander’s antics. Aiden and I pretend that we tolerate them. Truth is, we need the vibrancy they bring to our lives.

Not that we’ll ever admit it.

Ronan holds Teal by the waist and leans over to speak. Their height difference is so noticeable, she always appears so tiny compared to him. “Should we marry off our Remi to little Ava, ma belle?”

She chuckles. “Stop trying to marry everyone off to our son.”

“Yeah, Ron.” Xander hits his shoulder. “I thought you wanted him to marry my daughter.”

“You said no.” Ronan pokes him back.

“Still, how dare you exchange my Cecily with anyone else?” Xan scoffs. “Not that I would ever let her get married. She’ll stay with us forever.”

Kim shakes her head, smiling, but says nothing.

“Daddy.” Eli tugs on Aiden’s trousers, awe filling his features. “She’s so pretty.”

“Not bad for Cole’s spawn.” Aiden lifts his six-year-old son so that he can kiss Ava. He goes straight for the mouth.

Silver and Elsa laugh.

I glare at Aiden. “Keep your son away from my daughter. Far away.”

“What’s wrong with my son?” Aiden glares at me, then ruffles Eli’s head. “Don’t listen to your Uncle Cole, Eli. If you want his daughter, go for it. I’ll support you.”

“Not if I break his legs first.” I hold Silver close and she jokingly hits my shoulder.

“Stop it.”

Fine, so I still hold a grudge against Aiden, but it’s not only because of the engagement. He took a first of hers that I was never able to get back — a waltz. And yes, I remember she had her first waltz when we were fourteen. I remember everything about her.