by Kent, Rina
“One of them is simple fatigue.”
“I’m fine, really,” I chime in, not wanting them to argue. “I’m just going to study for a bit and have an early night.”
“Dinner first, pumpkin. And we should play a chess game.” Uncle hooks me under his arm and drags me out of the room. He asks about my first day and tells me a joke about a worker of theirs. He almost fainted when he got a phone call that his wife was in labour.
Uncle Jaxon has a way of lightening up the mood, and I smile along.
Aunt follows, but she’s not amused. She keeps watching me intently as if trying to see through me.
Once we arrive at the kitchen, I smile. “Aunt, do you have time for some yoga? It helps with headaches.”
“Hell yeah.” She chuckles then her smile dies. “I’m sorry I haven’t had much time for our girls’ time, hon.”
I shake my head and say in a mocking tone, “Nah, it’s for the best. Too much girls’ time would distract me from Cambridge.”
Aunt busies herself behind the counter and I slide to an empty stool. Uncle comes behind me and massages my shoulders. “I’m going to coach you so well for Cambridge, pumpkin.”
Aunt rolls her eyes. “This isn’t a Premier League game, Jaxon.”
“Ignore her.” Uncle leans in to whisper, “I’ve got tickets for Arsenal’s game next week. Guess who’s asking you on a date?”
My chest flutters with excitement. I hate our school’s football team, or more specifically, I hate the arseholes who play in it, but I love the game. Uncle converted me to the dark side and turned me into a Gunner — Arsenal’s diehard fan.
“You better not be asking her to abandon her studies to go to some stupid game.”
“Of course not,” Uncle and I say at the same time, then he snorts and I can’t help but laugh, too.
Aunt folds her arms and taps her foot on the floor.
Uncle and I busy ourselves with retrieving vegetables from the refrigerator while trying to suppress our laughter.
“Teamwork,” Uncle and I murmur to each other.
For the moment, just this moment, I forget what happened today.
Or I try to, anyway.
In the morning, Aunt drives me to school on her way to work.
I kept recalling yesterday for the entire night and contemplated not showing up today. But then, I had a serious angry session with myself.
No one — Aiden included — will break me.
My early childhood didn’t and he certainly fucking wouldn’t.
I just have to be smart about dealing with him. Like avoiding the shit out of him and go back to glaring from afar.
I wave at my aunt and stride into the school with my head held high like usual.
The taunts begin, but I don’t let them rattle me.
A little voice in my head whispers at them.
Run along, kids, your little pranks are nothing compared to Aiden’s depravity.
Despite my pep talk this morning that gave me much needed courage, a tremor shoots down my limbs the closer I approach the class.
I’ll see him again. I’ll see those demon eyes.
Those sadistic smirks.
That dark soul.
Son of a bitch. How the hell am I supposed to survive an entire year with him in the same class?
To make matters worse, Kim is nowhere to be found. Since I don’t have a phone anymore, I called her from the landline earlier but she didn’t pick up.
I still have some time before the first class, so I head to her spot in the garden.
My pace falters near the tree where Aiden trapped me yesterday.
A strange awareness grips me by the throat. My body’s memory acts up again.
I can feel his hands all over me.
I can smell him amongst the trees.
I can see that soulless look in his eyes.
A strong wave of hate takes over me, but that’s not the only thing.
Something else, something completely immoral grips me, too.
Get out of my head, damn you!
My brows scrunch when I arrive at the cabin and find no trace of Kim.
Like me, Kim never skips. If she did, something serious must’ve happened.
That wanker Xander better not have hurt her or I’ll go all mama bear on his arse.
I turn around and my head collides against a strong chest.
“Are you here for more, sweetheart?”
Chapter Six
He needs to stop calling me sweetheart or I’ll get a voodoo doll with his face on it and stab it to death.
Better yet, I’ll cut it limb from limb.
I step back to an arm’s length. If I keep enough distance, he won’t be able to catch me.
There’s no way in hell I’ll let him trap me like he did yesterday.
This time, I’ll either scream or run.
Yup. Sounds like a plan.
I gulp, but it lodges in my throat like an external object. No pep talk or courage could erase the memories from yesterday.
No pep talk could convince the nerves tingling with suffocating fear that I’ll be fine.
My limbs are screaming at me to run.
Hide.
Never look back.
I don’t.
Running away from someone who gets off on vulnerability isn’t the smartest thing to do.
He’d chase me. Hell. I’m sure the psycho would enjoy it, too.
Who’ll come out victorious?
Yeah. Not me.
So instead of flight, I choose to fight.
I lift my chin, calling all the courage I have left.
But the moment I meet his gaze, most of that courage falters. The thing about Aiden? He’s so well-put-together.
Perfect face.
Perfect body.
Perfect style.
He doesn’t even wear the tie on most days, and it still looks like the school’s uniform was tailored for his firm, muscular body.
His entire appearance is another asset he uses to intimidate.
To charm.
To screw everyone over.
I even fell for that charm the first day I met him. From afar, he looked like a God. Up close, he’s nothing more than a monster.
Since he choked me in front of the entire school and announced he’d destroy me, I realised that his entire look is a façade.
The only thing I see is the void in his steel eyes.
The hate.
The black rage.
I don’t understand how no one else notices it. Either they’re too far gone under his spell or they simply don’t care.
That’s what it means to be king, isn’t it? He can be corrupt all he wants. Hell, he can order a war that will slaughter half the nation and starve the other half, and the ones who remain alive will still chant ‘Long live the king.’
It’s not out of love. No. It’s out of fear.
People naturally gravitate towards power and in RES, Aiden is IT.
Last year, his older cousin, Levi King, ruled and now that he graduated, RES belongs to the youngest of the two kings.
“You ran away from school yesterday,” he says matter-of-factly.
“I didn’t run away. I had a family emergency.” I would’ve patted myself if I could. That lie came out perfect.
Shoving a hand in his pocket, he studies me up and down. His gaze lingers on my left breast as if he’s trying to burn a hole through my shirt.
It takes everything in me not to cross my arms over my chest.
His attention finally slides back to my face. “I think you’re lying, Frozen. I think you were pushed to your limits so you took the easy way out.”
“Guess what, Aiden? I don’t care what you think.”
“You should. What I think will have a direct impact on your life, sweetheart.”
“Stop calling me that,” I hiss. “I’m not your sweetheart.”
“You are whatever the fuck I say you are, sweetheart.”
Is it possi
ble to curse someone into a dark, bottomless pit of hell? I’m not above using black magic. I just need him to bloody disappear. The earth will be a tad more peaceful.
I seal my temper as I turn around to leave.
He won’t get to me. He won’t.
A strong hand clutches my arm and swings me back so hard, I land flush against his hard chest.
He grips me with brute, bruising force.
“Did I say you can go?”
I struggle against him. “I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m not one of your subjects, your majesty. I don’t follow your orders.”
“There’s a start to everything.”
He releases me but only so he can wrap both his arms around my waist and rests his hands at the small of my back like we’re some freaking lovers.
This close, my air fills with his scent and his body heat mingles with mine.
I’m not short, but he still has height and broadness on me. Deep down, I know that seize is just an intimidation factor.
I push at his chest, wiggling sideways and backwards, trying to unlink his hands.
He doesn’t even move to stop me. All he does is keep his steel-like hold.
“Ugh.” I pant. “Let me go.”
“Why should I, hmm?”
“Why shouldn’t you?” I counter back.
“I love it when you struggle.” His eyes gleam with that now-familiar sadism as he reaches up and pinches my cheek. “You should see the tint of red on this.”
I go limp against him. My arms fall lifeless on either side of me, and I even school my expression into a neutral one.
If he loves my struggle, then he won’t be getting it anymore.
“Are you done?”
His left eye twitches.
Obviously, the sick bastard doesn’t like not getting what he wants and I beat him at his own game.
“I’m going to give you a valuable piece of advice. You already know what I’m capable of.” His voice is calm. The dangerous type of calm. “Don’t push me.”
“You’re the one who’s pushing me!” I can’t believe this bastard. “You’re lucky I haven’t reported you for what happened yesterday.”
“Lucky?” He laughs with a humourless edge, and it’s stupid that even the lines of his face stretch in beautiful angles.
Someone pour acid on his features.
“I don’t know if you’re trying to be adorable or if you’re that naïve.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You think you can hurt me, hmm?”
He clutches my chin with his thumb and forefinger, angling my head back so he can invade my face with his intrusive gaze.
My heart palpitates harder and faster.
No matter how many tactics I come up with, no matter how much I like to think I have control over this situation… I don’t.
And my heart recognises the danger.
The void.
The black hole.
My rigid spine also recognises the tingle of fear.
The need to run and hide.
The need to never be found.
A side of me I fought to keep buried is rising, crawling, and resurrecting to the surface.
You’re my masterpiece, Elsa.
I briefly close my eyes against that haunting voice from the past. When I open them again, the eerie voice disappears but Aiden’s steel expression remains.
Damn him and how easily he can poke open that part of me.
I kept it buried for more than ten years, but he’s slowly letting it lose in a matter of two days.
“Maybe I can.” My voice sounds a lot calmer than I feel. “What do you even know about me?”
“A lot more than you think.” He squeezes my jaw so hard, I wince.
“I swear to God, either let me go or —”
“Or what?” His features spark with the promise of a challenge. “You can’t do fuck to me. Let me put it this way, if I murder you, Coach will burn the corpse and the principal will scatter the remains. If I commit a crime, the school board will flip it around so it seems as if I’m the victim. You might have your head in the sand like little miss Ostrich, so here’s a quick reminder, I’m king here.”
His words sting because they’re true. As long as he has the King’s name, his father doesn’t even have to interfere for everything to blow over.
The injustice flares inside me and blurs my vision with unshed tears.
Nope.
I won’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry again.
“But if you feel entitled to.” The corner of his lips lifts in a smirk. “If you think you can take me, then, by all means, show me what you got, sweetheart. I’m curious to see who will believe that I touched you without your consent. I can have any pussy I want, what’s so special about yours?”
“That you can’t have it.”
I regret the words as soon as they’re out. I can’t believe I just dangled a freaking steak in front of a predator.
“Frozen.” He muses.
My lips thin in a trembling line and I nearly fidget in his hold, waiting for his next blow.
Any moment now, he’ll —
Aiden releases me and steps back.
Wait.
He… he’s letting me go?
I cautiously watch his expression like a deer caught in the headlights.
He schools his features into that poker face.
For some reason, I expect him to laugh in my face and grab me again.
I’m happy he’s letting me go, I am. But I can’t help the tinge of annoyance at not being able to read him.
He places a hand in his pocket, appearing casual, almost nonchalant. “Show me the mark.”
“What?”
“You’re not an idiot so don’t act like one and show me the mark I left yesterday.”
“You’re out of your mind.”
My limbs are shaking but I turn around to run. I need to escape his space.
His presence.
His damn face.
“If you take one more step. I’ll chase you, sweetheart. And this time…” he trails off, his voice turning suffocating like smoke. “I won’t stop.”
I gulp audibly and stop in my tracks.
A part of me doesn’t want to believe he’d go that far, but who am I kidding?
Aiden won’t stop until he gets what he wants.
With my heartbeat in a knot, I face him. “Why are you doing this, Aiden?”
“Why do you think?”
“Because you can?”
“Because I can, huh? Interesting.” He pauses. “You are so… frozen, did you know that?”
“Your minions wouldn’t stop reminding me of that fact, thank you very much.”
“You’re missing the entire point.”
“What point?”
“If you’re missing it, why should I tell you?”
I open my mouth to say something when he cuts me off. “Take off your shirt.”
My fists ball on each side of me.
“If you don’t, I will. How many ripped shirts do you want to collect?”
“You’re sick.”
“Do you honestly believe that’s an insult to me?”
I clamp my lips in a line.
“Last chance. Take off your shirt.”
“No.”
We watch each other for one second.
Two.
Three —
He starts in my direction. All blood drains from my face and a tremor shoots down my spine.
It’s real.
That look. That determination.
This time he won’t stop.
“Fine!” I blurt, stepping back. “I’ll do it.”
He stops, but his poker face remains in place. He appears calm and casual, but if I take one step, I’ve no doubt that he’ll chase me like a starved wolf.
Think, Elsa, think!
A crazy idea explodes in my mind.
“Do it for me,” I say in a neutral, almost
uninterested tone.
Aiden’s left eye twitches.
I’m sure my suggestion has taken him by surprise. He thought I’d either cower to his threat or he’d do it by force. I’m sure the sick bastard hoped for the second option.
The fact that I’m offering him to do it without the whole violence factor ought to throw him off balance.
Those who give two options don’t expect a third. The third option rattles them, and that’s exactly what I’m betting on.
He narrows his eyes, “You’re trying to play a game again.”
“I’m just giving you what you want.”
“Are you now?” His tone turns stone cold.
“Yes.”
“You’ll regret that.” He approaches me and reaches for my ribbon.
I place both palms on his stupid broad shoulders and dig my fingers in his uniform’s jacket.
He pauses at my first button and searches my face.
Touching him was never a part of the deal, and he must be wondering why I’m doing it willingly.
I don’t know if he hates or loves it, but I don’t give him or myself time to think about it.
I lift my knee and hit him in the crotch. Hard. As hard as I can.
His face contorts and his hands shoot out for me, but I duck and run past him.
A huge grin pulls on my face.
I just kneed Aiden fucking King in the balls!
Chapter Seven
I kicked Aiden in the balls.
I kicked Aiden fucking King in the balls.
My feet skid to a halt at the threshold of the classroom.
I’m panting.
My hands are sweaty.
The wave of adrenaline vanishes from my system, leaving a tremor in my limbs.
My shoulders shake with suppressed laughter. If I didn’t worry that my classmates would start calling me a lunatic, I would’ve laughed so loud right now.
I want to run, jump, and bump fists with myself.
It’s a strange type of freedom that I haven’t felt in like… ever.
I was always quiet and introverted, but right now? I feel like I can punch the moon and kick the stars.
With a deep breath, I push my shoulders back and stride into the classroom with my head held high.
Some snickers and ‘Frozen’ remarks get thrown in my direction, but they’re like white-noise.
These little minions can give me their freaking best and it wouldn’t matter.
