Cruel King: A Royal Elite Book

by Kent, Rina

  Every time we have sex, it’s like he’s engraving himself into my soul piece by each bloody piece.

  It’s become an addiction that I can’t get enough of.

  But more than anything, I know I can’t get enough of him.

  It’s him who’s turning my world upside down. The intense sex and the mind games are all a part of what he is.

  Who he is.

  And I want all of him.

  Even with the feud between Dad and his uncle.

  When I asked Levi if he weren’t curious about it, he said it was none of our business. We’re not our families.

  “Earth to Astrid.”

  My head snaps to Dan who’s been sitting on my desk, chatting about the upcoming game.

  “Hey, crazy bugger.” Dan jams a finger in my arm. “You weren’t listening to me, were you?”

  “I was. You’re so going to nail it.”

  “Mrs Jills?” He scrunches his nose. “Thanks for the disgusting image of me nailing our fifty-year-old math teacher.”

  I break in laughter. “Sorry, but hey, you do have a sex bucket list after all.”

  “It doesn’t include fifty year old teachers.”

  “No?”

  “Freaking no way.” He releases an exasperated sigh, throwing a glance to our right where Nicole has been throwing daggers at us.

  “Do you want a picture?” he asks her with sarcasm.

  She flips her hair back. “As if anyone would need the trashy face.”

  “Then stop looking.”

  “And you stop talking to me.”

  “Jesus.” Dan faces me again, his face tight. “How do you live with her?”

  “I sneak out all the time.” I grin. “Never mind her.”

  “If she bothers you, let me know.” His face is serious.

  “So you’ll defend my honour?”

  “Hell yeah. It’s in the freaking friendship manual that you should’ve read by now. You’re like the laziest best friend ever.”

  “I’m working on it.” I laugh. “Hey, bug. Do you want to go shopping this weekend?”

  He waggles his eyebrows. “Slutty lingerie for Captain?” His smile drops. “Wait. Wrong image.”

  “No.” I chuckle. “I need serious interview clothes for Imperial College.”

  “Ah. That.” He leans in. “You’re not going to talk to your father about the Royal College of Art?”

  Considering that Dad’s been ghosting me in the house, and didn’t attempt to force me into those dreadful breakfasts, I don’t see the point.

  “This is your future. You’re not supposed to make your parents happy on the expense of what will make you happy.”

  “Wow. Since when did you become so wise, bug?”

  His smile is faint. “Since I’m not going into engineering.”

  “Oh. Why not?” Dan’s family owns an engineering company. He and Zach are expected to take over the family business.

  Since I’ve become best friends with Dan, he’s always planned to do engineering in Cambridge. He has all the high grades and impressive records to fly him there.

  Now, I feel like a horrible friend for not picking up on his change of heart earlier.

  “I’m going to be a solicitor.”

  “That’s also cool, but what made you change your mind?”

  “Engineers are considered nerdy especially in college. Besides, solicitors have a more active sex life.”

  “Please tell me you’re not changing interest because of a sex life.”

  “It plays a part. Okay, a huge part. But no, I feel like I’m more fit for winning verbal arguments.”

  I hold his hand. “I’m so proud of you. Whatever you choose, bug.”

  “Me, too.” He removes his hand. “But don’t touch me. Captain is fucking crazy about that.”

  Both of us laugh, knowing exactly how true that is.

  My phone vibrates with a text.

  Dad: Meet me in the school’s car park.

  My heart starts beating loud. Why would Dad come to meet me at school?

  “Do you want me to go with you?” Dan asks, apparently having seen the text.

  “No. I’m cool. It’s going to be cool.”

  I’m lying.

  I’m freaking out on the inside.

  Dad told me two days ago that he wanted to talk to the family about something important, but I never thought it’d be so soon.

  Maybe he’s had enough and will finally adopt Nicole and throw me away.

  As I walk out of the school, my chest tightens until it’s painful.

  All this time, I convinced myself that I don’t care if Dad adopts Nicole. It’s not like I want to be Clifford’s princess anyway. But now that it’s becoming a reality, I feel like crying.

  He’s my dad, not hers. Mine.

  Deep inside, there’s a part that still longs for the father who used to carry me on his shoulders when I was a little girl.

  The sound of rain fills the car park. Since it’s close to the afternoon, almost all students’ and teachers’ cars are gone.

  I open my umbrella and step into the wet pavement.

  It’s dark and humid and so freaking wet. If I weren’t anxious out of my mind, I would’ve removed the umbrella and stood in the rain.

  I walk into the car park, searching for Dad’s Mercedes. It’s becoming so dark and no light is turned on, so I can’t see in the long distance.

  My phone vibrates.

  Levi: Practice was cancelled. Come to the locker room.

  Just reading his text lifts something heavy and crushing off my chest. The thought of him always puts me in a special mood. It’s like I become invincible knowing he’ll always be there for me.

  Since Mum’s death, I’ve been a living dead until Levi breathed life into me.

  I open the text to type back when strong lights blind me. I freeze and a tremor shoots through my limbs.

  I continue staring ahead, but I can’t see anything due to the light. Just like that day at the party.

  My heartbeat speeds up and my hands tremble so hard, the phone clutters to the ground.

  Move. Move. Freaking move.

  Everything around me disappears except for the sound of the downpour. The smell of the earth after the rain and blinding white light.

  * * *

  “Honey, give me the phone.”

  “Is it Dad again?” I can’t help the disregard in my tone.

  Mum smiles. “We have big news for you, honey.”

  “Is it about Grandpa’s death?”

  Her brows furrow. “Well, yes, but this means something more for us. For our family.”

  “Family? What family, Mum? He’s married and happy with his blondie aristocrat and daughter. He’s not a part of our family.”

  “Star…” her voice softens. “Everything isn’t what it seems.”

  “Yeah, sure thing, Mum. Dad didn’t leave us for another freaking family.”

  “Didn’t you say you wanted to live with him?”

  I rummage in her bag for the phone. “That was eons ago. I’m never living with him without you.”

  She draws in a deep breath. “I’m done running, hon. I’m ready now.”

  “For what?”

  “Shit. Fuck!” Mum curses as she swerves the car around.

  I look up through the rain-soaked windshield as she claxons for a long second.

  “Move!” She shrieks and I watch in horror as she tries to swivel past a dog in the middle of the streets.

  When she turns the car around the dirt side, the first thing I see is a man.

  It’s funny how such moments happen in a slow-motion even though it’s a mere fraction of a second.

  The man has his hands apart, his eyes are closed and his head is tipped back as the rain beats down on him.

  He looks so… at peace.

  Mum hits the brakes, but the car doesn’t stop. I don’t get a chance to scream as something thuds against the car and we topple over.

  * * *


  I’m thrust back to the present, gasping for air. I’m on my knees on the concrete floor, clutching my head between shaky hands.

  “Astrid?” A hand clutches my arm.

  I look up slowly. Dad looks down at me with a furrowed expression.

  “Are you okay? What happened?” He pulls me to my feet and I hold onto his arm with all my might as if he’s my safety line.

  “D-Dad,” I cry, tears streaming down my cheeks. “Please tell me the other person who died during the accident isn’t James King. Please.”

  His lips thin in a line and it’s all the answer I need before the world goes black.

  My mother killed Levi’s father.

  48

  Levi

  There’s no warning when everything comes crashing down.

  * * *

  Astrid doesn’t show up in the locker room. Either she’s playing hard to get or something is wrong.

  I sure as fuck hoped for the first option.

  I call and she doesn’t pick up. I ask Daniel about her whereabouts and he says she met her father and must’ve gone home with him.

  She answers none of my texts or calls.

  My mood blackens when she doesn’t show up for school the next day or the next.

  She’s been ghosting me for three whole fucking days.

  If this is payback about those two weeks from hell, then I’ll take it. But Astrid isn’t as black-hearted as me. Sure, she’s a complete nut job when she wants to be, but she’s not vindictive.

  Unless… something really wrong is going on.

  After practice, I’m in the car when my phone beeps with a text from Uncle’s security company.

  This could and would go back to him, but I’d take that risk. I kept that smashed footage of the summer party, but after that day in the Ferris wheel, I want to know the truth even more than Astrid.

  I knew Jonathan’s company would get it done even before the police.

  My brows furrow as I watch what happened that day.

  Astrid banged on my door after I kicked her out. If I didn’t kick her out, that accident wouldn’t have happened.

  She danced under the moon all alone like a fucking angel.

  My jaw clenches as she starts running. I go through all the other cameras, trying to get a view of the two running after her.

  Him.

  I knew it.

  I continue watching the footage, but the cameras stop right at the road. There’s no footage of Astrid being hit. There’s only a side view of the car that’s speeding down the road.

  I’m about to close it when I notice something.

  Wait a fucking second.

  I reload back and then forth. Back and forth.

  Well, fuck.

  This changes everything.

  Aiden, Xan, Ronan, and Cole stand by my side as Chris shivers on the ground alongside his minions.

  My knuckles are bleeding from beating him to a pulp. He just admitted to being behind the photos. He wanted to get back at me so he ruined my ‘plaything’. That got him a punch that broke his nose.

  The two juniors, David and Michael remain huddled in the corner, stammering that they didn’t do anything.

  I pull Chris by the collar until I’m breathing in his face. “Now, tell me everything.”

  “You told us no fucking mistakes,” he snarls, showing bloodied teeth. “She heard us talking and I had to shut her the fuck up.”

  “So you planned an accident?”

  “What the fuck?” He coughs blood. “We had nothing to do with the accident. We only chased her to shut her up.”

  My hold falters on his collar. I planned the fire. I had Chris and the two juniors execute it with me because I didn’t want Aiden and his gang to get a whiff of my rebellion against Jonathan.

  The shivering juniors in the corner who keep repeating that they only did what they’re told aren’t to blame. I am.

  I knew that Chris is volatile and has a knack for danger, but I still used that to my advantage. Michael and David are just pawns who would do anything for their captain. Including arson — and possibly murder.

  I might not have driven the car that hit Astrid that night, but I played a role in it.

  “We only did what Christopher said.” Michael looks about ready to pee himself. “I wanted to tell the police everything, but my stepfather will kick me out of the house if I have any criminal record.”

  “We’re sorry, Captain.” David stammers. “P-please forgive us.”

  “That depends.” I push Chris up when he almost falls to the ground.

  “On what?” Michael asks.

  “Tell me everything you saw that night.” I glare down on Chris. “And you. Tell me why the fuck you’ve been sleeping with Astrid’s stepsister.”

  When the three of them are finished, the image starts forming in my head.

  I’m only missing one link.

  Just a little something.

  And I have to risk my future to see the end of it.

  For Astrid, it’s fucking worth it.

  “K-King?” Nicole stares up at me with wide eyes as I stand in front of their door.

  I spent all night watching footage after footage of that party and keeping screenshots and short clips for evidence

  There a few interesting things that came to light.

  Nicole casts a cautious glance behind her then closes the door and steps outside. “You’re not supposed to be here, my stepfather will kill you.”

  I glance behind her, even though the door is shut. “Is Astrid here?”

  She twists her lips. “You should leave.”

  “Not going to happen.” I push past her, stop and look down at her. “There’s something I’m curious about, Nicole.”

  She licks her lips, flipping her blonde hair back. “What is it.”

  “Did you fuck Daniel after you put something in his drink?”

  Her face turns white. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  I pull out my phone and show her two clips that prove her implication. She put pills in glass shots and offered one to Daniel. He took the other and shoved it in Astrid’s hand.

  Nicole starts shaking and swallowing hard.

  “Now,” I continue, “There are no cameras inside the rooms, so tell me, were you fucking Daniel while Astrid had an accident?”

  “K-King, I… I… didn’t mean for it go that far, I promise.”

  I barge into her space. “I have enough evidence for Daniel to sue you for rape.”

  “That… that’s not…”

  “What was your plan exactly? Have him and Astrid fuck? Are you a voyeur or is this some other fucked up kink?”

  “That drink was supposed to be mine, not Astrid’s! Daniel is supposed to be mine, not hers. But he had to snatch my damn drink and give it to his stupid Astrid. I studied with him all my life but she waltzes in here one day and he becomes best friends with her overnight. What does she have that I don’t?”

  “So you decided to rape him?”

  Her lips tremble. “I… I didn’t. You don’t know what happened, so shut up.”

  “Then, mind telling me why you whored yourself to Chris after?”

  “I only did that to make Daniel jealous.”

  “Let me guess. It didn’t work. So you used Chris to find out if anyone knows what you did that night or if there’s any footage to implicate you.”

  “No. I didn’t even know there were cameras. Do you think I’m stupid enough to have done it if I did?”

  Huh. That changes things.

  The door opens and Nicole wipes her cheeks, murmuring, “Please.”

  “Is something the matter?” A woman asks in a posh voice.

  Victoria Clifford, Nicole’s mother, stares between us with a cool, welcoming expression.

  “Nothing is wrong, Mother,” Nicole pleads with her eyes again.

  She’ll end up falling, but I don’t have time for her now.

  “May I help you?” Victoria
asks me.

  “Yes. I’m here to see Lord Clifford.”

  49

  Levi

  The king always falls down without his queen.

  * * *

  Astrid’s father stares down at me even though we’re both sitting at his office.

  Uncle says that aristocrats are like that. They like to look down their noses at people. They like thinking they have royal blood and whatnot.

  At the end of the day, moguls like the King Enterprises are the real royalties.

  However, it’s not my name that I take pride in as I meet Lord Clifford’s icy stares.

  It’s not my past or my present.

  It’s the future. Mine and Astrid’s.

  Lord Clifford listens with a blank expression as I tell him everything I uncovered.

  Once he finishes watching the clips of footage I sent, he closes the laptop. Aside from the slight tightening in his jaw, he doesn’t show any reaction.

  Man of steel. Just like Jonathan.

  His desk is large and made of mahogany wood, but aside from the laptop and his glass of scotch, there aren’t many belongings.

  “You do realise that there’s enough evidence to implicate you for arson and withholding evidence. You’re already eighteen, so it’ll be full charges,” he speaks in a calm and composed tone as if he’s in a meeting at the House of Lords.

  “Actually, there’s no proof of me doing any arson. I know all the cameras, so I made sure to move in their blind spots. As for withholding evidence, the police lost the footage. Their incompetence isn’t my fault. Last I checked, recovering a spoilt flash drive I found lying about on our property isn’t a crime. Putting all that aside. In case of any charges, Jonathan will make sure I come out unscathed.”

  Lord Clifford’s lips pull in a sardonic smile. “You’re that scoundrel’s blood indeed. Does he teach you to be dicks?”

  “It’s natural. Comes with the family name.”

  He raises an eyebrow. “But he’s holding you on a leash. What you just did will ruin your future and force you to spend seven more years under that tyrant’s hands.”