“Stop being so crude. I’m supposed to focus in class.”
“So you were thinking about it.” He smirks. “Are you wet?”
“No.”
“Come on,” he pushes. “Admit it.”
“What if I am?” I cross my arms, all the pent up frustration rising to the surface. “What are you going to do about it? Fuck me at school and risk having both of us expelled? Oh, wait. Your father owns the school, so it doesn’t matter if you get caught. You can even get away with murder, right? I’ll be the one to be thrown out after they make it look like I seduced his majesty Aiden King. After all, you’re king and I’m a fucking nobody.”
It’s only after my outburst that I realise how fantastic it feels to throw his words back at him. He used them to belittle me and put me in my place before, but now they’re smashed straight in his face.
I lift my chin, daring him to say anything.
His left eye twitches, but his expression remains unreadable. “Watch that mouth.”
“Or what?”
“Or I will fuck it.”
“Screw you, Aiden. Okay? You don’t get to push my buttons the entire time and only expect yes, your majesty. At your order, your majesty. What do you want next, your majesty? Should I lie down and spread my legs for you? Would you get me out of your system if I let you fuck me?”
I pant after my outburst.
I don’t even know what the hell is wrong with me, but I’m so pissed off about Silver’s words and his casual attitude. He’ll always get what he wants and eventually, he’ll get bored of me and leave.
I want him to leave now because I can feel my walls crumbling, and if I let him inside, he’ll just destroy me like he said the first time we met.
He’ll be the storm that only leaves havoc in its wake.
I’d rather take the bullying rather than lose myself to him.
“No.”
I gawk. “No?”
“Spreading your legs won’t get you out of my system. I love owning your body, but that’s not the only thing I’m interested in.”
“Then what else do you want?”
His voice drops in a haunting whisper. “Every. Fucking. Thing.”
My mouth parts open, but no words come out.
Ronan saves me when he slams into Aiden’s back. The latter holds his position as a grinning Ronan circles his shoulder with an arm.
“Yo, King! Time for lunch.”
Aiden cuts him a glare, but his voice is calm. “You’ve had a death wish since yesterday.”
“Oops, bad timing?” His inquisitive eyes bounce from me to Aiden.
The latter continues to glare at him. “Leave.”
“I’m wounded, mate.” He massages his chest. “Words like that trigger my abandonment issues.”
My eyes widen as I swallow. “You have abandonment issues?”
He nods, staring at Aiden from under his lashes. “And he keeps reminding me of them. Connard.”
“Hey!” I nudge Aiden. “That can scar him.”
He just watches me with amusement like he’s enjoying the show.
“I’m already taking therapy,” Ronan continues.
“Shut the fuck up or the only therapy you’ll take is for your broken nose.”
“Not the nose, King.” Ronan hides his nose. “This shit is aristocratic.”
“Not when I’m done with it.”
“Wait.” I stare between them with a dumbfounded expression. “You were joking?”
“You looked fucking adorable.” Aiden smiles.
“Uh.. go back.” Ronan stares at Aiden as if he grew an additional head. “Did you just say ‘adorable’?”
Aiden’s poker face returns.
“No, no, no… don’t close off. Come on, King.” He retrieves his phone. “Say it again, I need to get it on camera.”
Aiden stares at Ronan’s camera and mouths. “Fuck. You.”
Ronan flips him off as he tucks his phone in his pocket. Then he leans in to whisper. “I’ll give you one hundred if you record footage of when he says shit like that.”
“What?”
“Five hundred.”
I continue staring at him, too shocked to say anything.
“Okay, final offer. Nash and Knight will also pay five hundred each. That’s one point five thousand.”
Aiden barges between us, cutting off Ronan’s one-sided negotiation.
“Don’t you have some place to go to?” Aiden asks.
“Mais non. I’m good right here.” Ronan gives a Cheshire cat-like grin.
“Come eat with us, Ellie.”
“Ellie?” Aiden snaps.
“What? Kimmy calls you that, doesn’t she?”
“Don’t you call me Frozen?”
He lifts a shoulder. “I like Ellie better. Come on, let’s eat.”
“Pass.” I turn to leave.
A strong hand wraps around my arm and Aiden all but drags me to his side. “You’ll eat.”
He keeps a possessive arm around my waist as the three of us walk to the cafeteria.
If he thinks that he won this round, then he has another thing coming. The cafeteria doesn’t have my food and I won’t eat like I said.
My phone vibrates. I reach into my jacket.
Uncle J: I don’t think we’ll make it to the game this weekend. I’m buried with work. So sorry, Pumpkin.
My chest squeezes, but I manage to reply.
Elsa: It’s okay. I have to study anyway. You’ll miss me when I’m in Cambridge *fireworks emoji*
Uncle J: Don’t make me all emotional now. You’ll beat our records. Teamwork.
Elsa: Teamwork!
I’m not feeling the words as I type them.
Uncle J: Lock up tonight. We might come home late. There are vegetables in the fridge and your aunt says no ice cream.
Uncle J: We love you, Pumpkin.
Another lonely night.
Elsa: No problem! Take care of yourselves. I love you guys, too *heart emoji*
When I shove the phone back in my pocket, I feel eyes on me. I lift my head and Aiden is watching me intently with a tilted head. Did he read the texts?
Ronan is speculating about the next game’s line-up, but Aiden isn’t paying him the slightest attention. His thumb grazes the small of my back. A shiver blooms over my skin at the intimacy of the gesture.
Why do people say that physical contact doesn’t matter? Why do they assume that emotions grow in some alien place?
Physical touch always plays a part.
I know better because Aiden’s touch has been screwing me over since that day he broke the invisible ‘no-touching’ rule.
We head straight to the football team’s table — of course. Aiden removes his hand so he can sit me beside him.
Xander grins at me, both his dimples on display. It seems genuine enough, so I return a tentative smile.
Aiden cuts us a glare so harsh, I decide to focus on my backpack. Xander’s grin just widens. Aiden places both hands on my shoulders. “From today onwards, Elsa will be eating with us.”
Hell no.
I move to stand up, but he leans over to whisper, “Stay still or I’ll tell them how many times I took you last night.”
“You didn’t take me,” I hiss so only he can hear.