Ruthless Empire (Royal Elite Book 6)

by Rina Kent

For what seems like a full minute, we stand there, the water beating down on us as we’re tangled around each other.

  Who knew showers could get this intense?

  “See? It’s not hard to listen to orders,” he speaks against my ear, licking and nibbling on the shell.

  Reality kicks back in.

  Damn me and damn him. I shove him away, causing him to chuckle as he pulls out of me and releases my throat.

  Unlike yesterday, the feel of his cum only lingers a little before it’s washed away by the water.

  “I hate you,” I murmur.

  He pulls on my hair and kisses my nose. “Sure thing, Butterfly. As long as it lets you sleep at night.”

  Then he leaves. Water drips over his hair and hard body as his feet pad on the floor.

  The moment the door clicks behind him, I release a muffled, frustrated scream in the silence of the bathroom.

  18

  Cole

  We spend the entire early evening with Sebastian and his campaign members.

  We eat a meal fit for an army that Mum prepared. Sebastian considers his team a family, too. Since they’re working hard for his campaign, they get to eat as family members.

  A part of Sebastian’s campaign focuses on bringing the classes together, even if there’s a clear separation. It’s a smart way to look at it. He recognises that there’s no way to eradicate classes — at least, not right away — so he thinks the first step should be bringing them together.

  Once they think they have enough in common, maybe then, the classes can be abolished. Not that his party will ever agree on that front, but he’s only planting the seed for now.

  He’s a smart politician, and I do believe he’ll go far. I have no doubt in my mind he’ll become the next prime minister.

  That means I’ll be the prime minister’s son while Silver is the daughter. There’s no way in fuck we’ll ever be able to have a public relationship.

  It’s part of the reason why I lost it and took her at the wedding. There was so much angry energy boiling inside me and I had to smile and take pictures and accept congratulations for something I never wanted to happen.

  But like Silver, I care about Mum too much to kill her chance at happiness. She was brought up in a closed-off environment by her strict father before she was shipped off to an abusive husband that she spent years recovering from the remnants of his degradation.

  Since Sebastian came into her life, she doesn’t need the pills to sleep or to eat. She doesn’t walk around the house like a ghost, or kiss me like a robot who feels nothing because of antidepressants.

  Mum deserves this.

  But that doesn’t mean I’ll do as Silver demands and walk away from her. It doesn’t mean I’ll let her slip away from between my fingers and go to some other fucker while I watch like a pussy.

  She’s currently sitting across from me around the conference table in Sebastian’s office as the head of his PR, Frederic, goes through the family part of the campaign.

  She chose the farthest seat from me, snuggling to her father’s side and glaring at me every chance she gets.

  I smile back, riling her up even more. After the shower, she changed into denim shorts and a black tank top that moulds to her curves. Her hair is pulled into a tight ponytail, reminding me of how I grabbed her by it while I pounded into her over and over again.

  I force myself to focus on Frederic, the leader of the campaign, to prevent getting fucking hard in front of Mum and Sebastian.

  Frederic is a short man with a beer belly and piercing brown eyes. He has a look that sees through things and a quick wit that fits a politician’s right-hand.

  When he asks for suggestions, Silver suggests posting pictures on social media, like the one she made us all take over dinner earlier.

  The caption was: Family dinner #SebastianQueensForTheWin #GoTories

  The selfie looks spontaneous. Frederic and his people are wearing their half-dishevelled clothes — mostly no jackets or ties. Mum, Silver, Sebastian, and I are in house clothes. The casual quality of it has gained a lot of attention on social media. Instantly, many online magazines picked it up with headlines like:

  ‘Sebastian Queens’ Daughter Calls Her Father’s Team a Family.’

  Silver might seem spontaneous, but she’s taking a lot after her parents. Her upbringing has made her plot even the most casual moments.

  That’s why she gets irritated when things don’t go as planned — such as Aiden’s recent obsession with Elsa.

  Or me.

  The fact she can’t plan me pisses her the fuck off. As it happens, I live to see that expression on her face.

  “Posting too much on social media can be interpreted as attention-seeking,” I say.

  The light blue of her eyes snaps my way. “People want to know about the lives of those they’re entrusting with their vote. If we show that Papa lives normally like them, it’ll give him a good push.”

  “But he’s not like them.” I raise a brow. “He will rule over them, and if that’s not in their conscious mind, it’s buried in their subconscious.”

  “So what do you suggest?” She fists her hand by her side. “That he stays away?”

  “He should be close, but not close enough that they know about every detail of his life.”

  “But…”

  “Cole is right,” Frederic interrupts. “The sense of mystery is what keeps people coming back for more — even subconsciously. You can post as usual, Silver. Your Instagram statistics are doing very well.”

  She purses her lips, cutting me a glare as Mum tells her she loves her Instagram account.

  That may be the case, but the fact she didn’t win against me, even in opinions, is turning her cheeks a faint hue of red.

  That’s exactly the reason why I keep doing it. I’m the only one who gets to wrench that reaction out of her.

  She retrieves her phone, seeming to check a message. Her lips part. The reaction is so small, it can be interpreted in different ways.

  Silver’s lips part when she’s surprised, aroused, or scared. The first two are out of the way because her fist is still clenched.

  Is she scared? Of what? Or whom?

  I need to get my hands on her phone. I did once, but it’s fingerprint-protected and takes a photo, then sends it straight to her cloud when someone tries to unlock it. There’s no PIN option, so I couldn’t get around that.

  I’ll check it when she’s asleep.

  Frederic talks about fighting crime. There’s a lunatic who’s been attacking women as they jog in secluded park areas. He doesn’t kill them, but he usually molests them with pens or cuts their skin. None of the victims who filed a report saw him. They were drugged by a needle and the next thing they remembered was either waking up alone or someone else finding them.

  It’s rare to have a serial attacker around here, so Frederic tells Sebastian about how he should offer his support to the women. Cynthia is already very active in the women associations committee, so he should make friends with her, something that Sebastian refuses and Silver’s face slightly falls at hearing it.

  Then Frederic moves on to talk about using Mum and Sebastian’s marriage to promote to another faction of society. While everyone is busy focusing on him, I retrieve my phone and hide it low under the conference table so Derek, the driver who is currently sitting beside me, doesn’t see.

  And yes, even the driver plays a part in the campaign. This is almost like a battlefield where even the horses need to be placed strategically. No mistakes are allowed.

  Cole: Did you hear what Frederic said? I’m always right.

  I observe her facial features as soon as I hit Send. They morph from concentrated to the fired-up expression where she’s ready to climb on the table and jump down my throat. Or punch it. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if she did both.

  She decides to ignore me, thinking of herself as the better person or whatever else might be going on in her righteous, prude brain.

&nbs
p; Not under my watch.

  I’m persistently out to destroy her innocence, and it’s for a reason.

  Cole: That includes the fact that you fantasise about me. Admit it and I might not use it against you.

  She purses her lips, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

  Silver: I do not. Keep dreaming, wanker.

  Cole: Do you mean to tell me you haven’t been rubbing your thighs together since we got here in remembrance of me?

  Her cheeks tint in a rosy colour and she grips the phone tighter.

  Silver: I have not.

  Cole: I saw you, though. In fact, I bet you’re clenching your thighs right now. I bet you’re wet, Butterfly.

  Her lips part, with arousal this time, but she focuses back on Frederic, refusing to reply.

  It takes everything in me not to go there, grab her by the hand, and kidnap her the fuck out of here. Since that option is out of the question, I type.

  Cole: Maybe I should check. I bet if I thrust my fingers in you right now, you’d soak me like you did my dick.

  Her lips tremble as she reads the text.

  Silver: Stop it.

  Cole: Why? Are you scared they’ll find out you like being fucked by your stepbrother? That you were fucked against this same table when anyone could’ve walked in and witnessed you losing your virginity?

  She swallows and squirms in her seat. If anyone were to pay her the slightest attention, and if she had on a light-coloured tank top, everyone would see her nipples, hard and turned on.

  The fact that I can push her buttons makes me smile. Then I pretend I’m agreeing with Mum about some sort of a weekend meal.

  That’s the difference between me and Silver. She can’t multi-task, especially when she’s aroused, but I never erase my surroundings, not even when she’s the only thing who matters in them.

  Silver: Just shut up.

  Cole: I will on one condition.

  Silver: What?

  Cole: End it with Aiden.

  It’s her turn to smirk from across the table.

  Silver: I won’t. What will you do about it? Fuck me? *yawn emoji*

  I narrow my eyes the slightest bit, then decide to push the button she loathes the most.

  Cole: Remember that pic you saw on my phone?

  Her brow furrows as she reads the text, and when realisation sets in, her fist clenches harder and her manicured nails nearly crack from the way she holds her phone.

  Cole: If you don’t do as you’re told, you’ll regret it.

  Silver: Screw. You.

  As soon as Frederic finishes the section, I stand up. “I’m going to meet the guys.”

  Mum smiles. “Ronan’s again?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Have fun,” Sebastian tells me.

  Silver’s eyes widen, but she quickly masks her reaction. She already knows that she messed up real bad.

  On my way outside, I type her one last text.

  Cole: I will be screwing someone. It just won’t be you.

  19

  Silver

  I lied.

  I told Papa and Helen I was going out with Veronica and Summer. Instead, I’m at Ronan’s house.

  Okay, Veronica and Summer are here too, so it’s not like it’s a complete lie.

  Papa doesn’t like it when I party. He doesn’t say it out loud, but he thinks it’s beneath me.

  It’s not like I love it myself. Unlike what everyone believes, I don’t like attention. Or at least, I like it on my terms, and not twenty-four-seven.

  The three of us stroll through the entrance. Lars, Ronan’s favourite butler, greets us by name. And yes, when Ronan’s earl father isn’t around, he has his butlers organise the parties for him, and he practically throws them at every chance possible.

  He makes any event a reason for celebration.

  Summer and Veronica each flip their hair back. I do too, not to announce my arrival, but to boost myself with some confidence — I need every drop that exists.

  For that very reason, I wore my short peach-coloured Louis Vuitton dress. It stops above my knees, the slits at the front and the back giving it a provocative view while still saying ‘You can’t afford what’s underneath this shit.’

  I pulled my hair up in a ponytail and put on red lipstick, thinking of Mum’s words.

  Red kills them, Babydoll.

  I finished the look with red nails and heels so high, they make my legs taller and my arse perfect.

  Silver Queens is here to conquer.

  Aiden and Cole have always been unbeatable at chess, but what they seem to have forgotten is that I also play. I plot, too.

  Just because I let Cole invade my body in that brutal, unapologetic way doesn’t mean he gets to step on me.

  The thumping of some trendy pop music echoes in the air. RES’s students dance to the beat, chugging alcohol and grinding against each other.

  Some make out openly, clinging to one another as if tomorrow will be the apocalypse.

  “Ew, gross,” Veronica chirps loudly as we pass them by.

  “Get a room, losers,” Summer continues.

  I stare back at the couple even after we pass them. My chest aches at the view and I shake my head refusing to think about the reason.

  “Mission?” I ask them.

  “Find Cole before he does something stupid.” Veronica readjusts her generous cleavage.

  “On it, Sil.” Summer gives me an ‘I’ll call you’ sign as we split up.

  I told them I can’t let Cole do anything that will hurt Papa’s image. It’s true — but only partially.

  One, Cole would never do that. He’s too careful.

  Two, that’s nowhere near the reason why I’m here.

  I begin my hunt through the house. The problem is, Ronan’s mansion is so damn huge. I get lost in it on normal days, let alone when it’s full of people.

  Pulling my phone out, I type.

  Silver: Have you seen Cole?

  The reply comes immediately.

  Aiden: Since when are you so obvious about looking for him?

  Silver: Answer the question.

  Aiden: That would be a no. I don’t like being ordered around. Try again in ten years.

  Aiden: Best of luck finding him when he chooses to disappear.

  I swear I’ll punch Aiden one day, but that won’t be today or as long as he’s agreeing to be engaged to me. I’m not an idiot. I know he’ll leave me in a heartbeat if he chooses to, and if that happens, I’ll be completely at Cole’s mercy — or the lack thereof.

  At least now, he feels threatened. Now, when he thinks no one is watching, he looks at Aiden like he wants to murder him.

  Cole has always gravitated towards Aiden more than Ronan or Xander. It’s like an understanding of sorts. What if he’s only hung up on me because Aiden has me, and once Aiden disappears from my side, he’ll consider himself the winner and move along?

  My chest squeezes at the thought.

  Since when did I start to have Mum’s mindset?

  My phone vibrates with a text.

  Summer: Spotted at the eastern wing fifteen minutes ago.

  That doesn’t help. There are, like, fifteen rooms there.

  I type the fastest I ever have.

  Silver: Alone?

  Summer: With Jennifer from the track team.

  My fingers hover over the keyboard and moisture fills my eyes.

  No.

  I won’t allow myself to cry about this.

  The moment I lift my head, my gaze collides with Adam’s. He’s sitting in a small lounge area with the rest of the rugby team. Those guys are popular, too. Not as much as the football team, but they have their share of girls and glory. While his team members are joking, laughing, and drinking, he’s not.

  A bottle of beer nestles between his fingers as he stares at me. Unblinking. Unmoving. Almost like he’s been watching me that way since I came in.

  My shoulder blades snap together and I swallow as I quickly cut off eye c
ontact. It’s better to pretend I didn’t see him

  I need out of his vicinity. Now.

  I spot Xander pouring juice in his vodka bottle. Before any of the girls start ganging on him, I storm in his direction, out of Adam’s view, and grab him by the arm.

  He grins down at me, showing me his dimples. “Queen B, I thought this scene is beneath you with all the stupidity around? You know, alcohol and sex. Wait, is that still a taboo word? Sex, I mean.”

  “Shut up.”

  Xander laughs and it’s charming. He’s charming. Why the hell isn’t he the one I’m hung up on? Why did it have to be that wanker?

  “You still won’t show me your tits?”

  “No.”

  “Tell you what, I’ll give you a hundred so you make Ronan believe you showed them to me.”

  “Ronan tried that tactic before you and the answer is still no.”

  “That fucker.” He appears genuinely offended.

  “You need to step up your game, Xan.”

  “I know…” he trails off as Kim appears at the entrance plastering a shy smile on her face.

  She stares between me and Xander, her chin trembles the slightest bit, which used to be her habit before crying when we were kids, then she turns around and leaves.

  I bite my lower lip, my feet itching to go to her and alleviate that awkwardness of being in a party alone. But I can’t. She can’t get close or she’d read me. No one is allowed to read me.

  “Why don’t you go after her?” I ask Xander who’s still watching the place she stood in, his fingers strangling the bottle.

  “Why don’t you?”

  “I…can’t.”

  “Maybe I can’t either.”

  “You were her best friend, Xan. She needs you more than she ever needed me.”

  “So now you care? You didn’t when you were acting like a bitch towards her.”

  “You aren’t a saint either. She used to always brag about how you promised to never leave her and that you’re her knight.”

  He swallows, his Adam’s apple moving with the motion. “Yeah, whatever.”

  “What happened back then, Xan?”

  “Nothing. Or maybe everything.” He throws a dismissive hand and chugs down the entire vodka-juice down his throat. “What are you doing here anyway?”