by Rina Kent
Dammit. I can’t believe I’m cowering away from them this easily.
But what did strength give me aside from reliving my nightmare over and over again?
I can’t be thrust back into those horrible memories from the accidents. I just… can’t.
“Can you drop the case?” I ask in a low tone.
“Why?” Dad sounds suspicious. “You were so insistent on making them pay.”
“I just… it’s not worth it. I probably won’t remember.”
“Look at me,” he repeats, and I shake my head. “Astrid Elizabeth Clifford, are you or are you not going to remove that blanket?”
“I want to be alone.”
One moment I’m curled into the safety of my blanket, the next, I’m uncovered. I try to pull the cover over my head but Dad keeps it out of reach.
I face him and he freezes.
Oh, for the love of Vikings. My face must look like a hot mess.
“Why are you crying?” For one of the rarest times, Dad appears out of his element. Awkward even.
“Just… girl stuff.” I lie.
“Yeah. Right. Of course,” he says slowly. “Do you want me to bring Victoria?”
“No!” I snatch my blanket and hide under it. “Can you call the school and tell them I won’t make it?”
“Sure.” There’s an awkward silence before a warm hand pats my shoulder over the blanket. “Call me if you need anything.”
And with that, he’s out of the door. I resist the urge to call after him.
In the few minutes he was here, I wasn’t sucked into that endless thinking circle.
I close my eyes and pray for sleep.
By the afternoon, I feel a bit better. It probably has to do with how I spent most of the day sleeping.
I annoyed Sarah in the kitchen.
I’m thankful that Victoria has a gathering with other lords’ wives and Nicole will be at school all day.
It’s one of those rare, peaceful days.
Since Sarah doesn’t like anyone in her space, she kicks me out with a chocolate smoothie and a ruffle of my hair.
I lounge by the pool with my sketchpad in hand. My lips purse and my brows scrunch together as I stare at what I spent the last thirty minutes sketching.
Levi.
The lines are a mere draft, but it’s his outline. It’s his side profile and those merciless, pale blue eyes.
I can’t believe he’s the first actual sketch I made in freaking months. I’m about to rip the paper when a familiar voice calls.
“Hey, bugger!” Dan’s footsteps sound from the pool’s door. I thought he had late practice today. He must’ve ditched after I texted that I wasn’t coming to school because I’m sick.
Best friend ever.
“Thank God! I’ve been dying of boredom.” I throw the sketchpad on the chair and jump up. “You better be ready for some Viking marathoning and me kicking your arse at pool.”
Dan winces, stopping not far from the door. My eyes widen when the other figure strolls ahead of Dan.
His light, devil eyes twinkle and his lips curve in a smirk. “I’m game.”
Chapter Fifteen
Astrid
I’m not playing this game anymore. Stop dragging me to the chessboard.
* * *
The last person I expected to see standing in my house is only a short distance away.
He’s wearing his uniform in that nonchalant, tousled way and of course, no tie. I hate how stupid tall he is and how that tugging starts at the bottom of my stomach.
No, not tugging.
It’s a rolling wave of anger about to crack me open.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I bite out.
“Daniel mentioned you were sick,” Levi says ever so casually while advancing towards me in predatory strides. “I came to wish you better.”
More like to ensure that he got me where he wanted.
“Get out.” I motion at the door, throwing a glare at Dan.
I can’t believe he brought the devil to our little heaven without a warning.
Worst best friend ever.
“Woah. Slow down, Astrid.” Dan gives a lopsided smile and offers Levi an apologetic one. “She’s not usually like this, Captain.”
Sure thing, Dan. I’m not usually bitchy with the one who’s out to destroy my life.
I don’t know if I want to pull his hair or kick him in the balls for bringing Levi here like we’ve been long lost friends.
Dan reaches me in a few strides and I jab him in the side, earning a groan. He smothers my hair back and whispers. “Be nice. My game depends on it.”
I want to tell him and his game to go suck it, but I’m not that type of bitch. My problem with Levi has nothing to do with Dan. I don’t want him to be the collateral damage of whatever war we’re having.
Besides, Dan wouldn’t have brought him if he knew what happened last night.
Or at least, I hope so.
The reason I didn’t tell him is because I feel cowardly and weak.
“I’m going to see if Sarah has some smoothie left.” Dan pats my shoulder one last time and saunters inside before I can stop him.
Damn Dan. I hope Sarah doesn’t have any smoothie for him.
It hits me then that I’m all alone with Levi.
The same Levi who terrorised me yesterday.
My courage from earlier withers away, and I’m back to the helpless fool from yesterday.
I gulp, doing everything in my might to avoid his gaze, despite the holes he keeps digging in my face.
“Your father didn’t tell you not to mingle with Cliffords?”
“I don’t have a father,” he says casually. “But my uncle warned me.”
“Then why didn’t you listen?” I peek at him through my lashes.
His eyes spark with pure trouble. “I’m not good at listening to warnings.”
“Then be my guest.” I can’t help the sarcasm in my voice. “I’d love to see Dad’s reaction when he finds you here. We have Grandfather’s shotgun that hasn’t been used in a long time.”
I flop on the lounge chair and snatch a cold bottle of water. My gaze gets lost in the blueness of pool, pretending he doesn’t exist.
Easier said than done.
His presence fills the space and ripples with something uncomfortable and pulling at the same time.
“Harsh, princess.”
A shadow looms over my sitting position, blocking the afternoon sun and sucking the air from my vicinity like a grim reaper.
My gaze slides up his body to the pressed uniform trousers with both hands in his pockets. His messenger bag is flung across his broad chest and rests on his side. I can’t help pausing at the way his team’s jacket stretches over his developed shoulders like a second skin.
I stop when I finally reach his face.
People as evil as Levi shouldn’t be born with such a sinfully attractive face. Why do they get everything when they’re supposed to be less than nothing?
“Harsh?” I spit out. “I’ve been in two near-death situations because of you. How about that for harsh, King?”
“First of all, I had nothing to do with your first near-death situation. You can’t blame me for all your misfortunes just because you’re bitter.”
“You sure didn’t stop it.”
“I’m not exactly privy to the future, princess.”
“Anyone with enough decency would’ve helped me that day.”
“I’m not sure if you noticed, but I don’t have any of that decency.”
“Yeah, I learnt that the hard way.” I jerk my head away from him and take a long swig of my water. But even the cold liquid doesn’t soothe my burning insides.
“About the second time…” he speaks in a low tone. “If I had a repeat, I would’ve done it differently.”
My gaze snaps to his, expecting to find mockery, but there’s only that hardened light blue gaze.
The fire that’s been brewing inside me wea
ns down in one brutal go.
“Is that an… apology?”
He says nothing. Instead, he flops beside me, crowding my space and filling my nostrils with his sinful masculine, clean scent.
It’s crazy how much he exudes self-confidence. It’s like an inseparable part of who he is.
What he is.
Does he ever question himself?
He’s everything I’m not and I hate him for it.
I hate how much he can get under my skin when I’m supposed to push him the hell away.
“What’s that?” He motions at my other side.
I scramble to close the sketchpad before he can catch a full glimpse of himself on that drawing.
“Shouldn’t you be leaving?” I jerk my chin at him.
“Shouldn’t you be more hospitable?” he shoots back with a slight tilt in his lips.
“I hate you, Levi. The mere sight of you makes me want to throw up. You already proved your point, and I’m done playing, so leave me the hell alone.” I’m panting after my outburst, but I keep my chin high.
“You’re done, huh?”
“Yeah. It’s not worth it anymore.”
“Here’s the thing, princess. You might be done…” His lips inch impossibly close to my ear until hot breaths tickle along my skin. “But I’m not.”
A shudder draws down my spine at the rumble of his voice coupled with the heat of his words.
My grip tights on the bottle of water as if I’m stopping my hands from doing something. What, I don’t know.
“What the hell do you want from me?” I’m glad my voice doesn’t crack like my insides.
“Your fire.” His lips graze the lobe of my ear and a zap of shivers shoot through my body. “Your fight.” His voice drops to a low, tingles-inducing range. “Your everything.”
His arm wraps around my midsection, drawing me to the curve of his side as if I’ve always belonged there.
As if this is the most natural place to be.
I briefly close my eyes at his contagious body-warmth. It’s like being thrown into a fire pit and enjoying every second of the burn.
How can a cold, merciless psycho have such warmth?
I’m too hazy to think straight, but then I remember how much I hate said psycho. That not twenty-four hours ago, he drove me to the edge of insanity. He can’t erase that by pretending to pull me back to safety.
Someone like Levi King doesn’t save others. He only gives them the illusion and makes them believe they’re out of danger. When they fall for the trick, he pushes them off the cliff all over again.
A king doesn’t sacrifice himself. The poor pawns do.
I might have retreated, but I will not be a pawn.
Eyes snapping open, I push him and all the devilish things he’s inciting in my body away, and jump to my feet.
He chuckles as if I just told him the funniest joke.
“I’m warning you. Stay the hell away from me, Levi,” I growl.
All humour disappears from his face as he slowly rises to his feet. “I told you, I don’t listen well to warnings, princess.”
“Something is so wrong with you.”
He reaches out a forefinger and taps my nose twice. “Guess you have to fight me and find out what that something is.”
I jerk away from him, but that only makes him smirk in that infuriating, provoking way.
“That won’t happen.”
“Won’t happen, huh? Do you want a bet?”
“Screw you, Levi.” I fold my arms over my chest.
“I’d be happy to if you stop running away like a coward.” With one last tilt of his head, he saunters out of the door like it’s his damn house.
Blood wooshes in my veins as I flop down on the chair.
I will not be provoked by him. I will not be provoked by him...
Too late.
I’m totally murdering Dan for this. He’ll be my scapegoat.
With one last exasperated breath, I snatch my sketchpad. I’m so going to rip the drawing I made for him to pieces.
My mouth hangs open.
Levi’s sketch is gone.
Chapter Sixteen
Levi
There’s no place for a princess on the chessboard, but she barges in anyway.
* * *
After the discussion of tomorrow’s formation, Coach leaves us to shower and head home. It’s the first game of the season and team spirit is at its highest.
You have to be blind to not notice that Aiden, Xander, Cole, and Ronan brought a new spirit to the team. Even I can’t deny that their connected team play improved our middle and front lines. It’s rare to find second years as starters, but the four of them have proved themselves indispensable to the team.
Once we’re gone, they’ll have a stellar senior year ahead. If we win this year’s championship, there’s a high chance they’ll repeat it next year, too.
For the first time in RES’s history.
If anyone can pull it off, then it’s Aiden. The guy has no relationship with failure.
The team members slap each other on the back on their way to the showers, joking and talking about pussy and partying.
I don’t feel it.
Any of it.
It’s like I’m caught in a vicious, black cycle of my own making that I can’t penetrate.
Coach pulled me aside yesterday to inform me that Premier League scouts will show up during this season. He believes I can make it to one of the big ones, but even Coach said the dreadful, ‘If your family is good with it’ line.
Uncle made it blunt and clear that there will be no professional football playing, and even if I do get recruited by one of the Premier League’s titans, Uncle has the power to blacklist me from any team that matters.
When you have King Entreprises at the palm of your hands, anything can be done with a push of a button.
My long, distant football dream isn’t the only thing that’s fucking up my mood.
I’m thinking too much, calculating too much, and partying too much. I’m not getting enough sleep. Sometimes, I wake up just to find out I’m still dreaming.
All of that is terrifyingly similar to a certain someone who shall not be named.
I take a quick shower, indulging some of the guys. Once we’re out and changing our clothes, Ronan says, “Party at my place?”
“No.” I scold. “Game night, no partying.”
“Naw, come one, Captain.” Ronan throws a punch in the air. “We can kill them Newcastle losers even when we’re drunk.”
The others yell and shout, pumping their chests.
“No partying and no getting drunk on game night,” I say in a deadly tone, making them all grow silent. “Do I have to repeat myself?”
“No, Captain.” A few of the juniors answer and the others nod.
“Guess I have to settle with one pussy. Merde!” Ronan rolls his eyes. “The sacrifices I have to make for the team.”
“How is that a sacrifice?” Cole asks.
“Cole, mate, when I throw a party, I get at least two pussies and a blowjob as a thank you. Now, I’m stuck with only Chloe.”
“You’re tapping that now?” Xander unwraps his towel and shoves his feet into his boxer briefs. “I thought she had eyes for Captain.”
“He threw her off his lap last week like a bad habit.” Ronan frowns. “I don’t know why girls think I’m cool with sloppy seconds.”
“Because you are?” Cole asks.
“You fuck anything with a skirt?” Xander chimes in.
“That’s not true!” Ronan protests.
“Mate,” Xander flings an arm over his shoulder. “How many times did you go to console a girl after she’s been rejected just to end up between her legs?”
“Hey, fou.” Ronan throws his hands around. “Sex is the best form of consolation.”
“Right.” Cole mocks. “Of course.”
It’s no use telling him that Chloe still texts me, practically begging me to meet her. He woul
dn’t care and neither do I.
None of these girls stir anything in me anymore. For them, I’m just a stepping stone so they’d say they fucked King. The captain. The local star.
They’ve always been nothing, so it feels like nothing when I ignore them.
Besides, they’re not the ones who have been getting my dick hard since that night a week ago.
Maybe I really am sick.
“Yo, King,” Chris whispers from my right.
I leave the guys bickering and lean closer to Chris as I button my shirt.
“I checked with my old man and that girl’s father didn’t drop the case,” he murmurs. “We should teach her a lesson this time.”
I shake my head.
“But they will…”
“We’re only under jeopardy if she remembers and she doesn’t.”
Chris taps his foot, watching his surroundings before he hisses, “If she does, we’re done for.”
“She won’t. It’s in my hands now. Drop it.”
That night when Astrid has looked at me with teary, wrenched eyes, searching for a soul I don’t have, I didn’t sleep.
And in that sleepless night, I came up with a different tactic. If the problem is her memory, then I’ll take of that instead of taking care of her.
“We should threaten to rape her,” Chris mutters. “Maybe the bitch will understand to back off this time.”
One moment, Chris is talking, the next, I’m throwing him against the lockers with my arm against his fucking throat. He wheezes, face reddening as he struggles. I tighten my arm, cutting off his air supply.
“You won’t get near her, touch her, or even fucking look at her,” I snarl against his face as his eyes bulge. “When I say to drop it, you. Fucking. Drop. It.”
Scratchy noises escape his throat and his colour turns from red to blue. Somewhere at the back of my mind, I recognise that he’s suffocating and that I’ve relayed my message and should let him go, but the unhinged part wants to see the life drain from his face drop by bloody drop.