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DEVIANT KING ROYAL ELITE BOOK ONE OceanofPDF.com RINA KENT OceanofPDF.com OceanofPDF.com  Deviant King Copyright © 2019 by Rina Kent All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitte...

DEVIANT KING ROYAL ELITE BOOK ONE OceanofPDF.com RINA KENT OceanofPDF.com OceanofPDF.com  Deviant King Copyright © 2019 by Rina Kent All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental. Cover Design by Alicorn Designs Edited by Annabelle Reid. Proofread by Nora Edmonds. P.S. Pirates are bad. Not Johnny Depp’s Captain Sparrow bad, but seriously effing bad. Support an author by buying a book. Don’t be a totally-not-cool pirate. OceanofPDF.com  ALSO BY RINA KENT TEAM ZERO SERIES Lured Crowed Ghosted Shadowed Misted Team Zero Boxset 1-3 More Team Zero Books to Follow…. THE RHODES SERIES Remorse (FREE) Ruin ROYAL ELITE SERIES Deviant King Steel Princess Twisted Kingdom DARK HIGH SCHOOL BULLY ROMANCE BOXED SET Noble Savages OceanofPDF.com  To all the fighters, It’s easy to lie down, but it takes courage to step up and fight. OceanofPDF.com  AUTHOR NOTE To remain true to the characters and the author’s origins, the vocabulary, grammar, and spelling of Deviant King is written in British English. Deviant King is a dark high school bully romance, mature new adult, and contains dubious situations that some readers might find offensive. If you’re looking for a hero, Aiden is NOT it. If you, however, have been itching for a villain, then by all means, welcome to Aiden King’s world This book is part of a trilogy and is NOT standalone. Deviant King ends on a cliffhanger and the next book Steel Princess is available for Pre-order. Royal Elite Series: #1 Deviant King #2 Steel Princess #3 Twisted Kingdom Royal Elite full-length standalone Spin-off: Cruel King (part of the Noble Savages Boxset) Don’t forget to Sign up to Rina Kent’s Newsletter for news about future releases and an exclusive gift. OceanofPDF.com  BLURB The villain isn’t supposed to be king. I have a simple plan. Finish Royal Elite School and get into my dream university. One glance from the school’s king blows my plan up in smoke. One glance and he suffocates my air. One glance and he issues his death sentence. His first words spiral my life into irreparable chaos. “I will destroy you.” Everything about Aiden King is black. Black mind. Black heart. Black soul. I should’ve remained quiet and endured the time I had left. I didn’t. I made the irrevocable mistake of provoking the king on his throne. The devil in his hell. And now, I’ll pay the price. Being hated by Aiden King is dangerous. But being wanted by him is lethal. OceanofPDF.com  PLAYLIST Grip – Bastille & Seeb Hipnotised – Coldplay Shiver – Coldplay  Power – Bastille Avalanche – Cemetery Sun Destroy Yourself – Dangerkids Dangerous Night – Thirty Seconds to Mars Fire – The Faim Beautiful Drama – The Faim State of Mind – The Faim Collide – Normandie Moth – Normandie Believe - Normandie Lethargy – Bastille Doom Days – Bastille Good Grief - Bastille Bury Me Low – 8 Graves RIP – 8 Graves A Rush of Blood to the Head – Coldplay Warning Sign – Coldplay Swallowed in the Sea – Coldplay Square One – Coldplay 42 – Coldplay You can find the playlist on Spotify. OceanofPDF.com  CHAPTER ONE T hey say it doesn’t take long for your life to be flipped upside down. A moment. A second. And it’s all over. I should’ve known. If I had, I would’ve done things differently. Maybe I would’ve walked the other way. Maybe my tale wouldn’t have ended the way it did. But the thing about ‘maybes’? They’re useless. I wave at my aunt as I stand on the old, Victorian-era pavement. She waves back from the window of her silver Audi with a blinding smile. Aunt Blair’s red hair never lost its fiery, natural colour, hanging in perfect waves to her shoulders. She has high cheekbones and a tall, slender, model-like figure that makes my awkward, sixteen-year-old body look like a potato in comparison. I strive to be her when I grow up. Not only in the looks department — although I’ll never pull off the red hair, but also the hard work and the personality. She’s a partner with her husband in their overflowing business. Their small company, Quinn Engineering, grows tenfold larger each day, and I couldn’t be more proud of them.  “Show them what you got, Elsie!” She honks. “Aunt.” My face flames as I search sideways, spying for anyone who might have heard. “Elsa. Just Elsa at school.” “But I like my Elsie.” She pouts in an anime-cute way. Her phone rings in a standard, professional melody. Her eyebrows furrow as she checks the call before silencing it. “You’ll be okay, hon?” I nod. “You didn’t have to drive me.” “I wouldn’t miss my Elsie’s first day in this huge effing place for the world.” She motions around. “Freaking Royal Elite School! Can you believe it?” “I wouldn’t have been here without you and Uncle.” “Aw stop it. We might have pulled a few strings, but if you didn’t have the grades, you wouldn’t be here.” And money. She forgets to mention that it costs a fortune and several organs sold on the black market to get me here amongst the elite. Still, the weight that’s been perching on my chest loosens a little at her contagious enthusiasm. “Teamwork.” “Teamwork!” She opens her car door and whooshes outside to clasp me in a mama bear hug. I try to ignore the level of weird my future schoolmates must think of me and wrap my arms around Aunt. The smell of cocoa lotion and Nina Ricci’s perfume envelops me in a safe cocoon. When she pulls back, her cobalt blue eyes shine with unshed tears. “Aunt…?” “I’m just so proud of you, hon. Look at you all grown up and so much like…” She trails off and wipes under her eye with the side of her forefinger. She doesn’t have to say it for me to catch the meaning. I look so much like my mum. While Aunt took after my ginger-haired grandfather, Mum took after my blonde grandmother.  Or that’s what I’m told. The ache that never died resurfaces like a demon from the dark, murky water. Time heals everything is a big fat lie. Eight years later, I still feel the loss to my bones. It still aches. It still hurts. It still brings frightening nightmares. “Gah, I’m being so sappy on my baby’s first day at school.” Aunt Blair gives me another quick hug. “Don't forget your meds and no junk food. Go get them, hon.” I wait until she gets into her car and shouts something at a slacking driver in front of her. Aunt has no filter when it comes to her precious time. That’s why I feel guilty when she insisted on driving me. Once her car speeds into the distance, I resist the urge to call and tell her to come back. Now, I’m truly on my own. No matter how old I am, the feeling of being stranded isn’t something anyone forgets. I stare at the massive building in front of me. The old architecture springs an eerie, imposing feeling. Ten tall towers adorn the perimeters of the school’s main building. Three-storey high, the school sits on a large piece of land surrounded by an enormous garden that’s better suited for a palace instead of an educational establishment. Royal Elite School is basically its name. Located in the outskirts of London, the school was founded by King Henry IV at the beginning of the 14th century to provide education for scholars that later served in his court. After that, every king used it to cultivate his best subjects.  The school was later owned by aristocratic families and influential figures. They have the harshest and most closed-off entrance rates in the country. To this day, Royal Elite School — or RES — accepts only one per cent of the intelligent and filthy rich elite. Kids here inherit high IQ’s alongside their parents' massive bank accounts. Most prime ministers, parliament members, and business tycoons graduated from this school. The high-privileged education can give me a sure push into Cambridge. Aunt Blair and Uncle Jaxon studied there, and they’re my role models in everything. My dream is theirs. Teamwork. This is my chance to escape all the rumours in my old school and start anew. A fresh page. A new chapter. A blank book. I stare down at my uniform that my aunt pressed to perfection and the adorable black ballerina flats — a present from Uncle Jaxon. The blue skirt is tight at my waist and flares down to a little above my knees where my thigh-high stockings accentuate my tall legs. My white button-down shirt is tucked into the skirt’s high-waist. A dark blue ribbon snakes around my neck like a dainty tie. I also wear the obligatory school jacket on which the school’s golden symbol is engraved; a shield, a lion, and a crown. My white-ish blonde hair falls in a fluffy ponytail down my back. I went out of my way by applying a bit of makeup. The mascara enhances my eyelashes and brings out my baby blue eyes. I even put on Aunt’s Nina Ricci perfume. Today is the day that determines my life for the next three years. Hell, it’ll determine my life afterwards if – when – I get into Cambridge, so I needed to do everything right. As I stride through the school’s huge, stony arch, I try to mimic the other students’ confidence. It’s hard when I already feel like an outsider. Students here wear their pristine uniforms as if they’re made from gold- soaked cloth. The aura of high, mighty, and a bit snobby drifts from every chatter and measured step. Ninety per cent of Royal Elite School attended Royal Elite Junior prior to this. They chat amongst each other like old friends reuniting after the summer while I stand out as a loner. Again. An itch starts under my skin and spreads along my hands. My breathing deepens and my steps turn forceful as memories filter back in. Poor thing. Did you hear what happened to her parents? Heard she’s a charity case by her aunt and uncle. I shake those voices away and forge through. This time, I’m determined to blend in. No one here knows about my past, and unless they specifically search me, they wouldn’t. Elsa Quinn is a new person. By the entrance, I spot a student who’s avoiding the crowd by sneaking her way along the side pathway leading to the huge double doors. I notice her because I was also contemplating the same path. While I’d love to fit in, crowds cause that familiar itch to rise under my skin. The loner’s skirt is bigger. She’s on the thick side and has the roundest, cutest features I’ve seen on a girl my age. With her huge rounded eyes, plump lips and braided long brown hair, she almost looks like a child. And she’s the first presence in this school that doesn’t give me the ‘untouchable’ vibe. I catch up to her and match her fast-walking pace. “Morning.”  Her head snaps my way, but she soon stares at her feet and tightens her grip on the strap of her messenger bag. “I’m sorry.” I offer my most welcoming smile. “I didn’t mean to startle you.” Perhaps she’s one of the new kids here, too, and feels intimidated. “You shouldn’t be talking to me,” she whispers under her breath. Even her voice is cute. “Why not?” She stares at me for the first time with eyes so green, they nearly sparkle like a tropical sea. “Wow. You have beautiful eyes.” “T-thanks.” Her lips curve into a tentative smile as if she shouldn’t be doing the smiling thing. She kicks imaginary rocks as she speaks. “You’re too pretty, you shouldn’t be talking to the school’s outcast.” “Outcast?” I echo, incredulous. “There’s no such thing as an outcast. If I want to talk to you, I will.” She troubles her bottom lip and I swear, I’m itching to pinch her adorable cheeks. “Are you new here, too?” I ask, instead of acting like a creep on the first meeting. She shakes her head. “I studied in REJ.” “REJ?” “Royal Elite Junior.” “Oh.” Considering how she wasn’t in a horde of people, I assumed she’s new. Perhaps her friends haven’t arrived yet. “Do you want me to show you around?” she asks in a tentative, small voice. Aunt, Uncle, and I came for a tour during the summer, but I won’t refuse a chance to bond with my first potential friend. “Sure.” I interlink my arm with hers. “What’s your name?”  “Kimberly. You?” “Elsa — and in my defence, I was born way before the Disney film came out.” She chirps a little laughter. “Your parents must have psychic powers.” “Aunt said Mum named me after a Swedish nurse who did lots of saving in both World Wars and was nicknamed the ‘Angel of Siberia’. You know, Siberia, Elsa, and then Frozen, the ice princess? So maybe Mum did have psychic powers. Pretty lame. I know.” “No. It’s so cool.” Her shyness slowly withers away as we walk together. Now that I have her, I don’t feel as alone or dejected. My grin widens as Kimberly shows me around elegant, huge classes. The locker rooms. The pool — that I avoided. The principal’s office that she jokes we shall never visit in a Shakespearian-like tone. My three years in RES will be marvellous. I can almost feel it. Once we reach the enormous, bright green football pitch, another type of giddiness takes me over. Not only because I’m such a nerd fan of Premier League and a die-hard Arsenal fan like Uncle, but also because of the long track surrounding the pitch. This school definitely has better equipment than my last and I can continue running as usual. Hopefully, my heart condition won’t start acting up again. A crowd of RES’s students gathers near the wiring that surrounds the pitch. Eager murmurs and excited gleams float in the air and it tastes like Christmas or a kid’s first visit to the amusement park. Everyone seems to be naturally drawn to this place and they keep multiplying by the second. “Elites.” “They’re here.” “I say it’s a championship year.” “For sure.”  “Have you seen how that little shit became even more illegal? I’d so do him.” “Shut it. He doesn’t know you exist.” While everyone chatters happily, Kimberly stands at the far end of the wiring, near the wall to the exit. Her easy, albeit timid smile withers away and her fair skin whitens some more. I join her and follow her gaze. On the pitch, the football team players pass the ball amongst each other with their heads or shoulders. They weren’t playing or even in the team’s jerseys. The school’s uniform for the girls is pretty, but it’s dead gorgeous for the boys, especially if they have fit bodies like these athletes. They wear pressed dark blue trousers, white shirts and fitted jackets like ours. The only difference is that the boys have red ties with the school’s symbol. The crowd’s attention strays to the four boys standing off to the side, half-playing with the team and half-chatting amongst each other. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out they’re in a league of their own. Kimberly’s gaze remains on the tallest boy who’s throwing a ball in the air and laughing like a young film star in the making. He has a classical, golden boy handsomeness. Slicked blond hair, sharp jawline, tanned skin, and a blinding smile, even from this distance. However, the expression on Kimberly’s face isn’t of admiration or excitement like everyone present. If anything, it’s of… dread? “Who are they?” I ask, curiosity getting the better of me. “They’re the elite of the elite.” Her voice trembles, genuinely, it trembles. “If you want to have a peaceful life in RES, you have to be on their good side.” “That’s ridiculous.” Kids can’t own a school. “Who’s the golden boy?” “Xander Knight and he’s trouble,” she blurts fast as if her butt is on fire. “I like you, Elsa, and I mean it when I say, stay away.”  His put together type doesn’t interest me, anyway. I throw another look at him for a double-take. The hairs on the back of my neck stand like needles when I meet the smokiest, most chilling eyes I’ve ever seen. I hadn’t noticed him earlier because he was half hidden by Xander and his ball. He’s almost the same height as Xander, but with more developed shoulders. His uniform is missing the tie and he looks ruggedly handsome. Inky black hair runs long and slick in the middle, but it’s buzzed on the sides. His nose holds an aristocratic vibe although it appears a bit crooked like it was hurt before. That little imperfection adds more mystery and intrigue to him. Something in my chest moves. I don’t know what it is, but it just moves. It’s like a prisoner has been lurking in the corners of my chest and now decided it wanted to be set free. Even if I want to break eye contact, I can’t. He stares at me with a slightly tilted head and a silent, manic interest as if he’s meeting an old friend. Or foe. “Shit! Shit!” Kimberly grabs me by the jacket and pulls me in the direction of the exit. “What…?” I’m incredulous, and a bit hazy from breaking eye contact with that boy. “Just walk, Elsa,” she hisses as her quick footsteps pad along the pavement. “Why are you taking me away?” “King,” she mumbles under her breath. “Aiden freaking King.” “And… who’s that?” “He’s as much of a King as his last name. Heir of King Enterprises and of this damn school. His and the others’ parents own this place and you don’t want shit with them.”  “Okay.” I don’t want shit with him either. He’s too attractive for that. Though I can’t place whatever got into me when I locked gazes with him. Boys don’t interest me. I’m too nerdy for that and my studies always came above any boy drama. That won’t change now. Especially since my Cambridge dream is within reach. Then why am I itching for another glimpse at those metallic eyes? “Oh. Damn!” Kimberly curses again. “They’re coming this way.” I glance over my shoulder and sure enough, Aiden and Xander stride towards us and the rest of the football team follow like a gang in a mafia film. All laughter disappears and even the bystander’s chatter halts abruptly and a tomb-like silence conquers the air. The crowd parts for them like the red sea did for Moses. “Run!” Kimberly whisper-yells, her nails digging into my wrist until I’m sure she’ll draw blood. “Why would I run?” Due to my struggles with Kimberly, they reach us in no time and block our epic failure run to the exit. Up close, Aiden’s eyelashes are thick and as inky as his hair. A small, beauty mole sits at the edge of his deep, smoky eyes. He stares down at me with a cold, foggy edge that matches the colour of his eyes. Call it instinct, but something tells me I should be scared of him. Like that prisoned thing from earlier, something claws at the corners of my chest, screaming at me to run and never look back. That’s ridiculous. I don’t know Aiden, why should I run? “Isn’t it Berly?” Xander asks Kimberly in a detached tone before his lips curve into a cruel smirk. “You look even nerdier this year.”  Everyone around us bursts into laughter, throwing fat-shaming remarks her way. My cheeks tint in red on Kim’s behalf, but it’s not due to embarrassment. My blood boils to smash Xander’s golden boy looks to the ground. I open my mouth to say something, but I’m cut off when Kim lowers her head, lips trembling, and sprints past Xander to the exit. He follows her with a smirk tilting his lips. I should’ve seen what’ll happen next coming. I don’t. A strong hand wraps around my throat and pushes me against the wall. My back hits the brick and pain shoots down my spine and tightens the pit of my stomach. I always thought myself brave, but nothing, absolutely nothing could’ve prepared me for this sudden, aggressive attack from a complete stranger. The grey eyes I thought were beautiful seconds ago glare into my soul with murderous intent. The dark shadow on his face terrifies me more than his grip on my throat. His other hand clutches my jaw, and my lips tremble at the thought that he’ll snap my neck. “W-What are you doing?” He leans forward so his mouth hovers inches away from mine and growls. “I will destroy you.” Those words seal my fate. OceanofPDF.com  CHAPTER TWO T wo years later, Senior year. Last year before Cambridge. Can I skip the entire thing and somehow still end up in Cambridge? According to the obligatory grades’ system, that’s impossible. The Mini Cooper swerves in the school’s car park so hard, the tires screech in protest. I gasp. “Kim!” She grins at me as if she didn’t almost run us into a pole. “What? Silver almost got the spot and I’m not letting that bitch walk all over me anymore.” My lips pull in a smile. I’m so proud of how far Kim has come during this summer. She went on a camping trip for self-spirituality and came back as this confident, smiley girl. If only I could let go of my inner chaos as successfully as her. She stares at her face in the rearview mirror. “How do I look?” Another thing about Kim’s trip? She lost more than twenty pounds and returned with this model-like body. Even her face has thinned, giving her cheekbones an alluring edge. Although I do miss her chubby cheeks. The mint-green coloured highlights make her appear like a fairy. She wore her skirt short, too short. Like a gust of wind can show her underwear, short. I release my seatbelt. “You were always pretty, Kim.” “Only to you, Ellie.” She rolls her eyes. “And my dad, but you guys don’t count.” “Hey,” I scowl. “Rude.” She sticks out her tongue. Determination sparking in her deep green eyes. “Today, I’ll show all those suckers what I’m made of. I’ll walk with my head held high like you.” I can’t help the awkward smile breaking free. Kim thinks I’m that courageous, but she doesn’t know the entire truth. Silver bangs on Kim’s window, her nostrils flaring. “You fat bitch!” Two of her minions follow after her like she’s their mama duck. They’re all huffing and puffing, but I doubt it has anything to do with the weather. Silver Queens is every bit the cliché of a mean girl. Blonde. Tall. Slender. Her mother is a member of the parliament. Her father is a minister. She also belongs to the school’s best students. Aka, the top ten per cent. She has it all and makes sure everyone in Royal Elite School — or RES — knows it. Kim lowers her window, grins at Silver, and flips her middle finger. “Fuck you, bitch.” Silver and her minions’ jaws drop so hard, so fast, they turn speechless. I’m speechless, too. My best friend doesn’t curse and she certainly doesn’t flip people off — or bullies, to be more specific. Kim didn’t only change in appearance. Nuh-uh. The world needs whatever self-confidence training she had. “Let’s go, Elle.” Kim opens her door, pushing the dumbfounded mean girls back.  I take my backpack and exit, too. I hold my head high as I stare down at Silver. “What are you looking at, Frozen?” Silver snarls. Of course. The beloved nickname at RES. But it’s not because of the Disney film. No. Since the first day I walked into RES, I’ve been instantly marked as an outcast. Kim and I were the butt-end of every fat and nerd joke. While Kim – the old Kim – hid in the garden behind the school until everyone went to class, I walked the hallway with my head held high. Aunt and Uncle didn’t raise me to be stepped on. I kept to myself, but I never let them touch my dignity. Apparently, I have an epic resting bitch face. Thus the nickname. “Oh, I’m sorry.” I keep my expression neutral as I meet Silver’s malicious eyes. “You’re not important enough for me to stare at.” I interlace my arm with Kim and walk into the school’s huge doors. The ten towers appear eerie like they belong to a horror film, not a prestigious old architecture. But then again, that’s how I categorised RES since that first day. My hands turn clammy and my body tightens as if I’m off to battle. Kim smiles, but it’s forced and makes her nose twitch in anxiousness. “We’ve got this,” I say more to myself than to her. One more year in this hell. One more year until Cambridge. Kim’s head bobs up and down, causing her mint-coloured strands to bounce. “If we die,” I joke. “I want to go in full Shakesperian mode. Tragedy.” She laughs, the sound is throaty. “For thy love of thee!”  We break into a fit of laughter as we head down the vast, main hallway. The school’s golden logo, Crest-Lion-Crown decorates the entrance hall and the announcement board. The moment we cross the entrance area and step into the hallways filled with other students, the real nightmare starts. “Hey, Frozen. Did you freeze any beaches this summer?” “Where’s your fat friend?” “Is she stuffing her pregnant belly with carbs?” Kim’s grip tightens on my arm. I can’t believe they don’t even recognise her. Truth be told, I had to look at her twice after the summer camp to make sure it was her. “Are you still swallowing cocks, Teacher Slut?” I bite my lower lip against the rolling wave of anger. That particular rumour makes me want to hit someone. Two years ago, after the entire class went out, I dropped my pen in biology. When I dropped down on my knees to pick it up, my hair got caught in the table — cliché, I know. Mr Silvester, the biology teacher, helped me out by untangling my hair. Apparently, one of the dickheads here saw that moment and spread the rumour that I was giving our biology teacher a blowjob before he fucked me in class. Right before the exam — that I had a perfect score on. Since then, I’ve been labelled a teacher slut. Whenever I get a perfect score, it means I slept with the teacher. But of course, no one talks about how Levi King, the oldest of the two kings, slept with a teacher. For real. They were caught in the act by the principal himself. Nope. He gets a pass. The teacher gets thrown out of the educational system and she had to flee the country, basically.  Oh, and his guardian, the mighty Jonathan King, CEO of King Enterprises, got an official apology from RES. Levi King got out of it unscathed. In fact, he became more popular, more loved, more admired. Why? Because his last name is King. And the Kings hold more power than the actual queen of this country. Levi King was idolised for fucking the teacher. I’m called a teacher slut for unfound rumours. Kim’s grip turns deadly even though she’s holding onto her courageous mode. I’m used to this rubbish and name-calling in the hallways. Kim isn’t. I want to protect her from all these bastards. Protect yourself first, Elsa. Kim and I try to ignore them by talking about my running competition this weekend or the start of the Premier League season. We release a collected breath when we finally arrive at our class. At least, the wankers keep their distance when the teachers are around. But the thing about bullies? They work under the surface in front of adults. RES is a prestigious, posh school, so the students need to keep up a certain image. The rich are scarier than any normal criminal. They have all the money and influence to allow them to twist anything around. They’re never labelled criminals. No. They’re labelled as elites. Kim stops abruptly two steps into the classroom, and I run into her rigid back. Her breathing becomes audible. My own breathing picks up pace, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on high alert. Since that entrance day, there’s been this baffling level of awareness that won’t leave me the hell alone.  Every fibre of my being is honed for the inevitable confrontation. For that crash and burn. I suck in several deep breaths and begin the usual chant. I’m loved. Aunt, Uncle, and Kim love me. I won’t break. Not today. I need to remind myself of those facts to remain strong and not let him get to me. That’s what the devil’s reduced me to. My gaze finally strays ahead, following Kim’s field of vision. Xander Knight. Cole Nash. Ronan Astor. Aiden King. The four horsemen of RES. They earned the title for their impressive team play on the football team. I call them the four arseholes. And they’re all here in our class. No wonder Kim froze. We’ve barely escaped their wrath without being in the same class. As in breathing the same air all year long. And not just any year, senior year. Maybe I need to speak to Aunt and Uncle about my plans for Cambridge. Cambridge, who? The four are laughing and jesting. Xander is throwing the ball at Ronan, and the latter catches it with an Oomph. Cole, the new captain of the football team after Levi King graduated last year, holds a book in his hand and laughs quietly at the other two. My gaze strays to the main devil. The hell ruler. The black king. You’d think the summer would somehow erase him from my consciousness and nightmares. It didn’t.  Aiden is the only one sitting. His legs stretch in front of him, crossed at the ankles. His fingers are interlaced across his stomach making him appear every bit the King his last name suggests A ruler on his throne. A devil in his hell. Over the summer, I thankfully hadn’t seen him, he’s bulked up — due to the football camp, no doubt. His uniform’s jacket stretches over well- defined shoulders. The dark blue trousers tighten around his muscular thighs and even his legs have become taller. I’m sure the coach would be so proud of his star player wanker. His dark hair is between being tousled and slicked. Under the dim classroom light, his dark grey eyes appear black. Everything about him is. Black mind. Black heart. Black soul. I should’ve listened to Kim that day when she said those little bastards owned the school. Their parents are the biggest shareholders. Everyone in RES, including some teachers, fall to their knees for them. All of them are sons of ministers or lords. All except for Aiden. His father owns those ministers and the rest of the UK’s politicians. Jonathan King leads the most successful conglomerate, not only in this country, but also worldwide. If he sponsors a politician, they’re sure to win. If he brings someone down, they’re sure to vanish and never return. That’s the only reason I haven’t reported the bullying or mentioned it to Aunt and Uncle. Quinn Engineering is a small fish and their contract with a subsidiary of King Enterprises is the reason they’re flourishing. Losing their company would devastate them.  If I stir up any trouble with Aiden, I have no idea what the devil will do. After all, he’s the heir to his father’s kingdom. Aunt and Uncle saved me ten years ago, and I’d rather die than hurt them in any way. Ronan notices us first. He’s the typical teenage boy with messy brown hair and eyes. All he cares about is partying and shagging his way through school. Kim and I are probably the only moving things with a skirt he hasn’t fucked. That’s probably why he licks his lips suggestively while he looks us up and down. Then he stops abruptly and nudges Xander. The latter pauses tossing the ball to Cole and freezes. Literally. His easy-going smile falls, the dimples disappear, and his demeanour changes. Kim’s new appearance shocked him. In his bloody face. Aiden’s eyes are on me. The murderous energy is in the air without me having to look at him. Xander stares at Kim with contempt. “What have you done, Berly?” Kim’s hand starts shaking. He made her life a living hell like Aiden made mine. The only difference is that her bullying has been going on since the previous school. She doesn’t talk about it, but considering that she knew these arseholes her entire life, I’m sure it’s been going on for even longer than that. “Ignore him,” I lean in so only she can hear me. “They get off on a reaction. Don’t show it.” “You think you’re all pretty now?” He strides forward with a barely tucked-in menace. Kim shrinks into me, biting her lower lip. Even with her courage resolution, I can’t really blame her. Xander is an intimidating arsehole both because of his stupid football build and his influence as a minister’s son.  Besides, he’s humiliating her in front of a class full of kids who always hated her. “Once a nobody, always a nobody, Kimberly.” He snarls her name. Her bottom lip trembles, which means she’s about to cry. The arsehole always makes her cry. “Xander, p-please,” she whispers. He slams his hand on the wall, and Kim flinches. “You don’t say my fucking name.” “That’s enough.” I level him with a hard glare. “Stay out of it, Frozen.” He’s speaking to me, but his entire attention is on Kim and her bowed head. I’m about to pull her into a seat when Silver barges through the door, carrying a coffee cup. Her minions follow after, flipping their hair and making a show of their entrance. Great. Silver hits my shoulder and spills her cup of coffee on Kim’s front. I gasp as Kim’s white shirt, jacket, and even the skirt soak in caramel coffee. Kim closes her eyes and a tear rolls down her cheek. The rest of the class snickers. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, Silver?” I’m about to lunge at her, but Kim digs her nails into my arm, stopping me in my tracks. “Oops.” Silver holds the empty cup. “Go change, Berly. While you’re at it, lose the whorish skirt. It doesn’t suit your fat hips.” Her minions chuckle and everyone in the class follows suit. Everyone except for me and the four horsemen. My gaze snaps to Aiden. He’s twirling the ball on a finger, but he’s not watching the scene. He’s watching me.  Despite my resolution to not get stuck in his games, I meet his glare with one of my own. For a moment, it’s as if only the two of us are in the class. He’s surrounded by his murderous demons while I seethe for what his minions do. Since that first time he announced he’d destroy me in front of the entire school, I’ve become RES’s outcast. He doesn’t even have to do anything. He just sits like a king on his throne and watches what his loyal subjects do. The bullying and the rumours that I slept with professors for my grades never fazed me because I know who I am. Who Aunt and Uncle raised me to be. Every day is a battle in this war Aiden created. Sometimes, I get weak and hide in the library or cry by myself in the bathroom. However, I never show weakness in front of him. Not when I’m almost sure he gets off on it. He’s usually sitting there, relaxed, watching intently as his minions turn my life into hell. Only there’s nothing relaxed about his expression. I swear if demons can spill from someone’s eyes, they’d be crowding his space. When he plays football or when he’s in class, Aiden is every bit the golden boy. Excellent grades. Elites’ ace striker. Contagious smile. But with me? Aiden King is one dark fucker. He only gives me murderous glares as if my mere existence offends him. As if I’m the reason for the world’s endless wars and famine.  That arsehole ruined my fresh start in this school. My dream. My new page. I hate him. Kim releases me and runs out of the classroom. Xander starts after her with wide strides. I attempt to follow, but Silver blocks my way with a plastic smile. “She doesn’t need a maid, Frozen.” “Get out of my way,” I grind out. When she doesn’t move, I push her and throw over my shoulder to no one in particular. “Oh, and if you have to bring someone down to feel so good about yourselves, then I feel sorry for you.” I don’t wait for a reply as I run down the hallway. It’s a trip to the back garden where Kim usually hides — or finds peace, as she calls it. After a minute of full-speed running, my heart’s palpitations skyrocket into an irregular rhythm. I stop at the corner of the third tower to catch my breath. My palm clutches my heart as sweat breaks over my brows. Breathe in. Blow out. Inhale. Exhale. In. Out. My nails dig into my chest over RES’s logo as I exit the building and head to the back garden. With every step I take into the cut grass, a weight crushes my chest. My breathing becomes irregular, too. A sliver of panic lodges deep within. My hands tingle and that familiar urge to scrub them clean takes over my senses.  I can’t think past the sensation that my hands are dirty. They need to be scrubbed clean. The pain in my chest is like tiny needles, tirelessly prickling my heart, even when I walk as slow as possible. My heart condition can’t relapse. It simply can’t. Being able to run again didn’t come easily after the surgery. There were Nazi-style rehabilitations and a complete change in my lifestyle. The nightmare can’t be back. I need to run. If I don’t purge my energy and stress into running, I’ll go crazy. Kim and Xander’s silhouettes appear in the small cabin house on the outskirts of the garden. She’s crying and yelling, but I’m not close enough to hear what she’s saying. That and my ears are buzzing so loud, I can barely hear my own breathing. This is bad. I blink twice and breathe through my nose then my mouth. Xander pushes into Kim, imprisoning her against the edge of the cabin. Her back hits the wooden pole and her eyes widen. It could be because I’m disoriented. It could be that this is the straw that broke the camel’s back. Or it simply could be that I’ve finally had enough. I’m done with these arseholes ruining mine and Kim’s life. I pull out my phone and record a video. Xander grips her by the hips pulling her into him. Although I want to cut off his dick for putting his hand on my best friend, I know that will bring nothing. The video, however, will. I can see Xander Knight’s fall in sight. Either he leaves Kim alone or I’ll blackmail him with sexual harassment. RES might be under his father’s command, but the press isn’t.  They’d be delighted to hear how sick and entitled a minister’s son actually is. I’m in the mood to ruin his future like he’s been actively ruining her life. Once I have enough footage of him manhandling her, I stop the video and smile in triumph. Even my heart problem fades away. I start towards the cabin to stop Xander. A shadow blocks my way. I cease to breathe when I stare up at my nightmare. OceanofPDF.com  CHAPTER THREE A iden hates me. He loathes me. I can imagine him playing my death in the back of his mind. Why? I don’t know and I never asked. Because I have a rule: Never try to understand bullies. They’re entitled arseholes who use their power to humiliate others, what’s there to understand about them? But as I stare up at Aiden’s punishing eyes, my earlier thoughts shrink behind my trembling, defective heart. He scares me. Call it instinct or an intuition, but something terrifying lurks behind that easy-going smile and football star image. “What did you just do?” His voice is calm and quiet with a slight huskiness. An outsider would find it welcoming, but I know it’s one of his multiple façades. The voice the devil would use to lure his victims. I lift up my chin, even though my hand clutching the phone trembles. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”  He extends his palm in front of me. “Give it.” I start to bypass him. Aiden sidesteps in front of me. He’s stupid tall. Stupid broad. Stupid everything. He blocks my vision of Kim and Xander. But he’s not done. Aiden advances into my space. He’s so close that I can make out that small beauty mole at the corner of his right eye. I instinctively step back with every stride he takes forward. My throat dries, and I hate how I shrink in front of his attack. He’s just too damn tall and has this unreadable mask on his face. The only available image of Aiden is the one he shows to the outside world. Aside from that, he’s… nothing. A dark secret. A deep hole. An endless abyss. My back hits a tree trunk, and I wince. When I attempt to walk past him, his arm shoots up and slams on the tree by the side of my head. I’m imprisoned, just like the first damn day I met him. Since then, Aiden has never gotten this close. He’s the ‘King’ after all. All he has to do is issue a decree and the entire kingdom would bow. People do his dirty work for him – including bullying. He still smells of body wash and something entirely his. It’s strange how certain things never leave our memories. He extends his hand again. “Give it, Frozen.” Frozen. I’m just that nickname to him. It’s another form of bullying and intimidation. But I’ve already decided that I’m done with being a victim to Aiden’s unjust war. I’m tired of being the one who always breaks eye contact first and hurries in the opposite direction.  We should give back. Kim’s words play in my mind. If it were the old me, I would’ve done everything in my might to avoid confrontation with Aiden and stay as far away from his vicinity as possible. I’ve always tucked my ghosts between my defective heart and my ribcage, but he needs to learn that the world doesn’t revolve around his stupid last name. I fold my arms over my chest and jut out my chin. “No.” He narrows his left eye. “Who do you think you are, Frozen?” “Just a human being who deserves to be left in peace.” He cocks his head to the side, watching me with his demon eyes. “Not all human beings are in peace. Why should you be?” “Are you freaking serious?” “Give me the phone. I won’t repeat myself another time.” “No.” I mimic his tone. “I won’t repeat myself another time.” He does something unexpected then. Something I would’ve never seen coming. His fingers wrap around my wrist that’s clutching the phone. Something in my stomach twists in a painful, strange kind of way. Aiden never touches me. The last time was two years ago when he wrapped his hand around my throat. His touch is still… the same. Calloused. Rough. Smothering. He’s not cutting off my breathing like the other time, but the air around me crackles and then ceases to exist altogether. He reaches towards the phone, but I’m out of my stupor before he manages to snatch it. We struggle for a few seconds. Or more like I struggle to block him. He’s like a bull going after the red cloth.  An unstoppable, murderous bull. Panting, I yank the phone close and hug it to my chest. Aiden doesn’t waver and shoots for it. Why the hell had I thought the arsehole had boundaries? Trying to block him with one hand, I loosen my ribbon enough to have an opening then tuck the phone in my bra. I smile in triumph, tipping my chin at him. Aiden’s smoky eyes glint with something unreadable. “You had to screw up.” “What?” “You really think that will stop me?” Aiden dives straight to my shirt and undoes the first button. I’m so shocked that I stare with parted lips without reacting. It’s not until he gets to the second button that I push at his chest. “W-what the hell are you doing?” I shriek. He pauses, tilting his head to the side with that manic expression. “Are you going to give me the phone?” “N-no.” He continues his ministrations with the buttons of my shirt. My throat closes and I feel myself about to start hyperventilating. I push him, but his hold is steel. Impenetrable, hard steel. “S-stop!!” There’s a strange rush flowing through my veins and tightening my muscles. I have no idea how to explain it except that Aiden needs to get his freaking hands off me. I push at his chest again, but he already has the three first button opened so the edge of my bra is visible. My lips part when I realise what else is in full view. My surgery scar.  For years, I did everything in my power to make sure no one saw it. I never wore low-cut shirts. I bought one-piece swimsuits that hid my chest. I don’t even like showing it to my aunt. Kim probably saw it twice and even then, only by accident. And now, Aiden is staring at it. No. He’s not only staring. He’s devouring it with his gaze as if it’s some sort of wonder. He stops unbuttoning my shirt, but he hasn’t removed his fingers from the fourth button. In fact, he undoes it so the shirt is open to underneath my bra and he has a full view of the diagonal scar at the top of my left breast. Ugly. Long. Faded. The reason I started hiding it is because of the pitiful looks people gave me. Even Aunt Blair gives me that look sometimes. However, Aiden’s expression is anything but pity. I didn’t expect such emotion to exist in his black soul, but I thought there would at least be a softening of his devilish heart. I couldn’t be more wrong. His eyes were murderous before, but now he seems like he wishes he had a knife to slice my scar open and rip out my heart. Twigs crush underneath nearby footsteps. I shake myself out of my stupor, push him away, and turn around to re- button my shirt. My breathing shortens despite my attempts to regulate it. Behind me, I can feel his unwanted heat near my back. One step closer and he’d be breathing down my neck — or probably chopping it off. “Mate.” Xander’s cool voice sounds from behind me. “You caught yourself an ice princess?” “Actually, the ice princess is for you. She has something of yours.”  Once my shirt is buttoned — with the phone still tucked in my bra — I whirl around. Getting on my tippy toes, I peek around Xander but there’s no sign of Kim. Xander appears victorious like he just did something to be proud of. If he hurt Kim in any way, I’ll ruin his face and pluck out those stupid dimples. “Something of mine?” Xander’s gaze bounces from me to his arsehole friend. “She recorded you.” Aiden doesn’t spare me a glance. “I’m sure she’s thinking of using it against you on social media and the press to ruin yours and your father’s future. That sort of thing.” I couldn’t keep my jaw from dropping even if I tried to. Aiden figured out my plan to a T. Am I that obvious? Xander bursts into laughter like he actually finds all of this funny. A cruel smirk tugs Aiden’s lips as if this is some inside joke. “All right, Frozen.” Xander faces me, his laughter disappearing. “It’s so cute that you think you can hurt me and all. Now that you’ve had your fun, give me the video.” Barely-concealed fury erupts into hot, scorching flames. It could be because I saw this same arsehole harassing Kim or because of how Aiden touched me like he had every right to. I widen my stance, glaring up at Xander. “You’ve ruined Kim’s life for freaking years for no reason. It’s time someone puts a stop to your spoiled, rich arse. I don’t care if you’re the minister’s son or if you’re bloody royalty. If you don’t stay away from her, you’ll regret it.” Silence. Long, thick, fog-like silence. Xander studies me with a raised eyebrow while Aiden remains poker- faced. If he weren’t so close, I would’ve thought he hadn’t heard me.  The more they remain reaction-less, the harder my pulse pounds in my throat. It’s a miracle I’m not fidgeting. “The phone is in her bra.” Aiden breaks the silence with a levelled tone. “You want me to get it, or will you?” “I don’t know.” Xander ponders. “Let’s toss a coin.” “How about you hold her for me?” Aiden’s gaze strays to my breasts. I instinctively cross my arms over my chest. Xander doesn’t say a word. He yanks both my arms behind my back. He’s so arrogant that he locks both my wrists in one hand. My chest pushes forward for Aiden’s eyes. Dark, metal eyes. Demon eyes. I try to struggle, but Xander tightens his hold until it’s almost impossible to move, let alone fight. “What do you think you’re doing?” I hiss, voice plagued with tremors. Aiden’s punishing gaze meets mine. There’s so much in there. So much hate. So much cruelty. So much… evil. He doesn’t break eye contact as he rips the ribbon from around my throat. I gasp as the cloth falls to the ground. “I will scream!” I yell with strain even though I know no one would hear me out here. “We love screams,” Xander whispers in my ear. “Scream, Frozen.” The corner of Aiden’s lips curves in a smirk as if he’s agreeing. We love screams. I think I’m going to be sick. How could I not think of that option when I put myself into this situation? I should have known nothing good would come out of a confrontation with Aiden and Xander. Their brand of unhinged doesn’t care about moral lines or societal standards. They were raised to think they were above everyone else. If they got into trouble, their parents’ influence got them out of it unscathed. Like in Levi King’s case, the school apologised for something he had done. Their moral lines are screwed up and blurred. Hell, they might not even exist at all. How could I so foolishly assume that they have the same moral line as mine? Stupid, stupid me. If I want to get out of this with minimum damage, then I need to lower myself to their level and try to see this from their warped perspective. They’re bullies which means they get off on their victim’s struggle. I swallow my pride and quit trying to squirm free. Aiden tilts his head to the side with a slight twitch in his left eye. I recognise the first gesture as contemplation, but I’m not sure what the twitching means. Is it anger? Annoyance? Something else? Damn him and how hard it is to read him. Aiden steps closer so his chest almost grazes mine. “You’re a proud little thing, aren’t you, Frozen?” I’m taken aback by the change of subject. I thought this was about the phone? “You don't give a fuck about anyone. Always walking around here with that head of yours somewhere above and beyond like no one here deserves your time.” He pulls a stray blonde strand of my hair and twirls it in his fingers, watching it with manic interest. “So… Frozen.” My breathing catches the more he twirls the strand. I don’t know if he’ll pull me by it or rip it out of my skull psycho style. A dark, claustrophobic sensation grips the centre of my chest.  I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared. Even when I stayed out of his way, I always noticed the hidden dark tendencies behind Aiden’s metallic eyes. He tucks the strand behind my ear. To a passerby, it’d seem like a doting, caring gesture, but from Aiden, it’s the calm before the storm. The sound of airplanes overhead, right before the bombing. The slight movement of the ground, right before the earthquake. “Tell me, Frozen. What pushes your buttons? What are you afraid of, hmm?” You! I swallow down the scream, tipping my chin up, and meeting the devil’s eyes. He squeezes my jaw between his thumb and forefinger. “Tell. Me.” When I keep my right to remain silent, something flashes in Aiden’s face. It’s fast and fleeting and disappears as soon as it’s there. He releases me with a softness that startles me. No, not startle. It’s something much more potent. I don’t like Aiden’s kind side. It’s deceptive. Destructive. Deadly. “Last chance before I find the answer myself.” Yeah, good luck with pulling the answer out of my head, monster. Something shines in his eyes. People’s eyes shine with excitement and happiness. Aiden’s spark with unhinged sadism. He reaches for me, and before I can do anything, he rips my shirt open. Buttons fly everywhere like abandoned pebbles. My heart lunges in my chest and shame sinks to the bottom of my stomach. Unshed tears fill my eyes, and I realise right then that I’m not fit for this game. I’m a coward and cowards lose before the game even starts.  But I’m smart enough to cut my losses short. I swallow my tears and my stupid pride. “F-fine. I’ll give you the phone.” The smirk on Aiden’s lips seals my doomed fate. “Oh, no. That was before. You had your chance. Now, I’ve changed my mind.” OceanofPDF.com  CHAPTER FOUR I thought I knew fear. My parents’ death brought me raw, inexplicable fear. So much fear that I buried it all in a black, inaccessible box. As I stare at Aiden’s impassive face, I realise that I know nothing about fear. Or if I did, then I forgot it. Because Aiden, an eighteen-year-old, is giving me another definition of fear. I’ve never really known Aiden King until this moment when he has me at his complete mercy — or the lack thereof. Pride and dignity were the only things that got me through the past two years from hell. But now, as I stand with my hands locked behind my back and my shirt ripped open, that pride is crumbling apart like it was cartoonish. An illusion. A lie. “Aiden…” His name gets stuck in my throat like smoke. He’s like smoke. Suffocating, slippery, and undecipherable.  “Stop this.” My voice drops, softening, pleading with any human part in him. But I should’ve known better. There’s no humanity in a monster. His steel gaze darts my way, and I cease to breathe. They say the eyes are the window to the soul, but for Aiden, there’s… nothing. It’s empty in there. A dark, bottomless hole. “What are you willing to do to have me stop?” His voice is calm. Too calm. It’s terrifying. “Let’s take the phone, King.” Xander’s voice holds an uncertainty that matches my jumbled insides. Even though his grip remains steel-like. “No.” Aiden doesn’t break eye contact. He’s like a dog with a bone. There’s no stopping him until he gets what he wants. “Frozen here will give me what I want so I’ll let her go, right?” I shake my head once, holding onto the last thread of dignity I have left. Xander presses on my wrists harder as if communicating something. What, I don’t know. The sadistic spark from earlier returns as Aiden watches me intently. “What do you say, Frozen?” He reaches for the lace of my bra, his fingers tracing along the lace. My back stiffens, and I shrink into Xander as if he’s my defence against his friend. In all honesty, he may be the only defence I have. Aiden gets bolder, hooking his finger against the cloth. His skin brushes along the valley of my breasts, leaving a trail of something so foreign, it’s horrifying. He’s not even reaching for the phone. No. He watches me with that poker face the more his fingers lazily trace along the curve of my breasts, stopping at my scar. His endgame seems to be making me uncomfortable in my own skin. It’s working. It’s freaking working, damn it. Xander tugs on my wrist again as if pushing me to end this. “Fine!” I seethe. “What the hell do you want?” Aiden steps back but doesn’t break eye contact. I don’t want to back off first, but staring into those hollow eyes is exhausting. It’s like being trapped in a void and screaming, but the only sound you’re able to hear is the echo. “Everyone calls me King.” “And?” I ask, not knowing what he’s getting at. “You don’t.” “That’s because you have a first name, why the hell would I call you by your last?” “Who gave you the right to call me by my first name?” “Huh?” “Call me King.” His face lights up with malice. He’s enjoying this. The bastard is enjoying seeing me helpless. I thought Aiden was crazy before, but it turns out he’s a fucking psycho. “Call you King?” I repeat, incredulous. “It’s not rocket science. Say, please let me go, King and I might.” I wiggle against Xander’s hold, hating how my breasts bounce with the move. “I don’t care who you are, Aiden, and you too, arsehole.” I throw over my shoulder at Xander who’s… playing on his phone? Seriously? I jut my chin at Aiden. “If you do anything to me, I’ll report you for sexual harassment and ruin your entire future.” “Damn, Frozen. You’re truly fucked now.” Xander whistles. “You really shouldn’t have threatened him.”  “I thought you were smart.” Aiden tsks. “But I guess you have your stupid moments, too.” Before I can ponder on that, he yanks me from his friend’s hold. I cry out as I collide against his hard chest. His rough fingers dig into my bra. He retrieves my phone and throws it behind me. To Xander I suppose. Then he grabs both my wrists behind my back, locking them in one bruising hand. “I’m out of here,” Xander says in an absent-minded tone. “Don’t take long.” His casual footsteps disappear into the distance. I never thought I would want Xander to stay, but I’m ready to beg him to. He might be cruel, but he doesn’t have an empty gaze like the one Aiden is watching me with. “You have the phone.” “So?” “So let me go.” I stare at his shirt, not wanting to meet his gaze. “That would be a no.” His fingers are back to my bra again, but instead of tracing like earlier, his thumb and forefinger latch onto my pebbled nipple through the cloth and he pinches. A sound claws its way up my throat, but I clamp my lips shut around it. A strange heat invades my body and I hate it. I hate the tormenting sensation. I hate him. I try to struggle, but that only pushes my half-naked breasts forward, making them bounce in his hands. “Are you putting on a show for me?” He smirks. “Screw you.” He pinches hard again, and pressure builds behind my eyes. “Try again.” “What do you want from me, damn it?”  He pinches again, and I bite my lower lip so hard that I taste blood. I’m all flushed, sweaty, and sticky. It kills me that I’m allowing him to have this effect on me. “So now you want to know what I want?” He tsks, lazily brushing his thumb on my hard nipple. “Just tell me.” “What makes you think I want to tell you now? Maybe I changed my mind. Maybe I like you this way.” My chest heaves up and down in an erratic rhythm. He’s not even looking at me. All his attention is on my breasts and… the scar. He doesn’t break eye contact from it like he’s a child who’s found a new favourite toy. He watches intently with that slight furrow in his thick brows. His suffocating interest makes me feel even more exposed than when he ripped my shirt open. “I’ll do it,” I blurt. “Tell me what you want and I’ll do it.” His smokey eyes finally slide up to mine as he tilts his head. It’s a dangerous tactic, but it’s the only way to swipe his attention from my scar. “Apologise,” he says with a casualty that negates his blackening eyes and the torturous swipe of his thumb on my nipple. “Apologise for what?” “For threatening me.” Hot fury whooshes through my veins like a fast-spreading fire. Enough. I’m not taking his entitled shit anymore. “You’re the one who’s supposed to apologise to me! You ruined my life for two years for no reason and you’re now holding me against my will.” “Hmm, for no reason.” He repeats with a casualty that kills me. “Is that what you think?” Nope. No. I’m not breaking my rule. I won’t try to understand bullies.  Not now. Not ever. I wiggle against him, stomping my feet and groaning with pent up frustration. “You might want to stop, Frozen.” “Screw. You,” I grunt, willing all my strength to get me out of his hold. “Keep struggling, and you’ll have to take care of this.” He pushes his hips into me. Something pokes against the softness of my belly. My eyes widen, and I go completely still. He’s… hard. His usual bored expression is gone. The star, perfect player is gone, too. Instead, there’s this dark spark of sadism. He gets off on my struggle. No. Scratch that. He gets off on seeing me helpless. The arsehole is turned on by my weakness. Is he... a full-blown sociopath? “You’re sick,” The words leave my mouth in a haunted whisper. He lifts a shoulder. “Could be.” His fingers snake into my bra and circle a nipple. I thought it was torturous over the cloth, but having his skin against mine is complete hell. I can feel the pulse of his nerves — or mine — and it’s making me hyper-aware of everything. Of the pine scent around us. Of the rustle in the trees. The humidity in the air. And his sheer asphyxiating presence. I screw my lids shut, not wanting to feel whatever sensation that’s crawling up my spine. His touch is bruising, uncomfortable even, but there’s a flash of something going through me that I can’t identify. No one has ever touched me this way before, and I hate that Aiden King is the first to invade my body.  “Do you like me hard for you?” he asks in a nonchalant, almost amused tone. “Of course not. Are you crazy?” “Then why aren’t you giving me what I want? Because the more you resist, the harder I’ll get.” “Go fuck yourself, Aiden.” I stare at him straight in the eyes. “I won’t let you break me.” It’s false bravado. I’m scared of this monster. After what he did today, I honestly don’t know how far he’d go. However, after my parents’ death, I vowed to never apologise for something I haven’t done. Aiden fucking King won’t make me go back to that helpless child I was. “Don’t put ideas in my head.” He runs the pad of his thumb over my nipple. “It’s already crowded with so many fantasies about you.” So many fantasies about me? Aiden has freaking fantasies about me? “Are you going to tell me what scares you, Frozen?” It’s a taunt, his mocking way to put me in my place. “Nothing scares me.” “I call bullshit on that. Everyone has something that scares them.” He sounds thoughtful. “What’s yours?” I lift my chin. “I told you. Nothing.” “You’re a terrible liar, but I’ll play the game. If you won’t tell me, I’ll find out myself.” His fingers leave my nipple, but before I can release the breath I’ve been holding, he trails his hand down and over my bare stomach. I suck in a crackling breath at how gentle, almost soothing, his touch is. It’s the complete opposite of the devil look in his impenetrable eyes.  His fingers play with the waistband of my skirt. “Are you a virgin, Frozen?” My stomach plummets with so many feelings I can’t keep up with. I look away from him and stare at a tree so hard as if willing it to go up in flames and end this nightmare. It’s not prudeness that fills me. It’s not even shame. This arsehole actually terrifies me and I hate myself for it. I also hate the tingles erupting at the bottom of my belly. What in the ever loving hell are they supposed to mean? He’s violating me and I’m freaking tingling? “No?” He sounds almost disapproving. “Who did you give it up to? The biology teacher? Some loser in your previous public school?” I meet his demon eyes again. “That’s none of your business.” “Did you like it when he plunged inside you?” he continues as if he didn’t hear what I just said. “Or did it hurt? I bet you were too tight, huh? Did he tear you in one go or did he take it slow? I bet the sorry fuck worshipped you like some Goddess, didn’t he? But you’re not a Goddess, you’re Frozen. I bet he didn’t know you have an icy heart when he was giving you foreplay and taking it easy on you. Did you bleed all over his dick or on the sheets? Did he get you off or did you have to fake it? Or maybe —” “Shut up!” My face burns at the crudeness of his explicit words. What type of person has so many questions about how someone lost their virginity? Worse. Why did his expression darken with every question as if he’s… pissed off? Aiden’s hand plunges inside my skirt and he slaps my thighs apart. I cry out, my heart shrivels into a black hole. “A-Aiden, what are you doing?”  “For the last time, it’s King.” His face is completely blank except for the slight smirk. “You said you’ll report me for sexual harassment.” “W-what… ?” “It’s your lucky day. I’m making the report come true.” “You… can’t be serious?” My voice cracks. “Have I ever joked with you, Frozen?” I struggle against him, my heartbeat increases with every second that I can’t budge away. “Aiden! Stop it.” “Wrong name.” He hums, his finger teasing the hem of my boy shorts. My throat closes the more his fingers invade the inner part of my thighs. The more I try to close my legs, the harder he slaps my thighs apart. My walls crumble and I can feel myself losing and crashing to pieces by him. I suck a breath into my lungs and try to level my tone. Uncle Jaxon always told me that the best negotiating method is to be confident. Even if it’s only the fake type. If I show weakness, Aiden will only lunge towards it like a shark to blood. My best bet is to be calm — no matter how hard that is. “King!” I blurt. “Are you happy now?” He smiles with approval. “Not really, but you’re learning.” “So?” “So what?” “I called you by your stupid last name, what else are you waiting for? Hail to the king?” He chuckles. “Let’s save that for another day.” As if there will ever be another day with this bastard. However, I smile. “Fine. Now, screw off.” “You know…” he trails off. “You really play stupid moves.” “What?”  “When your opponent charges for the attack, you’re supposed to stay low, not crash with him head first. You’re the only one who’ll get hurt.” Whatever the hell that means. “I was ready to let you go, but you pissed me off, so I changed my mind.” I watch his poker face closely. Aside from the slight twitching in his left eye, he looks peaceful to me. Not pissed off at all. But then again, what the hell did I know about Aiden’s body language? He’s like a fort. Impossible to climb, to peer over, or to destroy. “Then change it back,” I mumble. “That’s not how it works.” “Let me go and I won’t tell anyone,” I say in my most neutral tone. “Is that so?” His fingers draw small circles inside my thighs, and I clench my fists against the sensation. I bite back the discomfort and the freaking tingling. “Yes. I only want to finish this year in peace.” “What makes you think I want you to have any peace, Frozen?” He grips my sex harshly. “You were born to suffer.” I cry out at the intrusive gesture. A zap bolts straight from where he’s gripping me to my entire body. Aiden is watching me with those sadistic eyes. Only now, the glint is becoming darker. Hazier. Stronger. He loves having this effect on me. He’s getting high on it. Like a drug addict who can’t get enough, he seems ready for more. The harder I refuse, the more drastic his methods become. It started with demanding my phone then he wanted me to call him by his last name then he wanted me to apologise. Whenever I say ‘no’, his assault becomes relentless.  Ruthless. Remorseless. I’m provoking a monster. A full-blown monster. During my years of struggle against bullies, I learnt to never give them what they want. If I acknowledge their bullying or show them I give a damn about what they did, it’d give them the incentive to push harder. Aiden is darker than the usual bully, but he’s still a bully all the same. Only he doesn’t want those apologies or for me to beg or even the damn phone. He wants my struggle. He wants my helplessness. My weakness. “I’m sorry,” I blurt and try to mean it. He pauses his ministrations for a second, but he doesn’t release my sex. His gaze meets mine and his left eye twitches before he presses his thumb on my clitoris above the cloth. My legs shake and I briefly close my eyes, willing the feeling to go the fuck away. I shouldn’t be affected by whatever this monster is doing. “Why did you say that?” he asks. “You told me to apologise.” “You don’t mean it.” He leans closer and whispers in hot breaths against my ear, his voice amused. “Did you seriously think I’d fall for that, sweetheart?” Sweetheart? Sweet-fucking-heart? It takes everything in me not to let my anger seethe to the surface. I want to push him so badly, but I know it’ll only give him the upper hand. Aiden’s type gets off on hysterics. It’s their driving force. I level my tone. “I apologised as you asked.”  “Apology denied.” He muses. “You of all people don’t get to play games with me.” You of all people? What the hell is that supposed to mean? “You said you’d let me go. This isn’t fair.” “Who said anything about fair, hmm?” How am I supposed to win if he keeps changing the rules? An idea flashes in my head. It’s something I learnt from old Chinese war books. When cornered, use your opponent’s attack mechanism. “What do you want, Aiden?” I soften my tone. “Tell me.” There must be something he wants. If he asked me the question then he must already have an answer of his own. “Let me guess.” He smiles without humour. “You’ll make it happen?” “If you let me go.” It’s a dangerous game and he might decide to not play fair again. “You never cry.” He observes me, sliding his thumb back and forth over my clit. I clamp my lips against the sound trying to claw its way through. I want him to stop, but I also want something else. What, I don’t know. “Why do you never cry, Frozen?” he asks with an almost gentle tone. I want to tell him I do cry, just not in front of him or any of his bully minions, but I keep that information to myself. If I get worked up around him, it’s game over. “These eyes should be filled with fucking tears.” “Aiden, seriously, what the hell is your problem?” “Cry and I’ll let you go.” He deadpans. “You have to be convincing, though.” My lips part. Is he serious? “I won’t cry.”  He tightens his grip on my sex, and I whimper. Pain shoots through my core along with something else I don’t want to think about. “Hmm. I’ll be generous and give you the right for two moves. Either cry or we can stand here all day and I’ll see how far I can take your sexual assault report.” I look over his shoulder, desperately trying to find anyone. But I should’ve known better. Kim purposefully chooses this place because no one wanders this far in the back garden. When I stare back at Aiden, he’s watching me with a strange mixture of emotions. Interest? Curiosity? Hate? I don’t know what it is, but I need this freaking psychopath as far away from me as possible. If crying will push him away then so be it. “Do you need me to count to three?” he asks. “Tears don’t come on demand.” I can’t help but snap. I’m too angry and flustered to just cry. “Let me help.” Still gripping my core, he uses my bound hands to push me back until my breasts thrust in his face. He glares at the scar as if it’s a person he loathes. “This should’ve killed you.” His warm breath tickles against my skin and goosebumps erupt in its wake. “You should’ve died, Frozen.” My nose tingles and pressure builds behind my eyes. With a few words, he thrust me back to my child-self. To the fear. The helplessness. The unknown. He’s right. That heart surgery almost killed me. But that’s not the reason behind my unshed tears. It’s the memories surrounding the surgery — or the lack thereof. The reason I hate the scar so much isn’t because of the surgery or the non-aesthetic appearance. It’s because the scar is a reminder that everything before it is blank.  All I have left are nightmares and phobias and a distant reminder that I once had parents. The scar represents that missing part of me. Before I can try to seal those emotions into their dark box, Aiden bites on the flesh of my breast. I cry out as his teeth sink into the skin and then he sucks and bites along the scar with such animosity that leaves me breathless. And terrified. It’s like he wants to bite the skin off. Unleash those memories. The nightmares. The smoke and the flames. And the blood… so much fucking blood. “Aiden, s-stop.” He doesn’t. He continues feasting on my skin like he’s a cannibal. Everything will be out. All of it. This can’t be happening. “Stop!” My lips tremble as tears fall down my cheeks. Aiden lifts his head. He stares at my face, at my tears, and the expression of hate that must be written all over my face. His features are expressionless. Closed. Impassive. “Good girl.” He finally lets me go. The space between my legs feels kind of strange when he removes his hand. My shoulders ache from how he locked my wrists behind my back. I expected him to step back and leave me be.  But Aiden never acts like you expect him to. His upper body leans over and he darts his tongue out. Aiden licks the tears falling down my right cheek. My skin turns hot and cold at the same time. He moves to the left cheek, taking his time in tasting my tears. When he pulls back, he doesn’t appear as shocked as I feel. However, his devil mask slips. I get my first glimpse at the real Aiden. The one he hides behind the smiles. The true form. If the smirk on his face and the manic look in his eyes are any indication, then the fucking psycho enjoyed licking my tears. A phone rings, startling me out of my stupor. He checks it and sighs like someone is ruining his fun. He gives me one last, unreadable look. “Be smart and stop making stupid moves.” More tears continue falling down my cheeks as I watch his stupid tall frame disappear behind the trees. I turn in the opposite direction and run. OceanofPDF.com  CHAPTER FIVE R unning in the rain steals my breath. Ruins it. Smashes it. Nearly eradicates it. When I arrive home, my soaked clothes are stuck to my skin. My shoes are slouching. My toes are cold and stiff. Erratic strands of my hair stick to my temples and forehead, dripping all over me. I stand in our small garden, catching my breath, and press a shaky palm to my chest. My heart’s palpitations grow uneven and out of beat as if protesting. I close my eyes and tip my head back, letting the rain beat down on me. Soak me. Rinse me. The droplets pound on my closed lids almost like a soothing caress. I’ve always loved the rain. The rain camouflaged everything. No one saw the tears. No one noticed the shame or the humiliation. It was just me, the clouds, and the pouring water.  But that’s the thing about the rain, isn’t it? It’s only a camouflage, a temporary solution. It can only rinse the outside. It can’t seep under my skin and wash away my shaky insides. Wiping away my memories isn’t an option either. It’s been barely an hour since Aiden had his hands on me – all over me. I can still feel it. His breath. His nearness. His psychotic eyes. I lock the encounter deep in the darkness of my head and trudge to the entrance. I need to change before I catch a cold. Our house sits in a cosy upper-middle class neighbourhood. It’s two- storey and with more rooms than we need. The three of us did everything to make it as homey as possible. We planted an orange tree. A few roses. Uncle and I made sure to take care of the gardening ourselves — but lately he doesn’t have time to. My movements are numb as I hit the code and step inside. The interior design has been carefully picked by Aunt Blair. Despite being minimalist, it’s classy and modern. The lounge area has dark blue and beige sofas. The bookshelves are also dark blue with a touch of strength that doesn’t only represent Uncle Jaxon’s alpha character, but also Aunt Blair’s. Not bothering to open the tall, french windows, I drag my numb feet upstairs. Aunt and Uncle wouldn’t be around until late at night. The more their company grows, the less I see of them. Sometimes, they pull all-nighters — whether in their company’s office or their home one.  Sometimes, one of them returns to spend the night, but most of the time, they don’t. I’m going to be eighteen soon and I’ve always acted responsibly, so I stay alone just fine. Deep down, I know they don’t like leaving me alone — especially Aunt Blair. When I’m by myself or with Kim, she calls a thousand times — even with the safe neighbourhood and the alarm system. God. I can’t believe I ditched school. I just couldn’t sit in the same class as Aiden and pretend I was fine. For two years, I took pride in walking the halls with my head held high no matter what the minions said or did to me. Today was too raw. Too deviant. Just too much. The steel will I thought I had crumbled in a matter of minutes. I always heard about people’s breaking points, but I was too delusional to think I didn’t have one. I discovered the hard way that I do. A breath leaves me as I step into my room. My sanctuary. I always joked with Aunt and Uncle, calling it my kingdom. The decor is cosy with a mixture of pastel pink and black. I have my own library stacked with psychological and Chinese war books organised alphabetically. CD’s hang from the ceiling like a curtain separating my bed from my desk. The wall across the bed has two huge posters of my favourite bands; Coldplay and Bastille. I let my backpack drop on the floor and press play on my Ipad. Hipnotised by Coldplay fills the space. Tears barge into my eyes as I strip from my soaked clothes and step into the bathroom.  My hand itches. The need to scrub the filth off it fills me with an obsessiveness. I stop at the sink and wash, scrub and rub my hands together until they become bright red. When I lift my eyes to the mirror, my lips part. It’s me. The witchy, white-blonde hair. The baby blue eyes. But at the same time, it isn’t. There’s a void in there. A… numbness. I’m about to move to the shower when something else stops me. My scar. Several angry red marks surround it. Did the psycho leave freaking hickeys around my scar? What in the ever living hell was going on in his defective brain? I rip my gaze away from the mirror and take the longest, most scalding shower in history. When I step back into the room, the song has changed to Good Grief by Bastille. I let the music drift around me as I climb into bed, still in a towel, and close my eyes. I fight the tears and lose. I startle awake. My hair sticks to the side of my face with sweat. Heat smothers my body and my breasts tighten against the towel. That’s not all. Oh. God. My hand rests between my legs and I’m… wet. I jerk my hand free as if I was caught stealing.  I don’t even remember the dream, so what the hell is this reaction supposed to mean? My surroundings come back into focus. The soft light from the lamp. The music I left on. The chorus from Grip by Bastille strikes deep inside me. Something about the devil having him by the arm and pulling him into the night. The neon red numbers on the nightstand read seven pm. I slide from the bed, willing my body temperature to go back to normal. With a deep breath, I put on my pyjamas shorts and a T-shirt, gather my hair in a bun, and sit at my desk. My first day at senior year started with a disaster, but nothing will take Cambridge away from me. I retrieve my books and tasks organised in Eizinhower’s method and dive into it. For thirty minutes, my mind is tuned to studying. Then, I start drifting. The pen grazes my bottom lip as my thoughts spiral into directions they shouldn’t. Even when I want to forget, my body has a memory of its own. My body still remembers how Aiden held me. How he was hard because I struggled. My eyes still remember that dark, bottomless emptiness and disregard. If I didn’t cry, what would he have done? A shudder goes through me at the thought. In old Chinese war books, it’s said that the best way to understand someone is to see things from their perspective. To think as they do. There’s no way in hell I’m doing that with Aiden. Depraved bullies don’t deserve to be understood. After being singled out as an outcast, I thought that one day, karma would bite bastards like Aiden in the arse and he’d stop tormenting my existence in RES.  I was only fooling myself. Aiden might be a psycho, but he’s a smart one. He knows when to push buttons and when to step back. He took me by surprise today. Ha, understatement of the freaking century there. He rattled me. He shook my world. He made me doubt myself. Since he kept his distance for two years, I never thought he’d get close. That close. I’m still all too confused about what I felt. What I feel. And whatever dream – or nightmare – I just had. I know for sure that he took something he had no right to take and that I fucking hate him for it. But more than him, I hate myself for letting him take it. A knock sounds on the door. I startle, biting the pen and my lip. Ow. I smother my expression. “Come in.” Aunt and Uncle walk inside, both of them still wearing their work suits. When Aunt Blair leans in for a hug, I stand up and remain in her embrace for a bit too long. Beneath the cherry perfume, she has Mum’s scent. Something that resembles cotton candies and summer. I don’t know why I’m thinking about that right now when I don’t even remember my mum. Today, I miss her. I miss the life that I don’t remember. Reluctantly, I pull away from Aunt and hug Uncle Jaxon. He plants a kiss at the top of my head. Uncle is classically handsome with brownish blonde hair and cobalt blue eyes.  Although his build is above average, he has a beer belly. “I called and you didn’t pick up.” Aunt studies my face in that scrutinising way that brings her clients to their knees. It’s like she’s detecting the lie before I even say it. “Sorry, I forgot it.” “I called the school,” she says. “They said you went home?” “I…” Darn. I didn’t think that far when I left. “I didn’t feel so good.” Uncle Jaxon looms over me, his forehead creasing. “Are you having palpitations, pumpkin?” “No.” I force a smile and hope to hell they believe it. “I just had a headache and wanted to come home and rest. Sorry I didn’t call you.” “We were so worried about you, honey.” Aunt smooths my hair back. “I came home to check on you earlier, but you were asleep.” “I told you she would be fine.” Uncle chimed in. “Where did you forget your phone?” “At... school.” Real classy, Elsa. I’m shooting one freaking lie after the other. It hurts to lie to them, but I’d rather die than put Aunt and Uncle’s company in jeopardy. Their names and Aiden fucking King’s name shouldn’t exist in the same sentence. Aunt continues scrutinising me and checking me up and down like she’s expecting me to collapse any second. “A headache out of nowhere is suspicious. Maybe we should visit Dr Albert.” “It’s just a headache, Blair,” Uncle says on my behalf. “Headaches are symptoms for the nastiest diseases, Jaxon.” She scolds. “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 , A unt 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?” OceanofPDF.com  CHAPTER SIX H e 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 possible 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 wi