Vicious Prince: An Arranged Marriage Romance (Royal Elite Book 5)

“Are you going to reply or should I show up and fuck up your peace?” Cole’s bored voice recites the text I was supposed to send to Teal two weeks ago but ended up sending in my fucker friends’ group chat.

“I never thought I would say this” — Aiden clutches my shoulder — “but I’m proud of you.”

“Answer…please?” Cole reads on. He’s sitting on the sofa, leaning on a hand and clutching his phone.

Aiden releases me with distaste. “I won’t get behind that, so no, not proud of you.”

“Fuck you.” I motion at Cole. “And you.” Then I point behind me at Xan, who’s going through his texts. “And you too.”

“What?” the latter protests. “I haven’t said anything.”

“You were about to, so that’s a fuck you in advance.”

I throw my weight next to Cole. We’re having a small gathering at the Meet Up after the game. The other players are either drinking or trying to convince girls to shag them.

Loud music thumps from the walls. It would’ve been better in my house — just saying.

But, oh well. Not only would the mighty Earl Edric rip me a new one, Mum would be disappointed, and I would never do that.

Parties at the Meet Up can be fun, except you don’t find places to shag and stuff. Not that I’m interested in that — or maybe I am; depends on whether or not Teal shows up.

I’ve been watching the entrance like a fucking creep for the past hour or so. She was at the game with Elsa and Kim earlier. Kim has forgotten all about me now that Xander is back. She used to call my name, but now his repulsive number nineteen is all she cares about.

Teal was more interested in her phone than me — I know because every time I raised my head, she was engrossed in that fucking thing. Next time, that phone and I are having a word.

I can’t believe I’m jealous of a phone.

Wait. Jealous? No. I don’t do jealousy. The feeling is beneath me and would never exist in my vocabulary — especially not for Teal.

My phone vibrates and I pull it out faster than a junkie in need of his next pill. The name of the sender on the screen makes me grip the phone harder.

It’s definitely not the text I’ve been waiting for.

Eduard: Edric says he’ll have a family gathering to announce something. Do you have any idea what it is?

I don’t, and even if I did, that fucker wouldn’t get anything from me.

Dear old Dad has been acting a bit weird lately. I thought the time he spends with Mum is because he has a control freak diploma from the eighteenth century, but Lars has been saying annoying shit lately.

“Pay attention.”

“Young lord, you are being blinded by that girl and losing focus.”

“Did I mention that you should pay attention?”

When I told him to be more specific or to fuck off, he chose the latter, huffing like a damsel in distress.

Fucking Lars. I’m going to corner him one of these days or steal his little black book and have a look.

What does he want me to pay attention to? His lordship being a control freak or Mum calling him her love when he’s actually her tormentor?

And Lars is wrong — I’m not blinded by Teal. I stare at my phone after making Eduard’s message disappear. Why the fuck isn’t she texting me?

“Green is on her way.” Xan grins like an idiot.

“Elsa, too.” Aiden takes a drink of his soda. He never drinks, like ever. He and Cole say it diminishes their logic, and they’re the type of fuckers who need all their neurons to plot chaos.

“Teal?” Cole asks.

“No clue. I’m not the clingy type.” I grin. “I do know Silver is somewhere upstairs though.”

She’s not. I haven’t seen her tonight, but egging him on is my favourite pastime. People pay money for this type of entertainment.

Cole’s gaze slides from his book to me then back as if I don’t exist, but if I managed to draw his attention from his book, it means this shit is working.

“Not the clingy type? I beg to differ.” Xander scrolls through his phone then flashes one of the texts they weren’t supposed to see in a million years.

Ronan: Remember when I said you always have to answer my texts? Well, maybe I haven’t said those exact words, but they’re out there now so you might as well do it. Call me. I want to hear your voice.

I release a long sigh. “Okay, what do I have to do for you to erase those texts from your phones?”

“I can’t be bought, Astor.” Aiden takes another sip of his drink.

“You mean after the stunt of burning my book?” Cole appears to be contemplative. “How about…never?”

Vindictive fucker.

“Are you kidding?” Xan laughs. “I’m already making these into framed prints and keeping them for future reference.”

My best option, for now, is to steal their phones and flush them down the toilet. That is if they don’t keep shit in the cloud. Whoever invented that — I hate you.

Elsa and Kim come in, both wearing jeans and tank tops. I stop breathing, holding it in for long seconds before I let it go.

I feel her before even seeing her. She’s in the middle, wearing a long black T-shirt-like dress that stops under her knees. The writing for today is ‘If karma doesn’t hit you, I fucking will.’

She’s bloody crazy, and her crazy is becoming my kink. I shouldn’t care about kink — or think about it — but Teal is turning everything against me.

In a good way.

In the best way imaginable.

Her hair is loose as usual, making her face appear smaller and her frame tinier. Her white trainers stop at her ankles.

Her black eyes aren’t smothered with that dark makeup she usually hides behind. She’s a bit demure today, appearing more compliant, and for some reason, that makes me apprehensive.

All disasters start with a change. Like that night.

I shake my head, pushing that idea away.

Her gaze roams around the room, and it takes her exactly three seconds to find me. The moment her eyes lock onto mine, it’s like the entire world has hushed into the background. There are no sounds, no colours, and no scents.

There’s only her, the girl with odd preferences and a fucking attitude.

But she’s also the girl who deeply cares but doesn’t know how to show it. The girl who keeps checking on Mum and asking me about her favourites because she wants her happy.

The girl who turns into a compliant submissive in bed but is a tigress outside of it.

I’m about to go to her. I don’t know what I’ll do, probably kidnap her to somewhere no one can find us or interrupt us.

Before I can move, some loser from the rugby team intercepts her. Elsa and Kim are already by Aiden and Xan’s sides, kissing like they’re in a low-budget porn.

But I’m not focused on them.

My entire focus is on the fucker who just cut off my eye contact with Teal.

He’s taller than her, so I can’t get a clear view of her expression.

A black halo swirls around my head, refusing to evaporate.

I stride in their direction and barge straight between them. He — David, I think his name is — steps back as if startled.

I grin. “May I help you, David?”

“No, I was just asking Teal about an assignment.”

“This doesn’t look like class, does it?”

Teal tries to elbow my side, but I keep out of her reach and then grab her hand in mine.

David appears flustered, but he holds his ground. The sorry fuck. Why are we even inviting rugby blokes to our parties?

“I was just—”

“Leaving,” I cut him off.

“No. That’s not—”

“In case you haven’t noticed, Teal is taken.” I smile. “In fact, she’s someone’s fiancée — mine. So stay away from her.”

Instead of shutting up and screwing off, he continues speaking. “I think that’s up to her to decide.”

I tug Teal to me, place a hand on her cheek, and slam my lips to hers in one ruthless kiss that makes her gasp. I take the chance and claim her tongue, tasting her as I’ve never done before. I can feel the attention everyone at the party is giving us, and I let them watch the show; I let them know who she belongs to.

Jealous? Me? No, not at all.

I don’t wait for David or anyone else to get into our bubble. The moment my lips leave hers, I drag her behind me and out of the Meet Up. The music and the voices fade more and more the further we stride away. We’re in the car park when she yanks her hand from mine.

“I can’t keep up,” she pants.

“We have to do something about your short legs.” I face her.

She folds her arms over her generous tits. “Maybe we should do something about the caveman scenes. Have you been taking pointers from Aiden or something?”

I scoff. “Come on, belle. I’m the type who gives lessons, not the other way around.”

“Yeah, right.” She tucks her hair behind her ear, and even in the dim light coming from the cottage, I can make out the reddening of her cheeks.

“You like it.” I grin. I step up to her and she stares at me with wide eyes, frozen in the moment. “You like how I go caveman for you, how I staked a claim on you in public and marked you as mine.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“And yet, you’re not looking me in the eye.”

“I am.” Her gaze slides to mine then shifts after a fraction of a second.

I grab her by the chin and run my finger down her swollen bottom lip. “Admit it.”

“You’re a bastard.”

“We’ve already established that.”

She throws her hands out to the sides. “Now what?”

“Now, we’re out of here.”

“But…to where?”

“The sky’s our limit, belle. I’ll start by fucking you, and then I’ll end the night by fucking you again. The in-between probably includes that, too, but I’m open to suggestions.”

She smiles a little. “You still have the stamina after today’s game? You were running for ninety minutes straight, and the way you went back to defence when one of your back liners didn’t do their job? Your manager should’ve subbed him out, but no, they saw you were playing their position along with yours, so they were like, okay, we can keep him. Going back and forth must’ve exhausted you, and let’s not talk about the assists you made for Xander’s favours. I get it, he’s coming back after long absence, but why do he and Aiden get all the limelight while your effort is chalked up to assists? It’s not fair, and the way Cole thinks he’s a better midfielder than you…” She trails off as my grin widens more with every word out of her mouth. “I was rambling, wasn’t I?”

“No, continue. We’re at the part where Cole thinks he’s better than me, which is obviously blasphemy.”

“Shut up.” If possible, her cheeks redden some more. My Teal doesn’t usually blush, but when she does, it’s like the world has turned red. She’s real even when she’s embarrassed.

“I thought you weren’t watching me,” I say. “You were all over your phone as if you were having some sort of an affair — not that I said anything to anyone, because my fucker friends would think I’m clingy. Did I mention they’re calling me a pussy because of you?”

“Yeah, you kind of did.”

“You’re making it up to me.”

I thread my fingers in hers and drag her towards my car. With the whole party scene, there are too many vehicles here. It takes precious minutes to find mine.

“Wait.” Teal tugs on my hand.

“No waiting. Ron Astor the Second needs his dose.”

She laughs, and the sound is so rare and feather-like I can’t resist stopping and facing her.

“What?” I suppress my own smile. Seeing her face radiate is contagious.

“Don’t tell me that’s the name of your dick?”

“Could be. Why? You have a problem with it? I’m open to suggestions, but he only answers to that name. In my defence, I named him when I was thirteen and straight out of a family history class.”

She bursts out laughing, hiding her mouth with the back of her hand.

“What is it, belle?” I feign offence. “Speak now or forever hold your peace.”

A thump comes from our right, and both of us pause.

“That’s what I asked you to wait for,” Teal whispers, her laughter vanishing. “There’s a weird sound coming from that car.”

“Belle, this is posh London. We don’t have serial killers amongst us…” I trail off when the sound comes again, and this time, I recognise from which car it is coming.

A black Jeep.

Cole’s.

Oh, fucking fuck. What did he do now?

“We should take a look,” Teal says.

“That’s probably not a good idea.”

“What do you mean it’s not a good idea?” Teal’s cheeks redden, and this time it’s far different than embarrassment. It’s anger — no, rage in its purest form.

“It means we shouldn’t get involved.” Cole’s shit is Cole’s shit. Besides, I might have an idea of what’s going on in that car, and it has more to do with kink activity rather than sociopathic.

But he had to bring it here, seriously?

That’s a new level even for him.

“Shouldn’t get involved?” Teal’s voice rises. “Someone might need help in there. Someone might be screaming at the top of their lungs, but no one is hearing them. They need a voice, but they get nothing. It’s because of people like you that they get nothing, the people who say they shouldn’t get involved, who say they shouldn’t step up to help someone in need or—”

“Hey.” I wrap both palms around her face, trying to cool her down.

She’s skipping over words and appears to be on the verge of a breakdown. It’s one of the rare times Teal shows what’s inside her, shows what she has hidden underneath the aloof persona and the ‘fuck the world’ exterior.

“It’s going to be okay,” I murmur against her forehead. “You’re going to be okay. I’m here for you.”

A sob catches in her throat like when she was coming down from that nightmare. Her nails dig into my Elites’ jacket as she draws in measured breaths, trying to compose herself and control her state.

“Can we take a look?” she murmurs against my chest.

“Sure.” Fuck Cole. I would do anything for that pleading in her voice, especially with the way she’s holding on to me.

I’m about to head to the car when Cole strides out of the Meet Up. He watches us for a second, probably wondering why we’re near his car.

I glare at him from over Teal’s head. “There’s a sound coming from over there, Captain.”

He must recognise the accusation in my tone.

“It’s my mother’s dog.” He smiles at us, appearing like a prim and proper gentleman. “I have to get it back to her.”

His mother’s dog? Come on, he could’ve come up with a better excuse.

Still, I go with it and grin at Teal. “See? I told you it’s nothing.”

“Don’t trap dogs,” she tells Cole. “They don’t like it.”

“This particular one does.” His lips move into a sadistic smirk. It’s so brief I wouldn’t have noticed it if I weren’t throwing metaphorical daggers at his face.

I pull out my keys and throw them in Teal’s hand. “Wait for me in the car, belle. I need a word with Captain.”

She disappears around a tree in the car’s direction. The thump comes again, but Cole pretends as if it didn’t happen as he runs his fingers over his book.

“You needed a word with me?” he asks, as if this is an everyday occurrence.

“Your mother’s dog is throwing a fit.”

“He can…wait.”

“Funny, I don’t remember your mum owning a dog.”

“It’s new. My pet.”

“Fuck, Captain. You’re sick.”

“Are we going down that road, Ronan? Because I have a few witnesses who might say the same about you.”

I flip him off then turn to leave. They’re not kids, and it’s none of my fucking business.

“Does Aiden know?” I ask over my shoulder. Cole is still standing where I left him, watching me closely.

Like a good kid with serial killer tendencies, he never does anything when others are around.

Never.

It’s his techniques that allow him to get away with murder — figuratively. If there’s literal shit, I don’t want to be involved.

“Why should he?” he shoots back.

“I don’t know, Captain, maybe because your decisions have no impact on the grown-ups’ decisions. If Jonathan King and your dear stepdad decide things will go otherwise, they will.”

He remains calm, but his book tilts a little, which means he’s gripping it hard.

“Don’t kill anyone.” I grin. “I mean it. I don’t want to be interviewed as the killer’s best friend. They will ask if I saw the signs, and then I’ll have to say I burnt your book. Do you see the pattern there?”

“No.”

“Neither do I.” I wave without turning around. “Don’t kill. Save that shit for your thirties.”

After I disappear from his vicinity, any thought of him vanishes.

Time for my Teal.

I meant it earlier — there’ll be a lot of sessions for Ron Astor the Second. Okay, fine. Maybe I shouldn’t have named him in front of her, but I kind of lose control of my tongue when I’m with her — in different ways.

My phone vibrates. Eduard. Fucking again.

Eduard: If you know something and you’re not telling me, I might be inclined to think you don’t respect our deal, dear little nephew. It’s very unfortunate.

Fuck him and his fake posh behaviour and all of his existence, basically.

There was a moment in time where his existence was the reason I continued mine. Mum used to read me books about a witch who cast a spell on a prince and made him lose his memory, and with that, he forgot all about the princess he loved.

I told her I wished I could find the witch. She frowned, and I realised I’d said the wrong thing. It was a curse; I wasn’t supposed to wish to erase my memories, so I told her it was because I wanted to find her over and over again.

Mum was my princess. She was the reason I wanted that curse, because I thought if I forgot, I wouldn’t have those nightmares that made her stay up all night beside me.

I turn my phone off and climb into the driver’s seat, trying to regulate my breathing.

“Surprise.” Teal’s tentative voice wrenches my attention towards her.

She’s sitting in the passenger seat and has taken off the T-shirt dress. She’s now wearing the bunny outfit I keep in my wardrobe because I was plotting to have Kimberly wear it a long time ago.

The one-piece outfit moulds to her body, bringing attention to her cleavage, which is pushing against the material. Her thighs are bare, the thin strip of fabric glued to her pussy.

I always told the others I had this fantasy, and I did watch it on porn — don’t judge — but now that it’s real and Teal is wearing it, something in my chest fucking snaps.

It’s not a good snap.

My mood darkens and my heart beats so loud it’s the only thing I can hear in my ears.

“Oh, wait. I forgot.” She reaches into her bag, brings out bunny ears, and places them on her head. “Now it’s complete.”

Now it’s complete.

Now, it’s fucking complete.

Her face flashes back and forth as if it’s a ghost. Terror like I’ve only felt once in my life plays in my head over and over like a distorted film.

Manic laughter, drunk people, dark, so fucking dark and alone.

So alone.

Mother.

Father.

Help me.

“R-Ronan?”

“Remove it.”

“W-What?”

I grab her by the arm and rip the thing off her.

Her yelp and my groans fill the space, but all I can hear is that small child’s quiet sobs.

Help.

Help me.