Ruthless Empire (Royal Elite #6)(48)

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

My shoulder blades snap together and I swallow as I quickly cut off eye contact. It’s better to pretend I didn’t see him I need out of his vicinity. Now.

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

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

“Shut up.”

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

“You still won’t show me your tits?”

“No.”

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

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

“That fucker.” He appears genuinely offended.

“You need to step up your game, Xan.”

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

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

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

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

“Why don’t you?”

“I…can’t.”

“Maybe I can’t either.”

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

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

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

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

“What happened back then, Xan?”

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

The reason why I came slams to the front of my mind. “Searching for Cole. Helen needs him and can’t reach him.”

Lies and lies and more fucking lies.

“Oh.” He blinks slowly. “Are you sure you want to interrupt him?”

“Yes.”

“It won’t be pretty.”

“Let me worry about that.”

“Whatever. He’s in the west wing, second room to last.”

I kiss his cheek. “You’re the best.”

“You bet.” He winks.

The only reason I don’t run is because I’m not supposed to.

You never know where reporters are hiding, Silver. Always be on your best behaviour in public, Babydoll.

Mum’s words are engraved in my head like a mantra.

As soon as I ascend the stairs and I’m out of everyone’s view, I run all the way down the hall, ignoring both the pain from my heels and the one in my chest.

Images of that bound girl I saw on Cole’s phone flash in my head like a horror film.

Stopping in front of the door, I realise that my heart hurts. So much that I feel like I’ll throw it all up if I’m touched in any wrong way.

Do I really want to see what’s inside? Do I want to witness it with my own eyes?

Maybe I should go back, bring out my journal and curse him in it.

And then what? Cry myself to sleep like a pathetic fool?

I won’t do that. I’m not a coward. Cole Nash will never break me.

Taking a deep breath, I grab the handle and push. It’s locked.

Shit. Of course it’s locked. Why had I thought Cole would not think of that?

I don’t leave, though. I knock.

That’s what you do when you’ve decided to attack — you can’t pull back. You have to get on with it. Finish it. Conquer it.

If you lose, so be it. At least you tried.

I raise my hand to knock a second time, but the door opens and my fist nearly hits Cole’s chest. I’m tempted to do just that, but the shadow peeking from inside stops me.

He’s still wearing the T-shirt and jeans from earlier. His face is neutral except for the small twitch at the corner of his lips. “Why, Silver, what are you doing here?”

I push him aside and barge inside. The girl, Jennifer, sits on the bed in only her lace bra and underwear. She doesn’t even try to hide her nakedness.

My blood boils at seeing her. She’s like me, or rather, a fake me with fake blonde hair that’s filled with extensions and fake blue eyes and fake everything.

“Silver?” She stares between me and Cole, who’s still standing at the door. “I thought we were going to play. What is your sister doing here?”

Sister.