Vicious Prince (Royal Elite #5)(24)

I loathe male masturbation, so why do I not hate it when he does it?

My phone vibrates with another text.

Ronan: Then maybe I’ll send it off to Ethan and my dear father. Come on, end this, ma belle, and I promise you the world.

Ronan: Just kidding. I promise you pain.

Teal: What type of logic is that? You’re okay with touching me when I’m not your fiancée but not the other way around?

Ronan: Ding dong, you finally figured it out.

Teal: Why?

I allow myself a curiosity I would’ve never followed if it were any other person.

I’m a strategist; my eyes are always on the end goal. I don’t allow myself to swerve in the middle of the operation.

But Ronan is the exception to all rules.

He’s a damn anomaly with his stupid grin and his punishing hands and the contradictions in his personality.

Ronan: Because the title comes with burdens. I don’t want to fuck with burdens. Sort of like how you don’t want to fuck normal.

I mark the text as read but don’t reply.

Ronan: This is your final warning. End the engagement before I do it. Mmmkay?

My shoulders stiffen as I exit the chat. He’s been threatening me for so long now; it’s time he knows I am not to be threatened.

“Agnus?”

“Yes.”

“Can you drop me somewhere?”

I hit the number on my contacts list and smile for the second time today.

Ronan should not have messed with me. If he bites, I’ll always bite back.





11





Ronan





“What does it mean when a girl cockblocks you?”

Cole doesn’t lift his head from the book; it’s one he’s been reading a lot lately, titled The Anatomy of Evil. He has phases where he spends a long time reading a certain book until he memorises the whole thing.

“You mean something similar to how you’re now blocking me from reading?”

“It’s not the same, you can’t fuck books.” He raises an eyebrow, and I hold out a hand. “Don’t even voice that thought, Captain. Now, back to my question: why?”

“Why are you asking me? Why not ask the others?”

“Because Aiden is shagging Elsa — not that he shares wisdom — and Xander is at rehab, so you’re all I’ve got.” I pause, grinning. “Besides, you’re the smartest.”

“Nice save.”

“What am I if not a good sport? Isn’t that right, Captain?”

He flips a page, momentarily ignoring me. I tagged along with him and we’re now at his house, or rather his stepfather’s house, Sebastian Queens. The future prime minister of the United Kingdom and one of Dad’s allies. He likes to keep everyone who matters near – like Teal’s foster father, Ethan Steel.

Cole’s room is impersonal with a bed and a desk and nearly nothing memorable. He does an impressive job of keeping it boring and filled with books.

Unlike me, Xander, or even Aiden, Cole doesn’t like having people over.

Told you, he’s kind on the outside, but a dick on the inside.

“If I answer your question,” he says, “are you going to leave?”

“Depends on whether or not you’ll bluff me.” I need to get that out there because the fucker has a tendency of telling you what you want to hear just so you’ll disappear, kind of like how I throw out smiles to maintain peace.

Still sitting on his bed, he leans on a fist but doesn’t release the book. “Give me details.”

Fuck yes.

I drag his desk chair over, flip it around, and sit down so my arms are on the top. “So here’s the thing: my friend was about to get a blowjob, and this girl interrupts me — I mean him, not me. As you know, I have no problem getting sex. He’s a loser.”

“What other friends do you have aside from us?”

“Just someone. Also, I have Lars.”

“Lars is thirty years older than you. Are you sure you want to consider him a friend?”

“I do, and you’re so fucked, Captain. I’m telling Lars, and he’s a snob who holds grudges and writes about them in his little black book, so no tea for you, and he won’t lend you novels from Father’s library.”

“Then maybe I shouldn’t be helping with your…I mean, your friend’s problem.”

“I’m kidding, Captain. Just kidding.” I give him my best smile. “So where were we? Right, my friend and the girl who cockblocked him.”

His expression doesn’t change. “Did your loser friend let her cockblock him?”

“Why are we calling him a loser?”

“You did — I’m just playing along.” His lips twitch in a smirk. “He’s your friend, after all, right?”

Dick.

“Yeah, he let her.”

“Did he at least use her mouth instead?”

“No.” And not because I didn’t want to; it was because she ran. Why the fuck did I let her run?

“We should call your friend a pussy instead of a loser.”

I feign a grin. “Is that all the advice you have?”

“She was probably jealous.”