SWNOVELS Cruel King: Chapter 47
Just when I think I have you, everything dissipates into thin air.
Weeks pass and every day is surreal.
Every day, Levi tests my limits and I test his right back.
We’re like two pieces of a jigsaw, him and I. It’s impossible to have one without the other.
I walk into the school with Levi’s arm wrapped around my waist. Most of the football team surround us like knights.
Dan, Aiden, Xander, Ronan, and Cole are like my own protection and follow me whenever Levi isn’t there. I can tell Aiden doesn’t like it, but Levi forced his hand somehow.
Since that pool punishment, the three others keep quiet around Levi. Apparently, their captain has been out for their lives at practice. I’ve been hoping it’s not because of the orgy joke.
But knowing Levi, that most likely plays a part in it.
Levi isn’t only possessive to a fault, but he’s also the petty jealous type when I as much as look at his teammates. I might have been doing it on purpose to get a rise out of him.
I smile mischievously as I tell Ronan, “When are we going to have another drinking competition?”
“Tonight if you like…” his grin falters when Levi cuts him a glare. “Or never. Yeah, never.” He leans in to whisper. “Come down when Captain is asleep.”
“I heard that.” The look on Levi’s face is that of pure contempt. I can only imagine all the ideas he has going on in his head on how to punish Ronan.
“You’re pathetic.” Aiden shakes his head at his cousin.
Levi flips him the finger.
“Twenty-two hundred.” Ronan coughs and my gaze immediately flies in that direction.
The blonde girl, Kimberly’s friend, hugs books to her chest and walks towards the library. The guys stare at her, but only Aiden and Levi check her out openly.
“What’s the deal with her?” I ask. “An old ex of the both of you?”
A stab of jealousy hits me. Levi said he doesn’t date, but if he has an ex of that level, it makes my self-confidence shaky.
“She’s no one’s ex or current” Xander laughs. “She’s Frozen. An ice princess.”
“Unfortunately for this chap.” Cole nudges Aiden.
He throws him an undecipherable look and scrolls on his phone as if nothing happened.
“She’s sort of like you,” Xander snaps his fingers at me. “Captain had his knickers in a twist because of you.”
“Piss off, Xan,” Levi tells him.
“No.” I elbow Levi’s side. “I want to know more.”
Ronan’s playful gaze bounces between me and the girl who disappeared in the direction of the library. “Do you think she’s pretty, Astrid?”
“Are you kidding me? She looks like a doll.” And I’m glad she has Aiden’s interest, not Levi’s.
Scratch that.
I shouldn’t be glad that anyone has the psycho’s attention.
A lustful look covers Ronan’s features. “As in you’d do her?”
Ronan is the type who makes everything about sex — like Dan. From the time I spent with them, he’s the one with the most heart out of the four horesemen. Xander is too slippery. Cole is too silent. Aiden is too…, well, nothing. I can’t grasp his real character no matter how much I study him.
“Yes, I would.” I keep up with Ronan’s game.
“Take my fucking money,” Ronan exclaims. “I want to watch. First row!”
“In your fucking dreams.” Levi pushes him away with a hand on his face.
“Oh, come on, Captain. You already took away my cake bunny hookers fantasy.”
“Cake bunny hookers?” I chuckle.
“Ronan wanted hookers dressed as bunnies coming out of his birthday cake,” Cole says. “Captain denied it.”
Wow. I don’t even have thoughts about that.
“You killed my fantasy once, Captain.” Ronan talks in his dramatic voice. “You can’t do it une autre fois. Two hot girls will be explosive. It’s a waste if no one watches.”
“Who said no one will watch.” Levi meets my gaze with his darkened, lust-filled one. “I would.”
“I would watch, too,” Aiden says without lifting his gaze from his phone.
I don’t know which one to be more surprised by. Who knew both cousins had this side to them?
When we arrive at my class, Levi pulls me against him by the hips and leans in to whisper in my ear. “Locker room. After practice.”
Last week, I snuck into the football team’s locker room to surprise Levi. The surprise somehow ended up with me sucking him off in the showers before he fucked me against the lockers.
I still have bruises and hickeys to prove it.
My skin throbs and heats at the mere memory of that day.
“That was a one-time thing.”
“I’m making it a multiple-times thing.” His tongue slides to the shell of my ear. “Be there, princess.”
“Or what?” I lick my lips, unable to resist the urge to push him.
There’s this sick thrill about getting under his skin.
“Or I’ll bind you again.” He pauses. “Wait. You’d like that, won’t you?”
I thin my lips in a line to keep myself from screaming hell yes.
He taps my nose twice. The gesture has become an addiction. “I’ll wait.”
Like a lovesick idiot, I watch his strong, broad back as he retreats down the halls.
He’s just too tall and well built, it’s unfair.
My own Viking.
When I turn to get into class, someone slams their shoulder into mine on the way inside. Nicole.
She’s been extra aggressive these weeks. I usually strike back, but I don’t want to stir a big problem with her. If she tells Dad about Levi and I, things will become murkier than ever.
The only reason she’s keeping her mouth shut about my relationship with Levi is because I threatened her that her sexcapades with Christopher under Dad’s roof will come to light as well.
That kept her in line. Sort of.
She and Chloe still throw remarks my way whether in the halls or at the games when I go. I decided to tune them out as background noise.
I’m finally living my life as I always wished, and I won’t let them or anyone else ruin it for me.
With every session with Dr Edmonds, I’ve come to appreciate everything I have. I’m even coming to peace with myself that I might never recall my memories from the night of the accident and that it’s completely fine.
My memories or whatever grudge I hold don’t define me. My past doesn’t define me.
Since that resolution, I’ve been more comfortable in my skin and I even started getting my muse back. Baby steps, but it’s there.
I want to say it’s all because of the therapy, but it’s not. There’s a different type of therapy wrapped in an enigma called Levi.
Ever since I found out he’s the one who saved me that night, it’s like someone breathed fresh air into my soul. My own type of a second chance.
I’ve been given that second chance for a reason. I always thought that Levi was my bully and my tormentor, but maybe since the beginning, he was more.
I’m not naive enough to think that life with Levi is easy. It isn’t. While he doesn’t have his father’s mental illness, he has a suffocating intensity that demands everything out of me.
Whenever he offers a piece of his heart, he confiscates mine in return. I’m just hoping it won’t be broken beyond repair by the end.
We didn’t start as some sort of a meet-cute. It was bloody and gruesome and a part of me knows that Levi will never be the prince charming type. I’m completely fine with that, I always preferred the villain anyway.
I love our morning runs and our non-traditional dates. I love how he models for me just so he’d end up taking my clothes off and I’ll be the one modelling for him. In bed.
Every time we have sex, it’s like he’s engraving himself into my soul piece by each bloody piece.
It’s become an addiction that I can’t get enough of.
But more than anything, I know I can’t get enough of him.
It’s him who’s turning my world upside down. The intense sex and the mind games are all a part of what he is.
Who he is.
And I want all of him.
Even with the feud between Dad and his uncle.
When I asked Levi if he weren’t curious about it, he said it was none of our business. We’re not our families.
“Earth to Astrid.”
My head snaps to Dan who’s been sitting on my desk, chatting about the upcoming game.
“Hey, crazy bugger.” Dan jams a finger in my arm. “You weren’t listening to me, were you?”
“I was. You’re so going to nail it.”
“Mrs Jills?” He scrunches his nose. “Thanks for the disgusting image of me nailing our fifty-year-old math teacher.”
I break in laughter. “Sorry, but hey, you do have a sex bucket list after all.”
“It doesn’t include fifty year old teachers.”
“No?”
“Freaking no way.” He releases an exasperated sigh, throwing a glance to our right where Nicole has been throwing daggers at us.
“Do you want a picture?” he asks her with sarcasm.
She flips her hair back. “As if anyone would need the trashy face.”
“Then stop looking.”
“And you stop talking to me.”
“Jesus.” Dan faces me again, his face tight. “How do you live with her?”
“I sneak out all the time.” I grin. “Never mind her.”
“If she bothers you, let me know.” His face is serious.
“So you’ll defend my honour?”
“Hell yeah. It’s in the freaking friendship manual that you should’ve read by now. You’re like the laziest best friend ever.”
“I’m working on it.” I laugh. “Hey, bug. Do you want to go shopping this weekend?”
He waggles his eyebrows. “Slutty lingerie for Captain?” His smile drops. “Wait. Wrong image.”
“No.” I chuckle. “I need serious interview clothes for Imperial College.”
“Ah. That.” He leans in. “You’re not going to talk to your father about the Royal College of Art?”
Considering that Dad’s been ghosting me in the house, and didn’t attempt to force me into those dreadful breakfasts, I don’t see the point.
“This is your future. You’re not supposed to make your parents happy on the expense of what will make you happy.”
“Wow. Since when did you become so wise, bug?”
His smile is faint. “Since I’m not going into engineering.”
“Oh. Why not?” Dan’s family owns an engineering company. He and Zach are expected to take over the family business.
Since I’ve become best friends with Dan, he’s always planned to do engineering in Cambridge. He has all the high grades and impressive records to fly him there.
Now, I feel like a horrible friend for not picking up on his change of heart earlier.
“I’m going to be a solicitor.”
“That’s also cool, but what made you change your mind?”
“Engineers are considered nerdy especially in college. Besides, solicitors have a more active sex life.”
“Please tell me you’re not changing interest because of a sex life.”
“It plays a part. Okay, a huge part. But no, I feel like I’m more fit for winning verbal arguments.”
I hold his hand. “I’m so proud of you. Whatever you choose, bug.”
“Me, too.” He removes his hand. “But don’t touch me. Captain is fucking crazy about that.”
Both of us laugh, knowing exactly how true that is.
My phone vibrates with a text.
Dad: Meet me in the school’s car park.
My heart starts beating loud. Why would Dad come to meet me at school?
“Do you want me to go with you?” Dan asks, apparently having seen the text.
“No. I’m cool. It’s going to be cool.”
I’m lying.
I’m freaking out on the inside.
Dad told me two days ago that he wanted to talk to the family about something important, but I never thought it’d be so soon.
Maybe he’s had enough and will finally adopt Nicole and throw me away.
As I walk out of the school, my chest tightens until it’s painful.
All this time, I convinced myself that I don’t care if Dad adopts Nicole. It’s not like I want to be Clifford’s princess anyway. But now that it’s becoming a reality, I feel like crying.
He’s my dad, not hers. Mine.
Deep inside, there’s a part that still longs for the father who used to carry me on his shoulders when I was a little girl.
The sound of rain fills the car park. Since it’s close to the afternoon, almost all students’ and teachers’ cars are gone.
I open my umbrella and step into the wet pavement.
It’s dark and humid and so freaking wet. If I weren’t anxious out of my mind, I would’ve removed the umbrella and stood in the rain.
I walk into the car park, searching for Dad’s Mercedes. It’s becoming so dark and no light is turned on, so I can’t see in the long distance.
My phone vibrates.
Levi: Practice was cancelled. Come to the locker room.
Just reading his text lifts something heavy and crushing off my chest. The thought of him always puts me in a special mood. It’s like I become invincible knowing he’ll always be there for me.
Since Mum’s death, I’ve been a living dead until Levi breathed life into me.
I open the text to type back when strong lights blind me. I freeze and a tremor shoots through my limbs.
I continue staring ahead, but I can’t see anything due to the light. Just like that day at the party.
My heartbeat speeds up and my hands tremble so hard, the phone clutters to the ground.
Move. Move. Freaking move.
Everything around me disappears except for the sound of the downpour. The smell of the earth after the rain and blinding white light.
“Honey, give me the phone.”
“Is it Dad again?” I can’t help the disregard in my tone.
Mum smiles. “We have big news for you, honey.”
“Is it about Grandpa’s death?”
Her brows furrow. “Well, yes, but this means something more for us. For our family.”
“Family? What family, Mum? He’s married and happy with his blondie aristocrat and daughter. He’s not a part of our family.”
“Star…” her voice softens. “Everything isn’t what it seems.”
“Yeah, sure thing, Mum. Dad didn’t leave us for another freaking family.”
“Didn’t you say you wanted to live with him?”
I rummage in her bag for the phone. “That was eons ago. I’m never living with him without you.”
She draws in a deep breath. “I’m done running, hon. I’m ready now.”
“For what?”
“Shit. Fuck!” Mum curses as she swerves the car around.
I look up through the rain-soaked windshield as she claxons for a long second.
“Move!” She shrieks and I watch in horror as she tries to swivel past a dog in the middle of the streets.
When she turns the car around the dirt side, the first thing I see is a man.
It’s funny how such moments happen in a slow-motion even though it’s a mere fraction of a second.
The man has his hands apart, his eyes are closed and his head is tipped back as the rain beats down on him.
He looks so… at peace.
Mum hits the brakes, but the car doesn’t stop. I don’t get a chance to scream as something thuds against the car and we topple over.
I’m thrust back to the present, gasping for air. I’m on my knees on the concrete floor, clutching my head between shaky hands.
“Astrid?” A hand clutches my arm.
I look up slowly. Dad looks down at me with a furrowed expression.
“Are you okay? What happened?” He pulls me to my feet and I hold onto his arm with all my might as if he’s my safety line.
“D-Dad,” I cry, tears streaming down my cheeks. “Please tell me the other person who died during the accident isn’t James King. Please.”
His lips thin in a line and it’s all the answer I need before the world goes black.
My mother killed Levi’s father.