Deviant King (Royal Elite #1) - Rina Kent Page 0,34

older edge than his eighteen years. His inky hair is slicked back to perfection and he’s even wearing the tie, today. His pressed trousers and elegant, designer shoes complete his shiny appearance.

Aiden only looked this way at the end of the year ceremony when he had to give speeches. He doesn’t dress to impress, but today, he most definitely is.

It’s a subtle reminder that he’s not only a student at RES but also the future heir of the school.

He’s not only Aiden, but he’s also Aiden King.

The air turns stuffier and tighter with his presence.

I’m shocked, Uncle appears confused and Aunt grips the glass of orange juice so tight, her knuckles turn white. She stares at Aiden as if she’s seeing a ghost.

Uncle clears his throat. “I didn’t know Elsa had other friends aside from Kim.”

Way to go, Uncle. Might as well tell him that this family exists because their biggest contractor is King Enterprises.

Aiden pouts — the bastard actually pouts — and stalks towards me. “I’m hurt, sweetheart. I didn’t know you were hiding me from your parents.”

In a few subtle words, he made Aunt and Uncle believe we’re in a relationship. He said it so casually, no one would peg him as a liar.

Those aliens might as well kidnap me in their spaceships and throw me on their planets.

Uncle’s brows furrow and Aunt stares at me hard. Something twists in my chest. It feels as if I betrayed her.

“It’s not like that,” I whisper past the lump in my throat, but Aunt doesn’t seem to be hearing me.

“You didn’t tell us you knew Aiden, pumpkin,” Uncle says in a more cheerful tone.

“It’s my fault.” Aiden faces my uncle with the most sincere, solemn expression I have seen on him. Even his accent becomes posher. “Due to your company’s contract with my father’s company, Elsa was worried about implicating our parents. I respect her wishes, but I also want to show her off as my girl.”

Elsa?

My girl?

Am I in a freaking nightmare right now?

I want to shove his perfect face in a sink full of water and hold him there until no more breaths come out.

My chest squeezes at the image.

It’s so familiar and… disturbing.

My widened eyes snap back to Aiden.

Subconsciously, people are ashamed about lying and their brains express that in the form of tells. A rub of the nape. A twitch of the eye. A twist of the lips.

Not Aiden.

He feels none of that shame and therefore, his lies come out in a smooth, intricate web.

If the relaxation of Uncleʼs shoulders is any sign, he believes him.

“Is that true?” Aunt Blair faces me, still gripping the orange juice glass tight.

“It’s…” My hands ball into fists in my lap, but before I can continue, Aiden is by my side.

He touches my cheek with his knuckles, and they heat like a pit of flames.

Damn him. How can he touch me in front of Aunt and Uncle?

“See? I told you not to worry last night. Didn’t you say Mr and Mrs Quinn are open-minded and will always back your decisions?” He places a subtle hand on my shoulder as he turns his attention to Aunt and Uncle. “I heard a lot about your work ethics from my father. I’m happy to find out that your familial ethics are just as excellent.”

Knock Out.

Complete knockout.

I don’t even have a case anymore.

Aiden didn’t only make them think that our ‘relationship’ is in the closet because I respected and loved them, but he also brought up their work.

Their God.

The reason both of them breathe.

Even I don’t compare. Quinn Engineering is their biological child and I’m the adopted child. They love me, but I always come second.

How did Aiden know that?

How far did he dig to come up with this bit of information?

Uncle’s easy smile makes an appearance. “Mr King talks about us?”

“All the time, Sir. Your recent project had been the talk of the last BOD’s meeting. King Enterprises can only move forward with strong assets like Quinn Engineering. Some would argue that small companies mean nothing in the great scheme of things, but it’s small companies that fuel the production and build the pyramid to the top. King Enterprises was also a small company at one point.”

Perfect posh accent.

Perfect manners.

Perfect everything.

“Indeed, son.” Uncle’s chest puffs. “King Enterprises has a bright future with you as an heir.”

He’s calling him Son.

Fucking Son.

But then again, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Uncle is impressed. He always loathed how big companies looked down their noses at smaller