Page 36 of Deviant Knight (Knight's Ridge Empire 4)

“Of course. Theo’s just…” She trails off, seemingly as unable to figure him out as I am. “I dunno. Stubborn.” She shrugs.

“I was going to say psychopath, but I guess stubborn works too.”

She throws her head back and laughs before muttering, “You have no idea.”

The demand for her to explain what she means by that burns on the tip of my tongue, but I manage to swallow it down.

The last thing I want is for tonight to turn into one long-arse conversation about how fucked up Theo and the rest of the guys are.

“So what are we ordering?”

Thankfully, my question distracts her and she grabs her phone, pulls up the menu and hands it to me.

“Pick whatever dishes you want. Seb can eat whatever we can’t.”

“Sounds good to me.”

I select my favourite dishes as well as Calli’s before handing it back for her to add to.

“So any idea what’s happening tonight?” I ask once the order is placed.

“Just a Christmas party with the conceited fucks of Knight’s Ridge.”

“Exactly as I feared.”

“The benefits of partying with kids who have more money than sense… more alcohol and drugs than you can imagine.”

“I think I’m going to need it.”

“I’m not carrying your drunk ass out of that place,” Stella sulks with a smirk.

“Was I asking you to?” I sass.

“Oh, maybe Theo will rescue you again, give you another opportunity to give him a black eye.”

“I don’t need him to give me an opportunity. And we all know he deserves it. Oh,” I say, suddenly remembering my less than delightful encounter with the Witches of the Ridge earlier in the toilets and recounting it.

“Ugh, you’d have thought they’d have learned their lesson by now. Dumb bitches,” Stella mutters, draining her drink. “How’re things with your dad?” she asks, changing the subject.

“Yeah, good. He’s too focused on next week to notice what I’m doing.”

“I can’t believe he hasn’t figured out that you’ve been hanging out with your grandad and uncle.”

“I’m on borrowed time, I know. I need to talk to him.”

“Maybe while you’re away. It might give him time to cool down so he doesn’t immediately do something stupid.”

“It’ll be fine,” I assure her, although my heart picks up speed and my palms begin to sweat just thinking of confessing that I’ve been doing the one thing he adamantly asked me not to when I moved in with him, let alone after what went down with Piper, Cruz and Pops.

She gives me a sceptical look but thankfully changes the subject, and I allow myself to forget everything that happened recently and just enjoy hanging out with my friend.

It’s nice. No. More than nice.

It’s exactly what I didn’t know I needed.

Calli arrives not long later with both her bags and the takeout we ordered after she intercepted the delivery guy in the car park.

“Where’s Seb?” she asks when she sits at the dining table beside me and fills her plate with a spoonful of every dish we ordered.