Page 115 of Deviant Princess (Knight's Ridge Empire 5)

It’s good. And gives me hope that I can rediscover who I am after all this.

It might have only been a few days, but Theo utterly consumed me in our time together, and I’m desperate to put it behind me.

Xander walks in as I tidy up my crap and leans back against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. His long-sleeved shirt stretches over his thick upper arms and wide chest, and before I know I’m doing it, he’s caught me checking him out.

“Emmie,” he warns.

“I know. I know. Just… I don’t know, try looking less hot or something.”

He barks out a laugh. “I’ll see what I can do, Shorty. You ready? You’re buying me lunch.”

“Oh, I am?”

“Yeah, I figure you owe me one for saving your arse from the big bad mafia prince, so…”

“You’re aware that I’m more than capable of saving myself, right?”

“Oh, so that’s why you called in the cavalry?”

“Shut up, dick.”

“You just can’t stop thinking about it, can you?”

“Fucking hell,” I mutter, walking past him as he waggles his eyebrows at me.“If I’m buying, I’m choosing the place.”

“Have at it. I’ll follow your arse anywhere.”

I’ve got a smile spread across my face as I emerge from the ladies’ locker rooms with Xander hot on my tail, probably checking out my arse as he just insinuated, when I come to an abrupt halt.

“Fuck,” I hiss, my eyes locking with a dark pair of green ones.

Xander clearly isn’t watching where he’s going and hasn’t noticed who’s glaring at the two of us, because he collides with my back, sending me stumbling forward.

“Shit, I’m—fuck.” But it’s too late. The damage is done, because he’s already got his arm locked around my waist, my back now plastered against his front as he holds me upright.

“Let’s get out of here,” I say, loudly enough that our audience can hear.

Theo takes a step forward at the same time I do, but Seb is alert enough that his arm shoots out, stopping his friend from coming after me.

He whispers something in Theo’s ear that I can’t lip read, and Theo’s chest compresses as he breathes out.

My heart sinks when I allow myself to really look at him for a beat. He’s got the black eye Seb promised me, along with dark purple and yellow bruising down one side of his face and a split lip. Clearly, he’s been fighting out his frustration. Badly, it seems.

Sliding my hand along Xander’s forearm, I twist my fingers with his in a really petty move and pull him from the gym.I just can’t help myself.

It’s not until I’m outside that I realise I haven’t taken a breath since I was in the locker room.

“Are you okay?” Xander asks the second the doors close behind us.

“Yeah, let’s just get out of here before he decides he wants to talk.”

“Wanna ride with me?”

The temptation is there to allow Theo to watch me climb on the back of Xander’s bike, but I refuse. I’ve possibly already pushed him too far in the last thirty seconds.

“Nah, I’m good. You’re following me, right?”

“Yeah, wherever you want to go.”