Page 12 of Deviant Princess (Knight's Ridge Empire 5)

He can’t keep you locked up in here forever, a little voice says in my mind. Eventually, someone will notice that I’ve fallen off the face of the Earth and come looking. Surely.

Dad and Piper are gone for a week. They’ll notice I’m not at home. They’ll find me.

My head falls back, slamming against the wall, but I barely feel it.

I’m numb. Entirely fucking numb.

A shadow under the crack of the door catches my attention and my eyes roll.

Of fucking course he’s out there, listening to me shatter.

My lips part to say something, but I think better of it. I don’t want him to think his presence affects me in any way.

Standing once more, I focus on the door on the other side of the room and storm toward it, once again swinging it closed with as much force as I can muster.

The bathroom is black, obviously. And while it’s freaking incredible, I can’t help but mourn the loss of Theo’s insane shower.

As a girl from the Lovell Estate, I never thought I’d ever experience a shower with jets like his. I should just be glad for hot, running water. But I can’t help letting out a sad sigh when I take in the single rainwater showerhead that hangs from the ceiling.

I mean, it will be better than literally any other shower I’ve ever taken in my life, I’m sure. But it won’t be like his.

He also won’t be here with you.

I shut down that line of thinking as I turn the shower on and shed his clothes, both relieved and disappointed that his scent goes with them.

Christ, I’m fucked in the head.

I hate him. I hate him so fucking much for all the lies, yet as I step into the shower and allow the scorching hot water to wash over me, I can’t help but miss him.

* * *

I don’t really think anything of it as I pull the door open and step out of the steamy bathroom wrapped in only a towel, so the second I spot Theo loitering by the bed, I gasp in shock.

“I don’t remember inviting you in,” I snap, pulling the towel tighter around my body. Although it doesn’t stop his eyes from dropping to my bare legs.

“It’s my flat. I’m not sure I need permission to be in any of my rooms, Hellcat.”

I scowl at him.

“Let me leave and you can spend all the time you want in here.”

He shakes his head, a sly grin on his lips.

“I brought you some breakfast,” he says, nodding to a tray on my bed that I didn’t see when I walked in. My glare was laser-focused on him.

Why does he look so good?

Okay, yeah, he’s got dark circles lingering under his eyes, making me wonder when he last got some sleep, but his hair is perfectly mussed up, much like it was after our night together. The scruff on his jaw is longer than usual and my thighs clench together as I imagine just how delicious it might feel against them.

And his lips… Fuck. I really don’t need to go there.

“That was nice of you,” I hiss, narrowing my eyes at him.

“I am nice.”

I can’t help but scoff.

“Sure. You keep telling yourself that.”