Page 77 of Deviant Princess (Knight's Ridge Empire 5)

The pulsating vein in his temple is the only clue I get that he’s about to blow, so I do the sensible thing and back up toward the door.

“Theodore, that’s not how I expect to be—” I don’t hang around for his bollocking. I let the door swing closed behind me and head for the lift with every intention of tearing through the city until I find my girl.

Only, it seems the dickheads in my life know me better than I think they do, and when the lift doors open, I find not only a very pissed-off looking Seb, but Alex, Nico and Toby as well.

“Come on, get in. We’re going to get you good and wasted,” Nico says, standing aside to let me in.

I look back over my shoulder, briefly contemplating my options. Get in here with these arseholes, or endure my father.

Yeah, I’m not an idiot.

The second I step into the car, Alex slams his hand down on the button for my suite—literally the fucking last place in the world I want to be right now—and we descend through the building once more.

Nothing is said until we’re standing outside the hotel room door. I push my not bleeding hand into my pocket to get the key, but I soon discover that it’s not necessary. One knock and it opens, revealing a pale-faced Calli as her eyes drop to my hand.

“Holy shit, what did you—” I cut off her concern by storming past her and into the suite, which amazingly looks almost like it did when I first saw it.

My eyes land on the bare patch of wall where the shattered mirror was before I find someone else in the corner of my eye.

Stella.

And she looks fucking murderous.

“You fucking asshole,” she seethes, flying across the room at me.

I knew she was lethal, but fuck, I totally underestimate the strength behind her punch. I stumble back as pain explodes in my eye socket.

But it’s not enough for the feral hellion, because she comes back at me, her tiny fists slamming into me with a brutal force I’d expect from one of the boys. Boys who stand and fucking watch as she rains hell down on me.

I stand there for long, painful minutes, not moving or making any attempt to block her hits—I deserve them, after all—before Seb finally steps in.

“Okay, Hellion. I think you’ve made your point.”

“I beg to differ,” she pants out as he pulls her back with his arms wrapped around her body. “He’s still fucking breathing. Told you that you should have let me bring my knife tonight.”

“Baby, chill. It’s going to be okay.”

She does some impressive body flick and twist thing that makes my swelling eye burn as it widens in shock, freeing herself from Seb’s hold.

“Nothing about this is fucking okay,” she spits, closing the space between us once more.

She jabs me in the chest. It’s less brutal than her last attack, but I can’t deny that it still hurts.

“I warned you,” she seethes quietly. “I warned you that if you hurt her—”

“I didn’t want to hurt her, Stella. I don’t want to hurt her.”

“You’re fucking married to her. You cannot stand there and tell me that she was aware and okay with that.”

“You know full well she wasn’t, but I had to protect her.”

“The only person she needs protecting from is you,” Stella spits in my face.

“No,” I argue. “I was looking after her. Treating her right. Like she deserved.”

Stella scoffs and throws her hands up in defeat as she walks back to Seb.

“He’s delusional. Utterly delusional.”