Page 24 of Reckless Dynasty (Knight's Ridge Empire 9)

TOBY

“Finally. What the hell made you two so late?” Stella barks the second Jodie and I walk into Galen’s kitchen, her eyes alight with amusement as she pokes her tongue into her cheek.

“Getting ready takes a little longer when you’re covered in bandages and bruises, Sis,” I say. It’s a low blow, I know but I can’t help myself.

“Sure. That was totally the reason,” she mutters, not looking even slightly embarrassed by her announcement.

“Please ignore my daughter, her mouth runs away with her more often than not.”

“Really, Dad?” Stella snaps at Galen, who just smiles down at her.

“Jodie,” he says, holding his hand out for my girl. “It’s nice to finally meet the girl I’ve heard so much about.” A wide smile lights up his face, but when I glance at Jodie, the blood seems to have drained from hers and her neck ripples with a harsh swallow.

“I-I’m… uh… not sure that’s a good thing given the circumstances.”

“Trust me, it’s all good.” He continues to smile before turning to me. “Son, it’s good to see you looking better.”

Galen, Damien and Evan had briefly stopped by the hospital to check in on us at some ungodly hour while Jodie was asleep. It was a relief to see the three of them standing and in one piece. I didn’t expect Damien or Evan to jump into the middle of things in Lovell, but I was confident that Galen and Stefanos were probably involved.

“Is there any news on your friend, sweetie?” Mum asks, joining us with a fancy looking cocktail for both Jodie and Stella.

“Not yet. She’s still critical but stable.”

Mum sighs, unable to come up with anything useful to say. I get it, there is literally nothing to say that can make it any better.

“If you need anything—a lift up there or back to visit, anything—you just call us, okay?”

My heart swells at my mum’s offer, at how easily she’s accepted, no, embraced, Jodie into our lives despite the obvious. It means everything to me that the person she is hasn’t been tainted by the blood that’s running through her veins.

“So what’s for dinner? I’m starving,” Seb announces, stealing Stella’s glass and drinking some of her cocktail, much to her annoyance.

“Uh… roast dinner, obviously,” she mutters.

“You know, we can have other things. Other British things,” he points out with a smirk. I don’t know why he bothers, we all know what she’s going to say.

“Why would you when you can have a roast dinner? By far the best thing to come out of Britain… ever, if you ask me.”

Seb’s brows rise as Galen smothers a laugh.

“The best thing?” Seb snarls. “Then you must be forgetting what I did the other night with my—” Stella gasps and smacks her hand over Seb’s mouth.

“Don’t you dare say another word of that sentence, Papatonis.”

“Jesus Christ, what time is the beef ready?” I ask, more than happy to change the subject.

“We’re good to sit down in about twenty minutes.”

“You told us all to be here an hour ago,” I point out.

“I know my kids, Toby.” She winks before turning her back on us and walking deeper into the kitchen, and Galen quickly follows.

“Oh my God, even your mum thinks we were late because we were having sex.” Jodie whispers the final two words as her cheeks darken.

“Damn, you’re cute when you blush,” I tell her, dipping down to drop a kiss on her temple.

“You’re gonna try to convince us that you weren’t,” Seb says with a laugh.

“Trust me, we weren’t.”