Page 50 of Reckless Dynasty (Knight's Ridge Empire 9)

To my amazement, Stella decided against letting herself in this morning to find me, and once I’m dressed, I head across the hallway and knock on her door.

Part of me wonders if yesterday had all been a bit of a joke and that she’s actually gone to school with the others.

But not two seconds later does the door open and a very happy-looking Stella is standing there.

The scent of bacon hits me immediately and my stomach growls in delight, my cheesecake breakfast already long forgotten.

“Ah good, you came up for air,” she deadpans.

My chin drops as she holds her expression steady for a beat before she cracks and falls about laughing.

“You know, there’s something really wrong with all of you,” I mutter, slipping past her and deeper into her flat.

It’s the first time I’ve actually been inside, and I must admit that I feel almost as at home here as I do in Toby’s.

“And yet you’re willingly standing in the middle of us. What does that say about you?” she quips. “Anyway, you seemed to be enjoying yourself. I must admit, if the situation were reversed, I’d have stayed down there worshipping Seb’s cock too.”

I stare at her, feeling more at home listening to her filth than I probably should. But she reminds me of Bri and her lack of filter when it comes to… well… anything.

“You should have seen his face. It was priceless. He was so pissed.”

“He wasn’t the only one,” I mutter, helping myself to a stool at their breakfast bar. “So what’s going on? Shouldn’t you be at school?”

“Meh,” she waves me off. “I’m taking a personal day.”

My brows lift in curiosity. “I only went to a normal school. But if that’s a thing at your posh one then I guess—”

“Oh, it’s totally not. I’ve just called in sick in favour of spending the day with my sister.” She winks, continuing before I manage to get a word in. “So, we can go and see Sara this morning. Then I thought we could go and do a little shopping, get you something sexy for the weekend, get our nails done. You know, just… hang.”

“Will there be cocktails involved?” I ask, remembering all too well how many we drank our way through the day we went to the spa.

“Oh, hell yeah. And actually, now you mention it…”

She spins around and pulls her fridge open, revealing a bottle of prosecco and a carton of orange juice.

“Let’s start the day as we mean to go on.”

“Don’t get me wasted. I want to enjoy my weekend with Toby, not be hanging out of my arse.”

“I take zero control over the decisions you make, Jodie Walker. You are your own woman who can make her own bad choices, present company evidence of that fact.”

“You’re something else,” I mutter, watching as she mixes us, thankfully, fairly weak drinks.

“I went American-style,” she says a few seconds later once I’ve got my drink and she pulls a plate of freshly made pancakes from the oven.

“Oh my God, yes. Gimme.” I reach out with little grabby hands, more than ready for the mouth-watering mix of the sweet and fluffy against the crisp and salty bacon.”You know how to make a girl happy.”

“And you know how to make my brother smile like I’ve never seen before, so I’m happy too.”

“You’re never going to let me live down last night, are you?”

“Uh…” She pretends to think for a second. “Nope. Seriously though, none of us care about that shit. Enjoy yourself, have fun, and as long as you don’t break his heart, we’re never going to have a problem.”

Her thinly veiled threat lingers in the air as she slides a plate closer to me.

“Don’t look so worried. Hang around long enough and I’ll train you up so that you can at least try and take me in the ring.”

“Jesus,” I mutter, although the tension quickly disappears when I have a mouthful of her breakfast. “Have you made these for Toby?”