Page 40 of Reckless Princess (Knight's Ridge Empire 8)

TOBY

I don’t stop to think. I don’t consider the consequences. My only focus is my girl.

I fucked up when she left the club. I didn’t keep my eyes on her as she rounded the corner of the building. Instead, I pulled my phone from my pocket to write her a message.

The next time I looked up, she was gone and my heart plummeted into my feet.

Lifting my gun, I aim it right at the motherfucker’s head who’s standing at the other end of the alleyway.

“No, no, please,” Jodie begs as he roughly turns her around and shoves her harshly against the wall, his hand immediately reaching for her waistband.

Fear like I’ve never felt before in my life threatens to drag me under, but I can’t lose myself to it.

I’ve trained my entire life to stay calm under pressure. To take out our enemies before they even realise we’ve arrived. Now is no different.

The second he stills enough for me to take the only chance I have, I squeeze the trigger and trust in my skills.

The silencer ensures he’s not alerted at the last minute, and only a heartbeat later the stupid motherfucker drops to the floor like the sack of shit he is.

Jodie twists around and screams a beat before I get to her.

“It’s okay, baby. It’s me.”

Her eyes go as wide as saucers before her legs give out and she drops before me.

I’m more than ready, and I catch her long before she hits the ground.

“It’s okay, baby. I’ve got you.” Sweeping her up into my arms, I press my lips to her brow and take a moment to breathe her in. “I’ve got you.”

I march out of the alleyway with her passed out in my arms, only for Sara to run straight into us.

“What the hell?” she screeches as she looks between me and her friend in my arms.

“Toby,” I grunt, just in case she doesn’t know.

“I know who you are,” she spits. “What the hell happened?”

“The scumbag down there with a bullet in his skull was trying to rape her.”

“WHAT?” she screeches.

“Come on, I’m taking you home.”

“What about Jodie? And what about… that?” she asks, looking over her shoulder with a wince at the thought of what exactly might be hiding in the darkness.

“Jodie is in safe hands. And that will be dealt with once I can make a call.”

“Who was he?”

“A fucking scumbag with a death wish.”

Sara pulls my passenger door open, and I carefully lower Jodie down into the seat, hating that I’ve got to let her go but knowing I don’t have a choice right now.

“Get in,” I snap when Sara continues to hesitate.

Jodie is still out cold when I bring the engine to life and pull up my contacts.

“I’ve got a situation that needs dealing with,” I tell Theo the second he picks up the phone.