Page 54 of Reckless Princess (Knight's Ridge Empire 8)

JODIE

I lie staring up at my ceiling as the lingering terror from my nightmare wraps its icy cold fingers around me.

I tremble at the memory of his evil eyes boring into mine as I fought to suck in the air I need with his dirty hand over my mouth.

But then his face morphs into another, one I’m terrified of, but for a whole host of other reasons.

My chest aches as Toby’s concerned eyes narrow. “I’ve got you, baby,” he says in a voice that sounds so real even now I’m awake that it makes my skin erupt with goosebumps.

But then his grip leaves me, his stare vanishes, and he crumbles at my feet.

My body jolts just like it did in my sleep as the image of him lying there fills my mind.

Shaking my head, I blink again and again, as if it’ll banish the all-too-clear pictures.

Toby is fine. He was the one who shot the gun, not the one on the receiving end of it.

But is that really any better?

He killed a man right in front of me. If I needed any more evidence about what Bri told me about him being true, then I guess that was it.

He shot someone dead. And showed zero remorse about it.

The man was trying to rape you, Jodie. Why should he show remorse?

I stay where I am, flat on my back for the longest time as the sun rises outside the window, running the events of the night over and over in my head. Each time, I linger on my final memories with Toby, and guilt tugs at me for how I freaked out and sent him away this morning.

All he did last night was look after me, protect me, tell me all the things I’d been desperate to hear.

I’d believed him, too. Every single word. And I’m torn between relief and fear for where that leaves me, leaves us.

With a sigh, I finally throw the covers off and swing my legs over the side. My eyes land on my phone on the bedside table, and I quickly grab it and shoot off two messages.

Sara first to assure her that I’m okay after finding five messages from her. I don’t even remember seeing her after Toby rescued me last night, but it’s obvious from her very first message that she’s more than aware of what happened.

My second is to Courtney, thanking her for the opportunity of the job but informing her that I won’t be returning. I don’t mention anything about what happened after my shift. The last thing I want to do is get Toby into any trouble.

Another shudder rips through me as I remember the reality of what he did last night and my part in it.

I shouldn’t be covering it up. I should be on the phone with the police, telling them about the man who tried to attack me. But even the thought of doing that sends ice through my veins.

He was a monster. A rapist. He deserved the end he got. And despite all of Toby’s indiscretions, he doesn’t deserve to be thrown into a cell because of it. Not that I think for a second that the police stand a chance of making any kind of accusation stick to a member of the Cirillo Family. It didn’t take much research on my part to understand who really owns a huge part of this city, and it’s certainly not the police.

I’ve barely hit send when my phone starts ringing in my hand.

“Hey,” I breathe, lifting it to my ear.

“Oh my God, are you okay?” Sara asks in a panic.

“I’m fine,” I say, cringing at myself for the number of times I’ve tried to convince both myself, my mum, and Toby of that since getting back here last night.

I don’t remember anything after looking down at the dead man at my feet, so I can only assume Toby had his car.

“Don’t lie to me, Jojo,” she warns in what I think is meant to be an angry voice.

“I-I’m…” I blow out a breath. “I think I’m still in shock mostly,” I confess.

“Understandable.”