Page 99 of Reckless Princess (Knight's Ridge Empire 8)

TOBY

The past week and a half have been hell. Pure fucking hell. But I stand by my decision to drop Jodie off at her mum’s last Monday night. And as it is, even if I hadn’t done that, it isn’t like we’d have actually spent any time together. If I haven’t been at school, then I’ve been working. We’ve spent more time than ever in Lovell this week, and quite frankly, I’m getting fucking fed up of wasting my time over there. Nothing is happening despite the threats from the OG crew. So far, they seem to be all mouth, and it’s getting on my last fucking nerve.

At least I had to work Valentine’s night. It somewhat kept my mind off the fact that I should have been in a nice restaurant, giving my girl another one of the best nights of her life.

I had it all planned, all booked.

But it all went to shit, right along with the rest of my life when I decided to do the right thing and give her the space she deserved.

“Hey, Bro. How’s it going?” Stella asks, inviting herself into my flat.

We’ve got an hour before we’ve gotta head back to the estate. I’m surprised she’s not busy wearing Seb out before we head to battle—or not, which is probably more the case.

“Yeah, it’s… going,” I mutter, putting my phone to sleep and dropping it to the sofa beside me.

I haven’t heard anything from Jodie since first thing yesterday morning, and it’s fucking killing me, not knowing that she’s okay or where her head is at with all this.

“Still no news?” Stella asks, scruffing up my hair before she rounds the sofa and drops down on the end.

I shake my head.

“She’ll come back to you, Tobes. Have faith.”

I did have faith last week. But as the days have passed, it’s been waning. Our conversations are getting less and less, and it’s terrifying me that she’s on the verge of pulling the plug. That our time apart has just proved to her that she doesn’t need me and my twisted way of existence in her life.

“Only time will tell.”

I glance up just in time to see guilt flicker through her eyes.

“What?” I ask, not willing to let her keep her secrets if they’ve got anything to do with Jodie.

“I saw her last night.”

Anger surges through me. “And you’re only just telling me this now.”

“She didn’t call me to talk about you,” she assures me.

“So what did she want to talk about?” I ask, although the answer is obvious.

“What do you think?” She quirks a brow at me. “She just wanted to hear more from my side on the whole situation.”

“How did she seem?”

“Good. She looked…” I hold my breath, unsure as to whether I want her to say that she looked good without me in her life or that she looked like she was missing me. “Good. I think she’s been sleeping better, resting. Processing.”

“G-good. That’s… good.”

“She did tell me something interesting though, which I’m assuming you don’t know.” I quirk a brow at her. “Did you know who Nico hooked up with Valentine’s night?”

“His right hand, as far as I’m aware,” I mutter.

“I mean, knowing Nico, he probably made use of his own palm too, but no. Turns out, he had a booty call. A kinky booty call where he left his Valentine tied to the bed. Jodie had to go rescue her.”

“Fuck off,” I bark, not believing what I’m hearing. “Nico spent Valentine’s with Brianna and hasn’t said a word about it?”

“Apparently so. Bri was pissed.”

“I can imagine. He’s so fucking whipped by her.”