Page 100 of Wicked Empire (Knight's Ridge Empire 3)

CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE

Stella

“Oh my God,” I groan quietly as I come to.

My mouth is like the bottom of a freaking bird’s cage, my stomach is rolling, my head is spinning, and my body is covered in a sticky sheen of sweat.

Gross.

Rolling onto my back, I pray my stomach will hold and still for a few seconds as I wait for the result.

Seb snores loudly beside me, and when I glance over, I’m relieved to see that he actually looks relaxed.

Yesterday was all kinds of painful, saying goodbye to his mom and then having to endure everyone who wanted to offer their condolences.

Understandably, it was the last place he wanted to be, and I feared I was going to lose him for longer than I did.

Thankfully, some—or a lot—of weed, a handful of orgasms, and good company seemed to help banish some of the shadows from his eyes.

I’m not naïve enough to think that’s all it’s going to take. But it was a good start.

My need for the bathroom eventually gets the better of me, and I silently sit up, swinging my legs from the bed and padding across the room.

Seb doesn’t even stir. I come to a stop in the doorway and just watch him for a beat.

He’s on his back, naked, the sheets draped low on his waist, so low they barely cover anything. And despite the soreness I feel between my legs from helping him forget last night, heat blooms at the sight of him.

Damn him. He’s just too pretty.

I laugh quietly at myself. He’d hate me for calling him that.

My big bad mafia soldier tries to be all hot and scary, but right now, that whole persona is gone. He’s just my broken boy with a pretty face and a sinful body.

My heart races as I watch him.

How is it possible that my feelings toward him flipped as fast as they did?

I hated him. I hated him so fucking much.

I smile as I recall some of our worst times.

But now…

Now he’s my everything, and I can’t imagine my life without him in it.

“I can feel you staring.” His deep, raspy voice startles me. “Either come make use of this body or continue with what you were doing.”

I chuckle at him. He doesn’t even open his eyes as he shifts slightly, getting more comfortable.

The covers fall lower, and I’m gifted with the sight of all of him.

Hot damn.

I bite down on my bottom lip as I continue staring.

But my pressing need for the toilet forces me to move. That and my need for some painkillers.

I pee, turn the shower on and brush my teeth while I wait for it to warm up. I throw myself under the torrent of water in the hope that it’ll help wake me up a little before finding one of Seb’s shirts from the bedroom floor and dragging it over my body.