Page 152 of Wicked Empire (Knight's Ridge Empire 3)

Crawling onto the bed with her, I wrap her in my arms in the hope it’ll break through whatever has her so terrified.

She turns into my body and tucks her face into my chest, her tears dripping down and landing on my stomach.

“Hey, baby. It’s okay.”

I rub my hand soothingly up and down her back as I whisper how much I love her and how fucking insane she is.

She never says a word as she cuddles into me, but her body doesn’t stop trembling. Her skin is flushed with sweat but goose bumps cover her.

“Baby, what’s—”

I don’t get to ask what’s going on. Probably a good thing—it’s a fucking dumb-arse question anyway—because she pushes me away and races toward the bathroom.

When I rush in behind her, I find her on her knees, vomiting in the toilet.

Gathering up her still damp hair, I rub her back until she’s done.

Sitting on her heels, she pushes a few loose strands of hair from her face, keeping her eyes locked on her knees.

“I-I’m sorry. I’m okay,” she says weakly, her hands still trembling in her lap.

Moving quickly, I start the bathtub, running and pour in some bubbles from the fancy bottle on the side.

Leaving it to fill, I drop to my knees before my girl and take her face in my hands.

“Never apologise for needing me, baby.”

A sob rips up her throat.

“I-I thought I was okay,” she confesses quietly.

“You are. The adrenaline has just run out and you’re in shock,” I say confidently, more than recognising the signs. Hell, I’ve lived them more than once over the years. I’ve witnessed it in others too. “But it’s going to be okay. I’ve got you, okay? And I’m not letting go. Ever.”

Finally, her tear-filled eyes lift to mine.

“I killed him,” she whispers so quietly that I’d probably have missed it if I didn’t see her lips move.

“Yeah, baby. You did.” I want to tell her that it was fucking beautiful too, but I don’t think she’d appreciate that right now. “Because he hurt you. He hurt me,” I say, pointing to the scar on my shoulder. “Because he hurt Toby.”

Her eyes harden with anger as I point each of those out, and I know that she’s beginning to claw out of the worst of her darkness.

“We’re all safe now, because of you.”

Unlinking her own fingers, she reaches out and takes mine.

Brushing my thumbs over her knuckles, I wait for her to form her words.

“W-what will happen now?” Another violent shiver rips through her despite the fact that we’re sitting on a heated floor.

“Hold that thought.”

Climbing to my feet, I pull her up with me. “Come on, let’s warm you up.”

With my hands on her hips, I walk her over to the now almost full bathtub and help her get in.

The second she lowers down in the water, I step in behind her, wrap my legs around her and pull her back against my chest, encasing her in my arms.

She wiggles to get comfortable and I sigh in contentment. I know she’s struggling right now, and I fucking hate that, but man, I needed this.