Page 154 of Wicked Empire (Knight's Ridge Empire 3)

Thankfully, both of us actually get some sleep, and when I wake up to the sound of a buzzer I don’t recognise, Stella is still out cold.

Releasing her, I tuck the sheets around her to keep her warm, drag a pair of joggers from the drawer and pull them up my legs to see who’s come to visit.

It’s hardly a surprise to find an anxious little brunette bouncing on the balls of her feet with four annoyed-looking guys behind her when I bring the screen to life.

Unlocking the door, I pull it wide and press my finger to my lips, instructing them to be quiet before letting them all in.

“Is she okay?” Calli whispers the second she’s over the threshold.

“Yeah, she’s good.”

Memories from her freak-out the night before flicker in my mind, but I know deep down that she’s going to be okay. It might take a few weeks, or months even, but my girl’s strong and she’ll deal with the events of the last night in her own time and come out even fiercer than before.

“We brought coffee and breakfast,” Theo says, holding up the tray of coffees in his hand and nodding to the bag Alex is carrying.

“Good. You know you’d have been kicked straight back out if you’d turned up empty-handed,” I lie, plucking out a coffee from the tray.

“Bellend,” Theo mutters.

“This place is nice, man,” Toby says, looking around at the home I designed for my girl. “She likes it?”

“I mean, we didn’t spend all that much time looking at the furniture, Tobes.” He groans as if my words cause him physical pain. “But yeah, I think she approves. What about you? Have the best night of your life?”

He grimaces a little. “Yeah, it was… fun.”

Theo sniggers. “Bro, you were a fucking demon, and you smiled the whole fucking time.”

“Yeah, still not entirely sure it was as…” He narrows his eyes on me. “Pleasurable as Seb’s night.”

“Guys,” I groan. “Don’t tell me you didn’t line up for pussy for our boy after all that torture?”

Nico scoffs. “Who the fuck do you think we are? Of course we fucking did. Not our fault he didn’t go for it.”

“She was a fucking ho,” Toby argues.

“Didn’t stop me,” Nico barks.

“Yeah, man. We fucking know,” Alex points out, making me wonder exactly what last night entailed.

“Ignore them,” Theo says, mostly to Calli, who’s watching everyone with wide eyes. Although I’m not sure why. She’s learning fast what we’ve kept from her over the years.

“So now what?” I ask, propping my foot on the edge of the coffee table after grabbing a pastry from the bag Alex dropped on the centre.

“Back to normal life, hopefully,” Theo says.

“Yeah, you say that, but your home just went up in a fireball.”

He scowls at me.

“My place will be ready in a few days,” he says, shooting a look at the ceiling where his penthouse awaits its master.

“You guys joining us too?” I ask Nico, Alex and Toby.

“Hell yes. Party central,” Nico barks, while Alex shakes his head.

“Does that mean I get your basement?” Calli pipes up.

“Uh…”