Page 67 of Wicked Empire (Knight's Ridge Empire 3)

He nods as he pulls into the parking lot behind the graveyard.

We pull up next to the others, and as a group, we head through the darkness toward the headstones where I’m confident he’ll be sitting.

The second we’re close enough to see him, Seb looks up.

Pain is etched into every inch of his face, but the second he realizes it’s us, it starts to ebb away.

“We brought presents,” Theo announces, holding up the two bottles in his hands.

Dropping down beside him where he sits with his back against Demi’s headstone, I rest my head on his shoulder and twist my fingers with his.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers.

“Nothing to apologize for, Seb. We’ve got your back.”

“Were Sophia and Zoe okay?”

“Yeah. They’re going to call you tomorrow.”

More footsteps fall around us as the others join us.

“Toby?” Seb says in surprise when he carefully lowers himself down beside Theo. “Should you be in—”

“Stella’s already grilled me,” he says, rolling his eyes. “I’m good. Sorry to hear about your mum, man.”

“Thanks.”

Seb takes the bottle of vodka that Theo passes over and twists the top off, lifting the neck to his lips and taking a generous swig before passing it over for me to share.

“So you thought you’d bring the welcome home party to the cemetery, huh?” he asks Toby.

“Wherever you need us, bro. You know that.”

“Fuck,” Seb breathes, his head falling back against the stone.

Lifting his hand to my lips, I press a kiss to his busted knuckles.

“Whatever you need,” I whisper as Alex and Theo start bickering about something.

“Thank you,” he breathes, dipping down to capture my lips.

“Fucking hell,” Nico mutters. “I didn’t agree to watch them go at it again.”

I chuckle against Seb’s lips and don’t stop him when he lifts me from my place on the ground and drops me onto his lap.

“He loves it really,” Seb mutters against my neck, making me shiver.

“Behave,” I chastise, swatting him in the chest and swiping the bottle from where he left it on the ground.

It’s November in England, and the freezing cold air whips around us as we all sit there shooting the shit and distracting Seb from his reality, but I hardly notice it while I’m wrapped in his arms.

Before I know it, Toby is fighting to stay awake and it’s late into the night.

“Someone needs to get him to a bed,” I say, pointing at him.

Everyone looks at each other. They’re all stoned and wasted, aside from Toby, who’s still on painkillers, and me, because someone needed to be fucking sensible.

“Ubers?”