Page 86 of Wicked Empire (Knight's Ridge Empire 3)

CHAPTEREIGHTEEN

Sebastian

Stella wasn’t happy about it when I announced the next morning that I was going back to school and that life was going to continue as usual.

We’d lost Mum, and yeah, it hurt like a fucking bitch, but life couldn’t stop because of it, and I certainly wasn’t going to let Stella go to school without me.

The wounds from the weekend are still both physically and mentally too raw. It’s bad enough that I’ve had to let her go to class without me.

Thankfully, though, she agreed with me, and she hasn’t gone back to gymnastics and cheer yet. She might think she’s fine, but she seems to be forgetting that she got fucking stabbed only a few weeks ago.

I know that everything is healing well, I can see that with my own eyes, but still. Given half the chance I know she’d push herself to the limit and probably end up hurting herself in the process.

That did mean that I had to follow my own rules, and she banned me from football training, too—something I’m pretty sure Coach was going to enforce on me anyway seeing as I have a bullet hole in my shoulder, but still, I was willing to give it a shot.

The past week has been weirdly normal. No one’s tried to kill any of us, we’ve been to school, Theo and the guys have worked. The boss has put me on full-time babysitting duties which, of course, I’m taking very seriously. Although we have spent more time out of the house than I’d like in the hope of tripping this motherfucker up, but he seems to have gone to ground again.

I’m not stupid enough to think that he’s given up. I think it’s obvious to all of us at this point that he’s just waiting to make a move.

Theo’s told all of us more than once that he senses something, and as irritating as it is listening to him, he’s usually right.

Stella stirs beside me and I tighten my grip on her, needing her to keep me grounded. She mumbles something in her sleep and curls into my body, wiggling her arse back against my morning wood.

Lifting my head from the pillow, I press a light kiss to her bare shoulder to see if she’s awake. She shows no signs of life, other than her arse shifting again.

“You’re a tease, Hellion,” I whisper, lifting my hand from her belly to pinch her nipple.

I have no idea what time it is, but I’m confident it’s still early enough that we’ve got time for a little fun. Anything to take my mind off what today holds.

A whimper of pleasure passes her lips, making my cock ache for her.

Memories of watching her get herself off in her sleep in her bedroom all those weeks ago come back to me.

After everything that’s happened, that feels like a lifetime ago. Back when I was trying to convince myself that I hated her. That every single part of my shit life was her fault. Little did I know, all I needed was her to make everything that much more bearable.

I shake my head at myself. Fuck. I was a cunt to her back then.

I’ll never understand why she ever decided to give me a chance. I didn’t—I don’t— deserve it. Yet here we are, all these weeks later, and she’s right beside me, in my bed, my home for all intents and purposes, naked and driving me as fucking crazy as ever.

I pepper kisses across her shoulder as I skim my hand down her belly.

Her breathing is still even, and I can only assume that she’s asleep. Either that or she’s playing me, letting me take whatever I want. I’m happy either way, because I know that she wants it too.

Pushing my leg between hers, I open her up for me and continue lower.

She moans, urging me on.

“Fuck, baby,” I breathe when I dip my fingers into her pussy. She’s fucking drenched.

I push two fingers inside her, getting her ready before I shift behind her and line up with her entrance.

I swallow a moan as I sink inside her burning heat.

So. Fucking. Good.

“Seb,” she moans as I push deeper, my grip on her hip tightening as her body sucks me deeper.

“Need you, baby,” I whisper.