Page 123 of Wicked Knight (Knight's Ridge Empire 1)

As Damien and Evan Cirillo sit there eating their roast dinner, they’re silently plotting the deaths of every member of the Mariano Family. Theo and Nico are probably scowling at each other over the table, their constant battle never more obvious than when they’re forced together in family situations like that. Both of their mothers faff around, making sure everyone has everything they need with forced smiles on their faces, despite the fact their housekeeper has already done everything to ensure everyone is happy.

It’s fake. All of it. And exactly what I do not want.

The weak Stepford wife, the pretentious family events.

Bullshit. All of it.

I’ll take Zoe grilling me about my questionable choices any day over that.

Grabbing a beer from the fridge, I take myself to my bedroom and grab my school bag with all good intentions of getting everything done for the week. With an impending war, there’s a very good chance that school is about to take a back seat.

Putting my AirPods in, I attempt to block out the world.

It works for a good few hours until my music cuts out and my phone rings.

“Oh great,” I mutter, knowing I’m about to get a grilling.

“Tobes, how’s it going?” I sing lightly.

His growl of irritation rumbles down the line.

“What the fuck are you playing at, Seb? You’ve crossed a fucking line.”

Pushing my laptop aside, I rest back on my pillows.

“It’s taken you this long to call me and say that? You’re losing your touch.”

“I-I…”

“Spit it out. Or grow a pair of balls and come and beat the shit out of me, if you think you’re man enough.”

“Can you grow up for just a fucking second? Stella has done fuck all to you, Seb. She doesn’t deserve this kind of bullshit.”

“You don’t even know her,” I hiss.

“And you do? Just because you touched her, it doesn’t mean you know her.”

“You don’t even know who she is, Toby. All you see is her pretty face and a sweet pair of tits and you’re smitten. Pull your head out of your arse for a few minutes and maybe search for some facts.”

“What the fuck do you think I’m doing?” he booms. “Who is she, Seb? Why do you hate her so much that you’d humiliate her like that?”

A smile pulls at my lips as I cast my mind back to the event he’s talking about.

“I might hate her, Tobes. But she fucking loved that. You should have felt how wet she was with all our eyes on her.”

“You’re a fucking cunt.”

“Tell me something I don’t know. Now if you didn’t have anything more interesting to say, can I go? I’ve got better things to be doing than listening to you trying to rip me a new one when you don’t know all the facts.”

“Stay the fuck away from her, Seb. I mean it.”

“Yeah, yeah. You know, now you say that, I might go and pay her a surprise visit. I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to find me in her room in the middle of the night.”

“Don’t even think about it,” he seethes.

“Too late, motherfucker.”

I hang up, the idea already firmly planted and growing roots.