Page 23 of Wicked Knight (Knight's Ridge Empire 1)

“You got a problem?” he asks, his smooth British accent washing over me as he glances at the glowing warning light on my dash.

“Uh… I’m fine. I’ll just call recovery.”

“Want company?”

My eyes narrow in confusion.

“Why?”

“Because everyone else has left,” he asks, standing aside, allowing me to see the deserted parking lot aside from a black BMW that I can only assume is his.

“I’ll be fine. I’m more than capable of looking after myself.”

“So I heard,” he deadpans. “But that’s not why I’m offering.”

I lift a brow, not believing a word of it.

“Can’t I just be a good guy?” he asks innocently, although he doesn’t look like he’s taken offence to my unspoken words.

“When you’re friends with the devil himself, probably not.”

A smile curls at his lips.

“Don’t let Seb hear you call him that, it might go to his head.”

“Not possible. His ego is already bigger than belief.”

“True, that. Unlock and let me in.”

I hold his eyes for two more seconds, searching his ocean depths for any hint that he’s playing me right now.

With a sigh, and knowing that I’m probably going to regret it, I unlock my doors and allow him to drop into my passenger seat.

His manly scent immediately assaults my senses, and I almost tell him to get the hell back out. I don’t want my baby smelling like boy—or at least that’s what I tell myself as my mouth begins to water.

He’s the douchebag’s friend. Rein it in, Stella.

“I’m Toby, by the way.”

“Stella,” I say, instantly regretting it when his lips curl into a smirk. “But you already knew that.”

“I would usually say that news about hot new girls spreads pretty quickly around here, but it seems you’re a bit of an enigma.”

Ignoring the flutter in my lower belly at his admission that he thinks I’m hot, I focus on the rest of his statement.

“Exactly how I like it.”

“You sure seem good at making enemies, too.”

“My favorite hobby.”

He chuckles.

“Well, I can assure you, you’re good at it. Not many girls happily go up against Seb or Teagan.”

“Oh please. They’re both conceited jerks who think the world owes them something.”

He snorts a laugh but coughs in an attempt to cover it up.