Page 42 of Wicked Knight (Knight's Ridge Empire 1)

“Well, mine has been picked up. I had a message from my dad saying that a replacement should be at our house by the end of the day. Useful seeing as I’m here, right?”

“You want a lift to your class?” he asks, remembering that I’d told him about starting cheer tonight.

“No, it’s fine. I’ll just call an Uber. I’ve already taken up enough of your time.”

“Trust me, I’ve got nothing better to do tonight.”

“Not hanging out with the guys?” I ask, testing the water as to where he stands with Seb. He told me last night that he sees him as a brother, but there was obvious tension between the two of them this morning.

“Nah, I got homework.”

“Fair enough.”

Pulling out my cell, I find the Uber app and wait for it to open.

“Put that away, Stella. I’m taking you.” He looks over at me, his blue eyes holding mine and cutting off any argument I might have had.

“Thank you,” I say, hoping he hears just how sincere it is.

We’re almost out of the building when a heavy arm lands on my shoulder. My first thought is that it’s Seb, but when I turn I find another of his little gang of dickheads.

“Where we going, kids?”

“Fuck off, Alex.”

“Who’s got your knickers in a twist, Tobes? Still pissed at Seb? You know I had nothing to do with that, right?”

“Shut the fuck up. Haven’t you got something better to do than irritate me?”

“Umm…” he thinks for a second. “Nope. I’m free as a bird.”

“For fuck’s sake,” Toby mutters as we continue to where Seb abandoned his car this morning. “You know your car’s over there, right?” He points at a black Audi across the lot.

“Yeah, but I’m not in the mood to be alone.”

“You’re a pain in my ass, Demios.”

“He loves me really.” Alex opens Toby’s passenger door and waits for me to drop into the seat before he closes it again. It’s way more gentlemanly than I’m expecting.

Neither of them joins me for a minute or two as they have a brief argument over the roof of the car, their voices so low I can’t make them out. But when they both pile in, the tension between them is palpable.

“So where are we going, Princess?”

“She’s got a cheer class in Chelsea,” Toby says for me.

“Sounds great. I’m in the mood for a road trip.”

Alex gets settled behind me as Toby starts the car and pulls out of the lot.

“For real?” Toby barks when some hip-hop erupts from the speakers.

“What?” Alex asks, affronted. “I’m sure Stella’s down, right, girl?”

“Uh… whatever,” I mutter, not really in the mood to get in the middle of the two of them.

“See, the princess loves it.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” I say, quietly enough that only Toby can hear, and he snorts a laugh beside me.