Page 144 of Wicked Princess (Knight's Ridge Empire 2)

* * *

“It’s going to be okay,” Seb assures me, twisting his fingers with mine after we’ve all finished the coffees and breakfast wraps that we picked up on the way to school.

“Yeah, I know,” I sigh, suddenly feeling utterly exhausted.

So much has changed since the last time I walked out of this place.

I thought my only issue was with the asshole now holding my hand tightly as if he’s my lifeline. Little did I know, the rest of my life was even more fucked up than the shit he was giving me.

“I don’t care what they think.” I’m not sure if I’m saying it for my benefit or Seb’s, but I let the words linger in the air nonetheless. “I just… ugh. I hate the drama. I wanted to start here and hide in the shadows, but I’m pretty sure my existence couldn’t be further from that if I actually tried.”

“Come on, Hellion. Hold your head high and show them what a bad-arse bitch you really are.”

Seb leans over, his fingers pinching my chin and twisting my head so that he can capture my lips.

“You’ve got two minutes before I drag you out by your hair, Papatonis,” Theo growls as Seb’s tongue brushes across my bottom lip.

Seb flips him off before deepening our kiss, but only for our allotted two minutes. Apparently, Seb is sensing that Theo might be approaching the end of his patience with us this morning.

“Give them hell, baby.” He drops one last kiss to the tip of my nose before releasing both our seat belts and climbing out of the car.

“Why thank you, sir,” I say in a teasing voice when Theo hands me my purse from the trunk.

“Don’t get used to the service, but we’re going to be late if you two don’t move.”

I smile at him. “You’re a good friend, Theo,” I say, reaching up on my toes and dropping a kiss to his cheek.

“Careful, baby. He might come in his pants, he’s so desperate.”

I snort a laugh as Theo growls.

“Your boy has a death wish, Princess. Rein him in, yeah?”

I stare at Theo as Seb wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me back to him.

“You think I can control that?” I ask sarcastically.

“That?” Seb snorts.

“Come on, boyfriend. Time to show your empire that they’ve got a new queen.”

Theo smothers a laugh as he falls into step on my other side, the three of us walking toward the entrance as a unit.

I have no idea where they come from, but the second we hit the path that leads to the main doors, the other three join us.

My eyes connect with Toby’s for a beat before he steps behind me with Nico and Alex on either side of him.

Knowing they’re surrounding me gives me that extra bit of confidence I needed to walk through those doors like I fucking own the place.

The second the six of us step into the common room, all conversation stops and every single set of eyes turns toward us.

Many of the girls glower at me, their lips turning down in disgust as their eyes run the length of my body, judging me. All I do is smile. Jealousy really is a bitch.

Most of the guys are too terrified to openly look at me with my bodyguards standing strong around me.

No one needs to hear their words of warning. Their body language says it all.

Stella is ours, and anyone who’s stupid enough to come anywhere near her will die.