Page 145 of Wicked Princess (Knight's Ridge Empire 2)

A smirk curls at my lips. I’ve never felt more powerful in my entire life. It really is quite a heady experience.

“Stella!” a soft voice squeals before Calli bounces in front of us excitedly. “I thought you’d changed your mind.”

“Nope. Just wanted to make an entrance.”

“Well,” she says, glancing over her shoulder where most of the room is still solely focused on us. “You certainly achieved that.”

“Ah look, it’s the princess and her frogs,” Emmie says, also completely undeterred by the scary motherfuckers around me as she steps up to Calli’s side.

As usual, the two of them are polar opposites with Emmie’s dark makeup and shitkicker boots and Calli’s almost bare face and cute ballet pumps. The two of them as friends is almost laughable, but it works, and Calli needs some bad influences in her life. I figure that that’s exactly what Emmie and I are.

“I’m not sold on the one you chose as your prince, though.” She casts a glare in Seb’s direction.

“Knight, please,” he scoffs.

“Whatever.” She waves him off as I elbow Theo in the ribs.

“You can fuck right off, Princess,” he mutters before he and his loyal stooges follow, leaving me alone with my friends.

“Have you actually moved in with him? Tell me Calli is lying,” Emmie begs.

“No can do, Em,” I say with a wide smile, watching Seb over her shoulder as he moves toward some guys who are also on the football team.

“You should probably readmit yourself to the hospital and get your head checked, you know that, right?”

The bell rings before I get to respond.

“Come on, class is calling,” Calli says, looping her arm through mine.

“Yay. It’s almost the weekend though, right?” Emmie asks as we make our way out of the common room, putting all the lingering stares and whispers behind us.

“What’s your first class?” Calli asks, ignoring Emmie’s comment.

“Economics.”

“I’m heading that way,” Emmie interrupts. “Although I’m sure at least one of your bodyguards is going to deliver you to class.” She rolls her eyes.

“There are worse things than being trailed by them,” I tell her.

“Really?” she asks as if I’ve lost my mind.

“What? They’re pretty.”

“Yeah, if you like that conceited, overinflated ego type.”

“They’re not so bad,” I say, jumping to their defence—something I never thought I’d do, but hey, here we are.

“Whatever you say. So anyway,” she says after we’ve waved Calli off as she takes a different turn. “Tomorrow night. We should do something.”

I swallow somewhat nervously. I hate that I’ve had to keep both Emmie, and Calli to a point, in the dark about what’s really going on with me and the risk I’m still under.

“Maybe. What did you have in mind?”

“I dunno. But I need some fun. I can’t cope with all this drama and bullshit.”

My steps falter at the sadness in her tone.

“Is everything okay, Em?” I ask, realizing that I’ve probably been way too wrapped up in my own shit these past few weeks.