Page 24 of Wicked Princess (Knight's Ridge Empire 2)

CHAPTERSIX

Sebastian

It’s been five days since Stella woke up, and other than those two chances I’ve had to talk to her, the only times I’ve seen her have been when she’s sleeping and I’ve managed to sneak in unnoticed.

It’s fucking killing me, but I know her time here is coming to an end. From what I’ve heard, she’s up on her feet now, and her meds have been reduced to almost nothing.

Any day now, she’s going to walk out of here, away from the security we’ve got set up, and re-enter the world. A world where the man who stabbed her is still at large and potentially waiting.

I wake up Monday morning, a familiar crick in my neck from sleeping on the chairs in the hallway, and stare at the wall in front of me.

I’ve memorised every mark and indent in the past two weeks. This place is bordering on being more familiar to me than my family home. I swear I’ve spent more time here than I have in that place in years.

The lift dings, announcing the first arrival of the day, and I push myself up.

“Morning, sunshine,” Toby sings, his smile just a little bit too wide for first thing in the morning.

“Shouldn’t you be at school?”

“I’m going. Just brought the princess some breakfast.” He holds up the takeout bag and coffee cup he’s carrying as if he needs to prove a point.

“You bring anything for me?”

“No, you must have forgotten to place your order.”

“Wanker,” I mutter, less than amused by his attempt at humour.

“Anything new?” he asks.

“Not that I know of. Your end?”

“Nah. The Italians are a dead end. No one’s squealing a word.”

“Maybe it wasn’t them,” I say, stating the obvious.

“Yeah, maybe not. That doesn’t help with who it was though, does it?”

“She’s gonna be out soon,” I say, allowing my fear to show on my exhausted face.

“I know. Galen’s already increasing security at the house, but she’s not going to stay there, let’s be honest. We can’t wrap her up in cotton wool. It’ll only push her away faster.”

I scrub my hand over my scruff-covered face. It’s bordering on a full-on beard at this point. It’s not my finest look, I’ll admit. But it is what it is.

He’s right, I know he is. But I need her safe. Protected.

I need to be by her fucking side.

“You still not given her that yet?” he asks, nodding to the box that’s been under the chair I’ve turned into my new home since her birthday.

“No. She’s been too busy kicking me out.”

The fucker laughs as if he’s actually enjoying me getting kicked to the curb while he happily turns up to visit my hellion.

I swear to God, if he’s so much as touched her, I’ll fucking kill him.

“Right, well, I’d better deliver this.”

Pushing to my feet, I watch as he walks toward her room, jealous that he’s able to do so, that he’s wanted by her, threatening to swallow me whole.