Page 8 of Wicked Princess (Knight's Ridge Empire 2)

“Oh my God,” I whisper.

That was so real.

Too real.

Before I can think better of it, I press my finger to the call button.

The chairs beside my bed are both empty, and I breathe a sigh of relief that Seb might have actually listened to me.

For a moment, I wonder where my dad is. Why did Seb have to be the first person I saw when I woke up?

I would’ve thought he’d have been right beside me. He might have been absent for a lot of my life, but my safety has always been his highest priority.

It takes a few seconds, but finally the door opens and the bright light from the hallway outside floods my room.

“Hi, how are you doing?” another friendly nurse asks.

“I need to see someone,” I state.

“It’s three AM. I don’t think—”

“Can I have my cell, or can you please call for me? I need him.”

Her brows crease, but she nods. “Okay, but don’t be disappointed if he’s asleep.”

“I just need to try.”

She rummages around in a cupboard beside my bed before emerging with my cell in her hand.

“The signal is rubbish in here. If you unlock it, I’ll connect you to the Wi-Fi so you can make the call.”

Resting my head back, I close my eyes and nod after tapping in my code, relief flooding me that she’s not going to refuse my request.

The second she passes it back, I hit call and put my cell to my ear. Just like she warned, it rings off and goes to voicemail.

Disappointment floods me, but what did I really expect? He’s hardly going to be sitting up, waiting for me.

I leave a pathetic voicemail for when he wakes up and lock my cell again. I don’t bother looking at any of the messages I’m sure have come through. I’m too exhausted to even try to read them.

I must drift back off again, because the next thing I’m aware of is shouting out in the hallway.

Glancing at the window beside me, I notice that the sun is just starting to rise. It must still be early. Too early for people to be shouting in a hospital, surely.

Ignoring them, I reach for the cup of water on the table at my side and take a few sips.

I’m staring out of the window once again when my door opens.

Expecting it to be the nurse, my breath catches in my throat when I find someone else in my doorway.

“Stella,” he breathes. He looks awful. Like, really fucking awful.

But the second I lift my arms from the bed, he rushes to me and pulls my weak, broken body into his arms.

“Everything is going to be okay,” he whispers in my ear. “I promise you, everything is going to be okay.”

And for the second time in who knows how many hours, I crumble.