Wicked princess

Chapter 29

Sunlight streams through a crack in the curtain, rousing me from my slumber. 

Panic shoots up my spine as I take in my surroundings. 

“Shit.”  

I can’t believe I fell asleep here. 

I quickly nudge Stone who’s still sleeping beside me. “Wake up.” 

Springing off his futon, I search for my clothes.

Yawning, he rubs his sleepy eyes. “What time is it?” 

My gaze roams to the clock on the nightstand as I shimmy into my dress from last night. “Just after six a.m.” 

Which means Sawyer is probably still sleeping and won’t be able to pick me up. 

A quick glimpse at my phone tells me Jace called three times last night, Cole called once, and Sawyer texted me twice asking if I was spending the night with “Mercedes.” 

Crap. 

Stone pats the empty space beside him. “In that case, come back to bed.” 

I gape at him. “Are you crazy? I need you to drive me home.” 

“Now?” 

“Yes, now.” I grab my crutches that are leaning on the wall beside his bed. “There might still be time to sneak inside without my brothers realizing I never came home.”  

Then again, Liam and I were always the late sleepers while Jace and Cole preferred to be up at the butt crack of dawn. Weirdos. 

Jumping to his feet, Stone snatches his keys off the nightstand. “Let’s go.” 

“It seems pretty quiet,” Stone notes as we pass my house. “I think it’s safe to pull into the driveway.” 

“Don’t,” I hiss. “They might see you.” I shoot my gaze out the passenger window. “Park down the block.”

“You still need crutches to walk, Bianca,” he huffs. “I’m not parking down the block.” 

I open my mouth to remind him that my crutches will be gone in a week, but there’s no use arguing. 

The quicker I get inside and upstairs to my bedroom, the better. 

Given the lights are still off and there’s no sign of activity going on in the house, now is the perfect time. 

“Fine,” I relent. “Park in the driveway. But don’t stay and watch me walk inside. The second I’m out of the vehicle you need to flip this bitch in reverse and gun it.” 

His lips twitch. “Got it, Brian O’Co

“Brian O’Co

He looks at me like I’m a space cadet. “Fast and Furious.” 

Still not understanding. “Fast and Furious?”

Sighing, he pulls into my driveway. “We really need to work on your movie—”

“What the actual fuck is going on?” Cole roars. 

Oh, shit. 

I turn my head to face a very sweaty and very irate Cole who looks like he just got finished ru

Not waiting for a response, he brings his cell to his ear. “Jace, get the fuck out here now. Bianca just pulled up with Stone fucking DaSilva.” 

Goddammit. 

I roll down my window. “Relax, Cole. It’s not—”

He pounds on the hood. “I swear to God if you hurt her, I will kill you.”

Oh, for fuck’s sake. 

Stone looks offended. “I would never hurt—”

“What the fuck are you doing with my baby sister, DaSilva?” A shirtless and shoeless Jace booms as he flies down the driveway. “You got a motherfucking death wish, bitch?” 

It’s safe to say the shit has officially hit the fan. 

Stone’s hand clenches around his steering wheel. “Nope, I don’t have a death wish.” He must though because he grins. “I was simply dropping my girlfriend off at her house.” 

“Stone,” I snap.

“What?” he says as I step out of his car. “They were going to find out about us soon, Bianca. You said it yourself.” 

Yeah, but I didn’t want them to find out like this. 

Cole laughs but there’s not an ounce of humor. “I’ve had a few concussions and therefore must be hallucinating, because I could have sworn you just said girlfriend.” His nostrils flare. “But there’s no way in fuck my little sister would ever date your pathetic, trifling ass.”

He yells the last part so loud he’s liable to wake the dead. 

A breathless, bathrobe-clad Sawyer runs outside. “What the hell—” She spots Stone’s car and blanches. “Oh, shit.” 

Oh, shit is right. 

Jace’s jaw tics. “Tell me he’s lying, Bianca.” 

I can’t. 

Expelling a deep breath, I utter, “He’s not.” 

Cole cups his ear. “I’m sorry, I must be hallucinating again, what?” 

“He’s not lying,” I say, louder this time. “Stone and I are dating.” 

Jace staggers back like I just sucker-punched him. 

Cole turns to Sawyer. “Call an ambulance.” 

She pales. “Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine, Bible Thumper.” He lunges for Stone’s car. “But he won’t be after I’m done with him.” 

Sawyer and I quickly put ourselves between them. 

“Feel free to leave anytime,” I urge Stone. 

“Not until your psycho brothers calm down and I know you’re okay.”

That only makes Cole more furious and he lunges for him again. “I’ll show you psycho.” 

“Stop it, Colton,” Sawyer says, her hands shoving his chest. “Fighting Stone won’t solve anything.” 

“Maybe not,” he snarls. “But it will sure feel good.” 

Before I can stop him, Stone gets out of his car. “You want to fight me again, Covington.” He slaps his chest in invitation. “Go right ahead. Kick my ass from here to Kingdom Come.” His eyes dart to me. “But it still won’t change the fact that I’m in love with your sister.” 

My mouth drops open. “You love me?” 

“Yeah.” He swallows hard. “Yeah, I do.” 

Sawyer makes the sign of the cross and starts muttering what sounds like the Hail Mary prayer. 

My head whirls. Stone loves me. 

Cole’s eyes flick to me. “Please tell me this isn’t fucking happening.”

“How long?” Jace barks. “How long have you been lying to my goddamn face while sneaking around with trash?”

 “Since Thanksgiving,” I whisper. 

“A month,” Jace bites. “A fucking month you’ve been deceiving me.” He gestures to Cole and Sawyer. “Us.” 

Sawyer rubs her temples. “Look, I know you two are angry, but Stone’s a good guy and he makes her happy—”

“How would you know?” Cole questions. 

“I—uh.” She mutters a curse. “I’ve known about them for a little while.” 

The betrayal on Cole’s face deepens. “And you didn’t tell me?” 

“It’s not Sawyer’s fault,” I quickly chime in. “She kept urging me to come clean, but I made her promise not to say anything until I was ready. Hell, she didn’t even want to cover for us, but I—”

“You covered for them?” Cole grinds out, glaring at Sawyer. “For him?”

Oh, fuck. Wrong thing to say. 

Guilt colors Sawyer’s rosy cheeks. “I know you’re upset, but Bianca’s my friend and she needed someone to talk to.”

He jabs his chest with his thumb. “I’m your fiancé.” Hurt twists his features. “Your fiancé who you swore you’d never lie to again.” 

Sawyer’s face falls. She looks so helpless my heart coils. 

“I’m sorry, Colton—”

“Save it. I don’t even want to be near you right now.” His eyes fall on me. “Either of you.” 

With that, he treks up the driveway. 

Sawyer’s lower lip wobbles. “I—um. I’m go

Stone juts his chin. “I’m go