Page 105 of Reckless Royalty

I chuckle softly, trying to lighten the mood. “Well, I am full of surprises. But seriously, Maddy—you didn’t put them in harm’s way. You just happened to be caught in the crossfire.”

She looks at me, her expression filled with gratitude and sadness. “Thank you,” she whispers.

I nod, giving her hand a small squeeze before leaning back in my chair. “So, you and Isla were close, huh?”

She nods, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “She was my shadow. Always wanted to be part of whatever I was doing. Drove me mental sometimes, but I loved her for it.”

I smile at the thought, picturing a younger Maddy with her little sister trailing behind her. “Sounds like she had a good role model.”

Her cheeks flush, and she looks down at her mug. “I hope so.”

I tilt my head, smirking. “Oh, I’m pretty sure. But we can get to you later. Tell me about your dad.”

Her smile falters, and for a moment, I think she’s going to shut down. But then she takes a deep breath, her voice quiet but steady.

“He was… everything. The kind of dad who always made time for us, no matter how busy he was. He used to take us on these little adventures—picnics, hikes, sometimes just drivingaimlessly until we found a new spot to explore. He called it ‘making memories.’”

Her voice catches, and she looks down at her coffee, her fingers tightening around the cup. “When he died, it was like… like the world shifted. Nothing felt right anymore. That’s why Mum thought it’d be good for us to be close to her family. A fresh start.”

I nod, my chest tightening as I watch her. “And was it?”

She shrugs, her smile bittersweet. “It was different, and I never really got along with Mum’s side of the family. Timi?oara is beautiful, and we found our rhythm there. But it was never the same. We missed him every day.”

“Sounds like he was a hell of a man,” I say, my voice soft.

“He was,” she murmurs, her gaze distant. “The best.”

We sit in silence for a moment, but I don’t push her to say more, sensing that she’s already shared more than she’s used to. Instead, I decide to shift the conversation, give her something lighter to focus on.

“What about you?” I ask, smirking. “What were you like as a kid?”

She laughs softly, the sound like music. “Oh, I was a proper terror.”

I raise an eyebrow, intrigued. “A terror, huh? Do tell.”

She grins, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Let’s just say I had a knack for getting into trouble. Climbing trees, sneaking into places I wasn’t supposed to be… My mum was always saying I had too much energy for my own good.”

“Still true,” I tease, earning a laugh from her. “Little Rebel seems to be the perfect nickname for you.”

“Maybe,” she admits, shrugging. “But I like to think I kept life interesting.”

I can’t help but smile at that. “I’ll bet you did.”

We spend the next hour talking, trading stories and learning more about each other. She tells me about her favorite places in Timi?oara, her dream of traveling the world, and I soak it all in, every word, every smile, every laugh.

“So,” I say, leaning forward, “if you could go anywhere, do anything, what would it be?”

She tilts her head, her brows furrowing slightly as she thinks. “I’d want to see places I’ve only read about. Greece, Italy, Japan… anywhere and everywhere.”

I nod, my lips quirking up. “Good choices. Greece especially. I’ll take you there one day.”

Her eyes widen slightly, her cheeks flushing. “You will?”

“Sure,” I say casually, though the idea already feels like a promise. “You deserve to see the world, Maddy.”

She looks away, her smile soft but shy. “Thank you, Mihai.”

I reach out, tilting her chin back toward me. “You don’t have to thank me, baby. Just stick around long enough, and I’ll show you everything you’ve ever wanted to see.”

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