Page 37 of Reckless Royalty

“I get it,” I say, my voice low. “When I was younger, my life was all about my family, the traditions, the things that defined me. And I thought that without them, I’d be… empty, like nothing would matter.” I pause, running a hand through my hair.

“But I realized… we’re more than just one thing, you know? Sometimes we lose parts of ourselves, but it doesn’t mean we’re lost. It just… it just means we’ve got more to find.”

She listens, her gaze intense, absorbing my words, and she writes again.

How do you know when you’re ready to find those parts again?

I exhale, taking a moment before answering. “You don’t, honestly. You just… you just try. One small thing at a time.”

She nods, looking thoughtful, like she’s letting it sink in. For a moment, the air between us feels heavy, filled with things neither of us is saying. And then, almost instinctively, my hand reaches out, brushing over the edge of her peacock tattoo on her thigh.

“It’s beautiful,” I murmur, my thumb tracing the edge of the feathers. “You’re beautiful, Maddy.”

She bites her lip, looking down, her cheeks turning pink again, and I feel this strange satisfaction at being the one to make her react like that. I don’t know what this is between us, but whatever it is, it feels real.

It’s not forced, not something I’m putting on. She brings out a side of me I don’t recognize, and I’m not sure if that’s good or bad, but I know I don’t want it to stop.

She writes again, and when she hands it over, I can’t help but smile.

You’re not what I expected

“Yeah?” I ask, glancing at her, my smirk widening. “Thought I’d be more of an ass?”

She nods, her expression playful, and scribbles another note.

Youwerean arse

I laugh, shaking my head. “Touché.”

We fall into a comfortable silence again, the kind that doesn’t need words. Just being here, next to her, it feels… natural. Like we’re finding our own rhythm, one that doesn’t need all the noise.

After a while, I feel her lean a little closer, and I can’t help but glance over, taking in the details—the way her hair gleams in the sunlight, the curve of her cheek, her full lips and button nose.

She’s a mix of strength and softness, and it draws me in and makes me want to learn every detail.

And then, almost without thinking, I say, “You know, I’d like to hear your stories someday. The ones your ink tells.”

She looks at me, surprised, and there’s a flicker of something in her eyes. She doesn’t write anything, just holds my gaze, and in that moment, I feel like I’m seeing a part of her no one else has.

We sit there, the sound of the creek and the quiet forest around us, and for once, I don’t feel the need to fill the silence. She leans her head back, looking up at the dappled light filtering through the trees, a faint smile lingering on her lips.

For the first time, I realize that I could sit here with her all day, not talking, and still want more.

MADDY

It’s been a month since that day with Mihai by the creek. A whole bloody month, and he’s barely spoken to me since. I replay everything in my mind, trying to figure out if I said something wrong, if I somehow ruined it.

He was so different with me that day—gentle, open in a way I haven’t seen from him before. But then, almost out of nowhere, he went quiet, and now Connor’s the one playing bodyguard, sticking close by my side every day.

Connor’s easygoing, friendly, but it’s not the same. I can’t shake the feeling that Mihai’s avoiding me, and it’s making this silence feel even louder.

I try to push the thoughts away, flipping through the book I’ve been pretending to read, letting the words blur together. But then, my door flies open, and the girls come barreling in like a hurricane, snapping me out of my thoughts instantly.

“You’re coming with us tonight!” Marina says, practically bouncing on her feet as she grabs my hand and pulls me up. “It’s Bonfire Night, and this time it’s at the Drakos Suite. You have no choice.”

I blink, still processing her words as Chiara and Cat follow behind her. Chiara shoots me an encouraging smile, but itdoesn’t reach her eyes. I notice it when she visibly shivers, like a sudden chill just hit her. Cat must notice too because she steps up beside Chiara and wraps her arms around her in a gentle hug.

“No thinking about the Volkov Bonfire,” Cat whispers, her voice soft but firm. “This time is going to be better. Fun.”

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