Page 71 of Reckless Royalty

He watches me, his eyes calm, piercing. “I want you to talk to me, Mihai. That’s all.”

I hesitate. Part of me wants to open up, but admitting how I feel? That’s an entirely different beast.

“Even if I do feel something… what’s the point? This is just… a distraction. Marriages don’t happen like that for us. They’re alliances, built to protect the family.”

He watches me for a moment, then sets his glass down, his voice softer but no less intense. “Stop right there. Have you forgotten why I married your mother?”

I let out a small sigh, running a hand through my hair. “No, I haven’t forgotten. She came from a humble background, but things are different now, aren’t they? The stakes are higher. You always taught me that alliances are critical for our family.”

His gaze sharpens, a challenge in his eyes. “The stakes will always be high. But who you marry… that’s not just strategy. Not for me, and not for you either, if you don’t want it to be. Your mother wasn’t born into a powerful family, yet she was the strongest partner I could’ve asked for. That alliance worked because she believed in what we were building. She stood by me because she wanted to, not because of her name or the connections she brought.”

I frown, letting his words settle. I know all of this, of course, but it feels like a different world now. “So, what are you saying,Tata? That things haven’t changed? That I can just go ahead and choose whoever I want?”

He smiles, something gentle in the expression that I rarely see. “You’re going to take over from me soon, Mihai. TheRomanian Crown is yours to shape. If you want to change things, then change them. Don’t tell me what tradition expects of you when you have the power to rewrite it, and that includes how you choose your partner.”

I pause, the reality of what he’s saying sinking in. He’s telling me it’s possible, that I don’t have to follow the same path. I can see it in his eyes—the approval, the silent encouragement that he rarely shows.

But I don’t understand why. Why is he so damn willing to support me in this, especially when he’s always been the one preaching about duty and sacrifice.

“Why are you so… supportive of this?” I ask, feeling the confusion spill into my voice. “She’s not from our world. Hell, she’s been through enough without me dragging her into this.”

He chuckles softly, a sound that’s more knowing than amused. “I’m supportive because I’m your father and I love you, Mihai. I don’t want you to find yourself in a constant battle, not just with the world but also with the person next to you. You’ll be fighting enough as it is. So why not choose someone who can fight alongside you?”

His words hit deep, and for a moment, I can’t respond. He’s right, of course, but hearing it laid out like this? It’s a whole other thing to process. I look at him, trying to read between the lines.

“So you’re saying… you just want me to be happy?” I say, half-joking, but there’s something vulnerable in my tone that I can’t quite hide.

He nods, his gaze serious. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. I want you to be happy, Mihai. And if Maddy brings you that, then you don’t need my approval or anyone else’s. You should know… having a partner who’ll stand beside you, who understands you? That’s worth more than any alliance.”

I let out a breath with his words echoing in my head. It’s strange, this feeling of freedom and responsibility all at once. I’ve always known my father to be a strategist, a man who looks at the world in terms of moves and countermoves.

But here he is, telling me to follow something as unpredictable as feelings. And with Maddy, that’s exactly what it is—unpredictable, wild, something I can’t control.

I glance at him, a hint of a smile on my lips. “You realize you’re turning everything I thought I knew upside down, right?”

He laughs, taking a sip of his whiskey. “Good. That means I’ve done my job. Just remember, Mihai: you’re going to lead soon, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice everything. Find the balance. Keep the things that matter close, and let the rest go.”

I nod, feeling the weight of his advice, the way it settles like an anchor in my chest. I’ve spent so long trying to keep myself in check, to control every piece of my life, but maybe it’s time to let go, just a little.

“Thanks,Tata,” I say quietly, meaning it more than I can say.

He reaches out, squeezing my shoulder with a reassuring grip. “You’ll do well, Mihai. And remember, if this thing with Maddy is real… don’t let it slip away. Life is short, and sometimes, the strongest connections come from the unlikeliest places.”

I take another sip of my drink, the warmth settling in my chest as I think about what he’s said. Maybe he’s right. Maybe Maddy is exactly the partner I didn’t know I needed. And maybe this time I’ll let myself follow something other than tradition.

And with that, I ask the next question.

“What about Marina and her possible arrangement with Konstantin Drakos?”

My father chuckles at this. “Believe it or not, your sister wants no part in an arranged marriage. She told Drakos that shewon’t be used as a pawn on his chessboard, that if he wants her, he needs to prove it.”

I burst out laughing at this. “Well, Mamma left her temper in Marina, after all.”

“That she did,” my father says, his eyes softening at the mention of my mother.

It’s at this moment that I realize just how blessed I am to have a close relationship with my father.

ION VASILE

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