Page 82 of Reckless Royalty

“How did you know, Maddy?”

I blink, caught off guard by the sharpness in his tone. “Know what?”

“About Nikolai,” he says, his voice like a blade. “How did you know he was the father?”

I swallow hard, the intensity of his stare making it difficult to think straight. “Cat told me,” I manage, my voice quieter than I intended. “She confided in me a few days ago.”

His jaw clenches, and he runs a hand through his hair, muttering something under his breath in Romanian that I can’t quite catch.

“This is a fucking disaster,” he says finally, pacing the length of the room. I stand there, unsure whether to speak or stay silent as he paces like a caged animal, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.

“I didn’t mean to make things worse,” I say softly, breaking the silence. “I wasn’t trying to?—”

He stops suddenly, turning to face me. “You didn’t make this mess, Maddy,” he says, his voice softer now, though the tension hasn’t left his face. “This… this was bound to blow up eventually.”

I nod, though the guilt still sits heavy in my chest. “She’s scared, Mihai,” I say softly. “She’s heartbroken. And Nikolai… he didn’t mean to hurt her, but…”

“But he did,” Mihai finishes, his voice hard. “He hurt her, and now Connor’s ready to burn everything to the ground because of it.”

I nod, wrapping my arms around myself. “Do you think Connor…?”

“Connor’s pissed,” he says, running a hand through his hair. “And when Connor’s pissed, he doesn’t think straight. I need to find him before he does something reckless. But first, I need to find Cat.”

I step aside as he moves toward the door, my chest tightening with worry for both of them. “She’s scared, Mihai. Go easy on her, okay?”

His gaze softens for the briefest moment, and he nods. “Yeah. I’ll try.”

And then he’s gone, leaving me alone with the heavy silence and the weight of everything that’s just happened.

MIHAI

Ifind Cat in her bedroom, the door left slightly ajar, as if she doesn’t have the energy to shut out the world completely.

Her suite is dimly lit, and she’s curled up on the couch, clutching a blanket to her chest like it’s the only thing holding her together. She doesn’t look up when I walk in, but I see the tension in her shoulders as she registers my presence.

“Cat,” I say softly, shutting the door behind me. “We need to talk.”

She flinches, burying her face deeper into the blanket. “I can’t, Mihai. I just… I can’t.”

I take a seat in the armchair across from her, leaning forward, my elbows resting on my knees. “You don’t have a choice. This mess won’t go away if you just ignore it.”

Her head snaps up, her tear-streaked face a mixture of defiance and vulnerability. “What do you want me to say? That I’m a complete idiot? That I screwed everything up?”

I hold her gaze, unflinching. “I want you to tell me the truth. How the hell did this happen?”

She lets out a bitter laugh, wiping at her cheeks. “We… we’ve been fooling around since…it started on the Day of Silence.”

My brow furrows, the pieces slowly clicking into place. Fuck, the year Chiara joined Willow Bridge. “During Legacy Week?”

She nods, her fingers twisting the edge of the blanket. “It wasn’t serious. We weren’t… we weren’t together. It was just… I don’t know. Messing around, I guess.”

I exhale sharply, leaning back in the chair. “Jesus Christ, Cat. You and Nikolai? Do you even realize how dangerous that was?”

Her bottom lip trembles, and I instantly feel like an asshole.

“I know!” she snaps, her voice breaking. “I know, okay? But it didn’t feel dangerous then. It was just us, no expectations, no pressure. And now…” Her voice falters, and she looks down, her shoulders trembling. “Now it’s all ruined.”

I sit there, my mind racing. Of all the people Nikolai could’ve gotten involved with, it had to be Cat. But not just that, but this is Declan’s only daughter. Fuck, the implications are staggering. Connor didn’t kill Nikolai, but Declan will.

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