Page 83 of Reckless Royalty

Getting to my feet, I run a hand through my hair, trying to reign in my frustration as one question claws at me, refusing to let go.

“Did he know?”

Her head jerks up, her wide eyes meeting mine. “What?”

I lean forward again, my gaze locked on hers. “Did Nikolai know you were in love with him?” I press, watching her reaction closely.

She freezes, her lips parting slightly, but no words come out. The silence is deafening, and it tells me everything I need to know.

Her face crumples, fresh tears spilling over as she buries her face in her hands. “I didn’t mean to fall for him,” she sobs. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I just… I thought he cared about me too.”

“Cat…” I sigh, running a hand through my hair, frustration and pity warring within me. “You have to understand you can’tfool around with someone like Nikolai and not expect things to get messy. He’s the Russian Crown, for fuck’s sake. And now, it’s not just about you two anymore. There’s a baby involved.”

She looks up, her tear-streaked face twisted with anguish. “He said he cared about me, Mihai. He said he didn’t want to hurt me.”

“And look where we are now,” I say, my voice sharper than I intended. I take a deep breath, softening my tone. “Cat, I’m not trying to hurt you, but you have to face reality. If he knew how you felt and still let things get to this point, then he’s as much to blame for this as you are.”

She flinches, her fingers tightening around the blanket. “I don’t know what to do,” she whispers. “Connor’s going to kill him. My Da’s going to killme.And Nikolai… he doesn’t even care enough to want this baby.”

My jaw tightens at the mention of Declan. The man is fiercely protective of his family, and this? This is a betrayal he won’t take lightly. And then there’s Dmitri... Fuck me sideways.

“Your father and Dmitri are here,” I say, keeping my tone even. “They arrived earlier today for business. You need to deal with this, Cat. Get it out in the open before it explodes in your face.”

Her eyes widen, panic flickering across her features, her hands wringing together nervously. “What do I even say to them?”

“The truth,” I say simply. “Tell Nikolai what you’re doing first. Then your father. And if you want, I’ll be there when you tell him.”

She looks at me, her expression a mixture of fear and gratitude. “You would do that?”

“Of course,” I say, my tone softening. “You’re family, Cat. I’ll help you through this. But you’ve got to be honest with all of them.”

She nods slowly, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand. “Okay,” she whispers. “Okay.”

I step back, giving her space to collect herself. “I’ll talk to Nikolai first, make sure he’s not about to do something stupid. You focus on figuring out what you want to say to your dad.”

She nods again, her voice steadier this time. “Thank you, Mihai.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” I mutter, turning toward the door. “This is just the beginning.”

As I step out into the hallway, my thoughts are already racing. Nikolai’s got a lot to answer for, and Declan… well, he’s not going to take this lightly. But for Cat’s sake, I’ll make damn sure this doesn’t spiral out of control any further.

The hallway feels longer than it should as I make my way to Connor’s suite. My chest tightens with every step, knowing the state he’s probably in. Connor hides his emotions well, usually behind a smirk and a laugh, but not today. Not after what just happened.

I knock once before pushing the door open without waiting for an answer. Connor’s standing near his bed, his suitcase open and half-packed. Clothes are strewn everywhere, and he looks like he’s been throwing things in with no rhyme or reason. His usually easygoing demeanor is gone, replaced by something raw and fractured.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

He doesn’t look at me, just grabs a handful of shirts from the dresser and tosses them into the suitcase. “Packing. What does it look like?”

“Packing for what?” I frown, watching his movements. They’re sharp and angry, the complete opposite of how Connor usually carries himself. “You going somewhere?”

He finally looks up, his green eyes blazing. “Yeah. I’m leaving.”

“What?” I scoff. “Leaving?”

“That’s right,” he snaps, slamming the dresser drawer shut. “And probably not coming back.”

I step inside, closing the door behind me. “Connor, don’t be stupid. You can’t just?—”

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