Page 106 of Reckless Royalty

Her breath hitches slightly, her gaze locking with mine. For a moment, the world goes still, the noise and chaos fading into the background. It’s just us, sitting in this little café, and I can’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else.

“Deal?” I ask softly.

She nods, her voice barely above a whisper. “Deal.”

MADDY

The room feels too big tonight. Too quiet. I’ve turned on every light, even have music playing in the background, but it’s no use. The silence still presses in, heavy and suffocating, like it’s wrapping itself around me.

I sit on the edge of the bed, arms hugging my knees, staring at the door like it might burst open at any second. My heart hasn’t stopped racing since Mihai left earlier. I told him I’d be fine. That I needed some time to myself. But now, alone in the stillness, I feel like I’m unraveling.

Everything crashes down at once.

My mind won’t stop spinning. It’s like someone hit rewind and play at the same time. I feel my throat closing up and my chest tightening. It’s like every bad thing has circled back, ready to rip me apart all over again.

Mum and Isla laughing at the restaurant.

The way the gunshots shattered the air, cutting through their joy.

The blood.

The screams.

Sofia’s slap, the sting on my cheek a fraction of what her words cut into me.

That man in my room, his knife pressing against my skin.

And finally, Nikolai’s name slipping out of my mouth, detonating a bomb between people who used to call each other brothers.

I didn’t mean to ruin everything, didn’t mean to break their brotherhood. But with one careless slip, I shattered something so much bigger than me.

My breathing turns shallow, ragged as I claw at my throat, desperate for air, but it’s like my lungs are refusing to work. I can’t get enough oxygen, can’t think, can’t calm the storm raging inside me. My skin feels too tight and my clothes unbearable.

I strip off my sweatshirt, then my tank top, desperate to free myself from the invisible grip on my chest. My heart pounds, each beat a hammer against my ribs. My hands clutch my chest, and I fall to the floor, my bare knees hitting the cold wood.

“Breathe,” I whisper to myself, but the words feel hollow. My chest heaves, my vision blurs, and I know I’m spiraling.

I can’t breathe.I can’t fucking breathe.

Tears blur my vision, and a strangled sob escapes my lips. My head spins, and I can’t stop it. The walls feel like they’re closing in, the air thick and heavy. I’m going to die right here, all alone.

I rock back and forth, gasping for air that won’t come. My thoughts spiral out of control, too loud, too fast.

And then…

Something changes. A familiar scent washes over me. It’s sharp and citrusy at first, then rich and earthy, with just a hint of sweetness.Bergamot. Patchouli. Sandalwood.It cuts through the panic like a lifeline, grounding me in a way nothing else has.

Creed Aventus.

Mihai’s cologne.

The smell pulls me back, tethering me to the present. It feels like I’ve been drowning, and this scent is the rope pulling meto the surface. When I open my eyes, his face is there, hovering above me, worry etched into every line.

His dark eyes lock onto mine, wide with alarm. His curls are wild, his brows drawn together, and I can hear the quick rise and fall of his breath.

“Maddy,” he says, his voice rough, urgent. “Look at me.”

I try, but my chest still feels like it’s caving in. His hands cup my face gently, his thumbs brushing away tears I didn’t realize were falling.

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