Page 113 of Reckless Royalty

“How does that feel?” he asks, his voice softer now, almost tender.

“It’s... nice,” I reply, a small smile tugging at my lips. “I didn’t think I’d like it.”

“You’d be surprised what you like when you trust someone,” he replies, his voice laced with meaning.

The roller moves lower, tracing patterns along my thighs, and I can feel the tension leaving my body, replaced by a sense of calm I haven’t felt in months.

“You’re so strong, you know that?” he says, his tone sincere. “After everything you’ve been through, you’re still here. Still fighting.”

The lump in my throat rises faster than I can push it down. His words dig into me, peeling back layers I didn’t know I’d builtaround myself. I blink rapidly under the blindfold, my breathing shaky.

“I’m trying,” I manage to say, my voice cracking just slightly.

“You’re doing more than trying,” he counters. “That’s strength, Maddy. You have no idea how much I admire you.”

My breath stutters at the raw emotion in his voice. His praise feels like a balm, soothing parts of me that have felt broken for so long.

I don’t know how to respond, so I stay quiet, focusing on the way his hands follow the roller, pressing gently into my skin, reassuring me with every touch. The tension that has been coiled in my chest for weeks starts to unravel, bit by bit.

“Comfortable?” he asks.

“Yes,” I whisper, surprised at how much I mean it.

“Good,” he says, and I hear the faint smile in his voice. “I want you to let go for me, pet. Trust me.”

My breath hitches. There it is again, that word.Pet.The way he says it—soft and possessive—makes my stomach flutter in ways I can’t explain. I nod, unable to find the words to tell him how much I trust him.

His hands now glide over my chest, down my arms, and back to my waist. Every movement is deliberate, slow, like he’s mapping me out.

“I can feel every little shiver, beautiful. You don’t even need to speak for me to understand exactly what you want.”

My breath hitches, and I bite my bottom lip to keep from smiling too wide. He notices, of course he does. Mihai doesn’t miss anything.

“None of that,” he says, his thumb brushing against my lip. “I want all of you. Smiles, tears, laughter—whatever you’ve got, give it to me.”

The roller returns, this time trailing up the inside of my arm, and my body instinctively reacts, goosebumps risingeverywhere. His voice keeps me tethered, reminding me that I’m safe.

“You have no idea how fucking stunning you are like this. Helpless, trusting, and all mine.”

I don’t think I’ve ever been praised like this, not in a way that felt genuine, not in a way that made me believe it. My chest tightens, but it’s not the bad kind of tight. It’s the kind that comes when someone sees you for who you are and still thinks you’re worth something.

His hands leave me for a moment, then I feel cool spiked metal touch my collarbone, and I flinch, the sensation sharp but not painful. It’s followed by the warmth of his hand, grounding me.

“Easy, baby,” he murmurs. “Just me.”

The spiked roller glides lower, tracing slow, deliberate patterns along the soft skin of my belly. Every sensation feels sharper, more vivid, without my sight to ground me. The tiny pricks of pressure don’t hurt—they’re a distraction, a release.

When it dips lower, over the curve of my hip, my breath stutters. Mihai chuckles, low and pleased.

“You’re so responsive,” he murmurs, almost to himself. “It’s like your body was made to be worshipped.”

A soft, strangled laugh escapes me, and I shake my head. “Worshipped? Mihai, I’m not?—”

“Don’t,” he interrupts gently. His hand moves to cradle my jaw, his thumb brushing over my cheek. “Don’t downplay yourself. Not with me. You’re everything, Maddy. My own personal Goddess. I’d worship this body every damn day and it still wouldn’t feel like enough.”

His words make my chest tighten, not with anxiety. I turn my face slightly, leaning into his touch. “Why are you so good at this?” I ask, my voice tinged with wonder.

“Because you make it easy,” he replies, his tone low and intimate. “You trust me. That’s all I need.”

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