Page 129 of Reckless Royalty

“I know,” she says quickly. “But?—”

“No ‘but,’” I cut in, my voice firmer than I intended. “You’re with one of the Five Crowns now and that puts a target on your back.”

She flinches slightly at my tone, and I immediately regret it. Softening my voice, I reach for her hand.

“Baby, listen to me. I’d love to keep you here, but with everything that’s happening… it’s too dangerous. Willow Bridge is the safest place for you.”

Her eyes flick to mine, filled with both frustration and understanding. “I just don’t want to feel like I’m hiding.”

“You’re not,” I say, squeezing her hand. “You’re being smart. If something happened to you because you stayed here, I’d never forgive myself.”

She hesitates, then nods slowly. “I hate that you’re right.”

I smile, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “You’re my everything now, and they’ll see that. They’ll use you against me if they can.”

She looks stunned, her lips parting as if to argue, but no words come out. After a moment, she swallows hard and nods. “I… I understand.”

I cup her face in my hands again, forcing her to look at me. “I won’t let anything happen to you. Do you hear me? I’ll protect you with everything I have.”

I lean in, pressing my lips to hers in a kiss that’s both tender and desperate, needing her to feel how much she means to me.

When I pull back, her eyes are still closed, her breathing uneven. “Okay,” she whispers. “We’ll go back to Willow Bridge.”

“Good,” I say softly, resting my forehead against hers. “And when this is all over, I’ll bring you back here. I’ll show you everything. The city, the countryside, all of it. You’ll love it.”

She smiles, a real one this time, and it lights up her whole face. “Promise?”

“Promise,” I say, sealing it with another kiss.

For now, all I can do is focus on keeping her safe and taking down anyone who dares to threaten her. Because Maddy isn’t just the woman I’m falling for—she’s my world now, and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her.

The quiet hum of the city filters in through the half-open window as I sit on the edge of the bed, my gaze fixed on Maddy. She’s sprawled out on her stomach, one arm thrown over the pillow and I trace the curve of her cheek with my gaze, committing every detail to memory.

Her blonde hair spills over the pillow like silk, and her face is relaxed, free from the shadows of fear and guilt that often linger when she’s awake.

God, she’s beautiful. The way the faint glow of the moonlight falls on her bare shoulder makes me want to crawl back under the covers and hold her for a little longer.

But I can’t. Not tonight.

I lean down, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, careful not to wake her. She shifts slightly, murmuring something incoherent, and I smile. It’s these quiet moments that make me realize how much she’s become a part of my life—a part of me.

But the peace doesn’t last. My mind shifts, as it always does, back to the chaos of the past few days. I sigh, grabbing my phone from the nightstand and step into the living room, closing the door softly behind me.

I scroll through my contacts until I find Connor’s name and press call. It doesn’t even ring twice before he picks up.

“Mihai,” Connor greets, his voice sharp but slightly tired. “Figured you’d call.”

“I had to. Tell me where we stand,” I say, walking over to the kitchen and leaning against the counter.

Connor exhales heavily. “My father found out who’s behind the kidnapping—Anthony Dawson.”

My jaw tightens. “Santiago mentioned the fucker, according to Maddy. How the hell did your dad get that information so fast?”

Connor snorts. “He had a bit of help. Konstantin, surprisingly. That bastard’s tracking skills are damn near supernatural. Traced communications straight to Dawson’s crew.”

That catches me off guard. “Konstantin? Didn’t think he’d be the type to play tech genius. That’s what we have Nikolai for.”

“Neither did I,” Connor admits with a low chuckle. “But he’s full of surprises. Marina might’ve been onto something when she told him she wouldn’t be just some arranged bride. Looks like he’s trying to prove his worth.”

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