Page 19 of Reckless Royalty

“I just came to check up on you,” I say, trying to ignore the fact that I’m suddenly acutely aware of how close we are.

She just blinks at me, those brown eyes watching me carefully, but still not giving me much to work with. Then, without a word, she turns and walks over to her bed.

As I watch her move, I try not to let my eyes wander, but they do anyway, taking in her tattoos, her thighs, and the curve of her supple?—

Fuck no. Focus, asshole.

I nearly lose my fucking mind when she bends over and reaches under her pillow, but then I catch a glimpse of something—a cellphone.

For a second, I’m on full alert. Where the hell did she get a phone? No one’s supposed to have direct contact with her, and I know I didn’t give her one.

My instincts kick in, my body tensing as I take a step forward, my tone harder than I intended. “Where’d you get that?”

She types quickly on the screen, then walks over to me, holding the phone out. I take it, my mind still racing with suspicion, but when I read what she’s typed, my chest loosens a little.

Cat gave it to me.

I blink, surprised. Cat? I didn’t even think about giving her a phone, but of course Cat would. She’s soft-hearted like that, always thinking of others. Still, it catches me off guard, and I’m a little pissed at myself for not handling it first. I should’ve thought of that.

“Cat, huh?” I say, and she nods. I let out a breath of relief, running a hand through my hair. “Well, shit. Should’ve thought of that.”

I’m pissed at myself for not thinking about it sooner. Of course Madison needed some way to communicate, andof course,Cat was the one to recognize that need. She’s a sweetheart like that.

I input my own number into it and finally hand it back to her.

“Here,” I say. “Now you’ve got my number. If you need anything—and I mean anything—text me. No matter what it is, alright?”

She takes the phone from me, her fingers brushing against mine for a split second, and I try not to focus on how warm her skin feels. She looks down at the phone, then back up at me, giving the smallest of nods in acknowledgment.

I should leave. I know I should. But I feel rooted to the spot, watching her as she stands there, her tattoos exposed, her presence both softer and stronger than I expected. There’s something about Madison that pulls at me, something I can’t quite place.

But I can’t let myself get distracted—not by her, not by anything.

“Text me,” I repeat, more firmly this time, before turning toward the door.

And just like that, I’m gone, leaving her in the silence once again.

But even as I walk away, my mind is spinning with thoughts I can’t quite shake—thoughts attached to the scent of strawberries.

MIHAI

When I get to Connor’s suite, I don’t even bother knocking; I just push the door open and step inside.

Connor is lounging on the couch, watching some old movie with a beer in one hand and a textbook lying open on his lap. His blond hair is tousled like he’s been running his hands through it, and he looks up as I walk in, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, if it isn’t the Crown Prince himself,” he teases, sitting up. “What’s got your boxers in a twist, Mihai?”

I glare at him, but it’s more out of habit than real irritation. “I went to check on Madison.”

He sets his beer down and leans forward, interest sparking in his green eyes. “And?”

I take a deep breath, still trying to process everything from the past hour. “And… she was in the middle of a full-blown panic attack.”

Connor’s face falls, the teasing grin fading as concern replaces it. “Shit. Is she okay?”

“Yeah, I calmed her down,” I say, my voice quieter than usual. “But it wasn’t easy. She was… she was completely overwhelmed. It hit hard.”

I rub the back of my neck, feeling the tension building again just from remembering the way she was curled up, completely lost in her fear.

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