Page 31 of Reckless Royalty

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I snap, too quickly, too harshly.

Connor’s grin only widens, and he straightens up, crossing the room until he’s standing right in front of me. “You’re jealous.”

“I’m not jealous,” I bite out, but the way my voice wavers at the end betrays me.

Connor lets out a bark of laughter, shaking his head. “Oh, you definitely are. Jesus, Mihai, relax. You really think I’d go for Maddy?”

I don’t say anything. The knot in my chest is tightening, and it’s getting harder to keep my temper in check.

Connor must pick up on that because suddenly, his teasing drops, and he looks at me with a different kind of seriousness. He sighs, running a hand through his blond hair before he gives me a soft nudge on the shoulder.

“Mate. Come on. You know I’d never see her that way.”

I clench my fists, trying to shove down the irrational surge of anger, but it’s too late. “You’re practically all over her, Con,” I growl. “She’s smiling with you. She’s actually opening up.”

“And that’s a bad thing?” Connor says, his tone calm but firm. “Isn’t that what you want? For her to come out of her shell?”

I want to say yes, but the words won’t come out. Instead, I just glare at him, frustration burning a hole in my chest. It’s irrational, I know it is, but I can’t stop myself from feeling like I’m losing something that was never even mine to begin with.

Connor watches me carefully, then his expression softens, and he gives me that look—the one that says he knows more than he’s letting on.

“Mihai,” he says, his voice low, like he’s trying to get through to me gently. “Think about it, mate.”

I swallow hard, not sure where he’s going with this.

“YouknowI’m not interested in her. Not like that. Never have been, never will be.”

There’s a long pause, and then it clicks. I feel like an absolute fucking idiot. How could I forget?

Connor is gay. He’s not into Maddy, he’s never going to be into Maddy, and I’ve been sitting here like a jealous asshole because I forgot something so fucking important about my best friend.

I run a hand through my hair, feeling like shit. “Fuck,” I mutter, rubbing at my eyes. “I’m an idiot.”

Connor chuckles, but it’s not mocking—more amused than anything. “Yeah, well, I wasn’t going to say it.”

“I’m sorry, Connor,” I groan, sinking down onto the bed, my head in my hands. “I don’t know what the hell’s wrong with me.”

He sighs and sits down next to me. “Mate, don’t beat yourself up. I get it. You’re protective of her. And maybe you’re feeling something you didn’t expect. But just know, I’m not a threat and I never will be.”

I glance at him, feeling like even more of a jackass. I’ve always been the one Connor trusted with his secret, the one who’s known about him even when no one else did. And I let my own stupid feelings cloud that.

“I’m sorry,” I say again. “I don’t know why I didn’t think?—”

Connor interrupts me with a laugh, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “Mihai, stop. I get it, alright? But seriously, I’m just trying to help her. She’s been through hell, and she needs someone who can help her see the light again. That’s all.”

I nod, but the guilt’s still gnawing at me. How could I forget?

He’s been with women before, sure, but that was all for appearances, for keeping up the act at Willow Bridge. I’ve known him longer than that—known the truth.

“And, listen,” Connor adds, leaning back against the wall. “Even if I was straight and into her, I’d still back off. Because I can see the way you’ve been looking at her.”

I open my mouth to argue, but Connor cuts me off with a smirk.

“Don’t even bother denying it,” he says, shaking his head. “Whenever you talk about her, your eyes light up.”

I let out a heavy breath, my shoulders slumping. “Yeah,” I say finally. “You’re right. I don’t know when it happened, but... it did.”

Connor claps me on the back, his smile softening. “That’s not a bad thing, mate. But you need to figure it out before it gets messier. Just... don’t let jealousy make you do something stupid.”

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