Page 42 of Reckless Royalty

But she doesn’t. She just watches me, and her eyes have that intensity, that depth that makes it impossible for me to look away.

Finally, she writes again, her pen scratching quickly across the page.

You made me feel safe, Mihai. Then you disappeared

My chest tightens at the words, and any excuse I could’ve thrown together dies on my lips. There’s a lot I could say, but none of it would be enough to explain what I was really doing—trying to give her space, thinking it was the right thing, when all I did was leave her hanging. I didn’t mean to let her down, but here we are, with me fumbling for words.

“Yeah, I screwed up,” I admit, scratching my jaw. “I thought… I don’t know, maybe I thought giving you space would be better. Didn’t think you’d want me crowding you.”

She looks at me with an expression I can’t quite read, a mix of frustration and something softer, almost sad. She starts writing again, and I wait, bracing myself.

Crowding isn’t what it felt like. It felt like you cared

There’s a pang in my chest, and I can’t hide the way my expression shifts. She wanted me there. Maybe, in my own twisted way, I was protecting myself as much as I was trying to protect her. But that doesn’t change the fact that she felt abandoned because of it.

I step a little closer, keeping my voice low. “I do care, Maddy. More than you might think.”

She looks up at me, her eyes widening slightly, and for a moment, it’s like there’s nothing but the two of us here, standing in the glow of the bonfire, everything else fading away. I can feel the pull between us—-I’ve been fighting against it but can’t seem to shake it.

She takes a breath, glancing down at her notepad again, her pen moving slower this time.

Then don’t disappear again

It’s a simple request, but it hits me straight in the chest. She’s putting herself out there, asking for something that’s probably difficult for her to ask, and all I can do is nod, knowing there’s no way in hell I’ll make that mistake again.

“I won’t,” I say, my voice steady. “I promise.”

She gives me a small smile, one that’s almost shy, and I feel that warmth spread through my chest, easing the tension that’s been there since I started avoiding her. This thing between us, whatever it is, it’s more than I expected. More than I thought I could handle.

Finally, she scribbles one last line, holding it up for me.

Let’s not go quiet on each other again

I nod, taking her hand in mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Deal. No more disappearing acts,” I say, feeling like an idiot for not having anything better to say. “You, uh, look beautiful tonight, by the way.”

Her eyes widen slightly at the compliment, and for a second, she looks like she doesn’t believe I said it. I watch as her cheeks turn pink, and she glances away, scribbling quickly on the notepad before showing it to me.

Thanks. You too

I can’t help but smile at that. It’s a small thing, but it feels like a step forward.

“Didn’t think I’d ever get a compliment from you,” I tease lightly, trying to ease the tension between us.

Maddy rolls her eyes, but there’s a hint of a smile playing at her lips now. She writes again:

Well, don’t get used to it

I chuckle softly. “Too late. I’m holding on to that one for a while.”

That earns me a real smile from her, the kind that lights up her face, and suddenly, it doesn’t feel so awkward anymore. I can see why Connor enjoys being around her. She’s got this quiet charm, the kind that sneaks up on you when you least expect it.

“So,” I say, shifting my weight slightly, “you like bonfires, or was this more of a‘dragged here by the girls’situation?”

She smirks, lifting the notepad:

Definitely dragged here. But it’s not so bad

I laugh at that, nodding. “Yeah, I figured. Marina can be persuasive.”

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