Page 43 of Reckless Royalty

Maddy nods in agreement, her eyes sparkling now, like she’s finally relaxing. I take a deep breath, feeling a little more at ease myself. Perhaps this won’t be as difficult as I thought.

“I’m glad you came,” I say quietly, and I mean it. “I think it’s good for you to get out. Be around people.”

Her expression softens, and she writes again on the notepad, then hesitates for a second before showing it to me.

It’s hard. But I’m trying

I meet her gaze, and for a moment, I don’t know what to say. I’m not good at this at all.

“I know,” I say softly. “And that’s enough. Just trying.”

She looks down, her blush deepening, and I realize that I might’ve just made things awkward again. Great, Mihai, way to go.

I clear my throat, trying to steer the conversation back to lighter topics. “You know, I think you’ve got Connor wrapped around your finger,” I say, grinning.

Maddy’s eyes flicker with amusement, and she quickly writes:

He’s sweet

I smirk. “Yeah, but don’t tell him that. His ego’s big enough already.”

She laughs—actually laughs—and the sound catches me off guard. It’s soft but real, and it makes something warm settle in my chest. She looks up at me, and I can see the way her eyes shine, the blush still lingering on her cheeks.

I can’t help but smile at her. “You should laugh more. It’s a beautiful sound.”

Maddy glances away, her blush deepening again, and I feel a surge of satisfaction at being the one to make her smile like that.

She writes on the notepad, then holds it out to me:

I’ll think about it

I chuckle, shaking my head. “Good. I’ll hold you to that.”

We stand there for a moment, the awkwardness from earlier completely gone now. She’s still smiling, and for once, I feel like I’m actually getting through to her. It’s a small step, but it feels like progress. Like I could help her find her way back to who she used to be.

And fuck, if that isn’t something I want more than I should.

I glance at the fire, then back at her. “Come on,” I say, nodding toward the flames. “Let’s get closer to the fire. It’s cold out here.”

She nods, falling into step beside me as we walk toward the warmth of the bonfire. I keep stealing glances at her, watching the way the firelight flickers against her tattoos, the way she seems so much lighter now than she did before.

And that makes me feel like I can protect her. Not just from the danger surrounding her, but from the darkness inside her, too.

MADDY

The warmth of the bonfire feels nice against my skin as I walk beside Mihai, and for the first time in what feels like forever, things seem… easy. There’s a calm between us, the awkward tension from earlier fading into something more comfortable.

I actually laughed—a real, genuine laugh—and for a moment, I can almost pretend everything’s normal.

But then I see her.

Sofia.

She sidles up to Mihai, her movements graceful, like she knows exactly what she’s doing. Her thick blonde hair falls in soft waves, and she’s wearing this tight, fitted dress that clings to every curve. She doesn’t even bother looking at me—her focus is entirely on Mihai, as if I’m not even standing there.

And just like that, the easy atmosphere vanishes.

Mihai tenses up the second he notices her, his shoulders tightening, the muscles in his jaw flexing. He doesn’t say anything at first, he just stands there, and the warmth from the fire suddenly feels colder. I can tell he’s uncomfortable, but after a moment, he turns to her.

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