Page 48 of Reckless Royalty

She stares at me, her lips pressing into a thin line, and I can see the emotions swirling in her eyes—anger, hurt, frustration. But beneath all of that, there’s something else too.

Resignation. She knows I’m right. She’s known it for a while.

Before she can say anything else, I turn and walk away, leaving her standing there. It’s not easy, but it feels like the right thing to do. I can’t keep pretending, can’t keep going through the motions when my heart isn’t in it. Not when my thoughts are constantly pulled somewhere else.

To someone else.

I walk through the garden, the cool night air helping clear my head. My mind is still buzzing with everything that just happened, but there’s a strange sense of relief too. Like I’ve finally let go of the one thing that’s been weighing me down for far too long.

As I round the corner, I spot them—Maddy, Chiara, Connor, and Giovanni, all sitting on the grass near the bonfire, talking and laughing like they don’t have a care in the world. Maddy’s sitting between Chiara and Connor, her blonde hair catching the firelight, her smile soft but genuine. She looks… happy. Happier than I’ve seen her in a long time.

And just like that, all the tension I’ve been carrying melts away.

I stop in my tracks, watching them from a distance, not wanting to interrupt. Maddy’s smiling at something Chiara said, her cheeks flushed from the heat of the fire or perhaps from the comfort of being around people she trusts. It’s a sight I hadn’t expected to see so soon, but there it is.

She’s surrounded by people who are making her smile, making her laugh. And that’s enough.

I lean against a nearby tree, watching them quietly for a while. It’s strange, this feeling of contentment I get just from seeing her like this. I’m not used to it. I’m not used to caring like this. But I do. And that scares the hell out of me.

I glance over at Connor, who’s watching Maddy with that protective look in his eyes, like he’s ready to step in if anyone tries to mess with her. He catches me watching and raises an eyebrow, a silent question in his gaze.You good?

I nod, giving him a small, barely-there smile.Yeah. I’m good.

He smirks, like he knows exactly what I’m thinking, and turns back to the group. Chiara’s talking animatedly now, her hands gesturing wildly as she tells some story that has everyone laughing. Giovanni’s leaning back, arms crossed, but even he’s smirking at whatever chaos Chiara’s stirring up.

And Maddy? She’s just soaking it all in, her eyes bright, her body relaxed in a way I haven’t seen before.

I could walk over there. I could join them. But something tells me that tonight, it’s better if I don’t. She’s doing fine without me, and that’s a good thing. She’s finding her own way through all this, in her own time, with people who are helping her heal in ways I never could.

So instead of stepping forward, I stay where I am, watching them from a distance.

MADDY

The shower feels like heaven. The warm water cascades down my skin, washing away the sweat, the grime, and the tension from the night.

I feel good. Light, even. I’ve spent so long trapped in my own head, drowning under the weight of everything, that I’d forgotten what it feels like to simply enjoy a moment. But tonight… tonight was different.

Connor, Chiara, Giovanni—they made me feel like I wasn’t just a burden or a silent bystander. Mihai, too, had broken through some of the awkwardness earlier. For a moment, I had let myself believe that perhaps things could get better. Maybe I could start feeling normal again.

I turn off the water, stepping out and drying myself off. The room is quiet, peaceful. I get into my usual oversized T-shirt, slipping under the cool sheets. The night air is just chilly enough to make the blanket feel like a soft cocoon around me. I sigh, content for once as I pull the covers up to my chin.

This isn’t so bad.

The firelight from earlier flickers in my memory, and for once, it’s a warm thought. I close my eyes, letting the comfort of it lull me to sleep, my body sinking into the mattress.

I don’t know how long I’ve been asleep when I hear it—a noise. Something soft and barely audible, but it pulls me from the haze of sleep. I blink, my eyes adjusting to the darkness in the room, my heart beating a little faster, my senses suddenly on edge.

It takes me a moment to process what’s happening. The shadows shift, and that’s when I see him.

It’s dark, but I can just make out the silhouette of a man standing at the foot of my bed, his shadow stretching long across the floor.

My breath catches in my throat, panic rising like a wave threatening to drown me. I freeze, my mind racing, my body screaming at me to move, but I can’t. I’m trapped.

My limbs feel frozen, my brain struggling to catch up with the reality of what I’m seeing. This isn’t a nightmare. This is real. He’s real.

Then he speaks, his voice low and dark, like something pulled from a nightmare. “There you are.”

I don’t move. I can’t. Every instinct tells me to stay still, to stay quiet, but the terror coursing through me is paralyzing. He steps closer, and I can see him more clearly now. His face is twisted into a mocking smile, his eyes glinting in the faint moonlight streaming through the window.

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