Page 62 of Reckless Royalty

I don’t answer right away. My jaw tightens, and I can feel the tension building up again. I didn’t come here to talk about my feelings, but I know Connor. He’s not going to let this slide.

“Come on, man,” Connor presses, leaning forward. “You’ve been all over the place with her. And now she’s talking, and you look like you’re about to explode. What gives?”

I exhale slowly, rubbing my temples. “It’s… fuck, I don’t know how to say this.”

Connor leans back, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Oh, this should be good.”

I shoot him a glare. “Shut the fuck up.”

“Alright, alright,” he says, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Go on then.”

I stare at the floor, my mind racing. I hadn’t planned on admitting this to anyone, but it’s been eating at me for weeks. Ever since I saw her tattoos and knew there was more to her, I’ve felt this pull—something deeper than just protecting her. Something I can’t fucking control.

“I feel something for her,” I finally admit, my voice low and rough. “I don’t know what the fuck it is, but it’s there and it’s messing with my head. I want to know her, I want to know what makes her tick. And that pull has gotten worse since the first word out of her mouth was my name.”

There. It’s out. The words I’ve been avoiding since I took her to the creek, the truth I’ve been trying to shove down. I’ve always been good at keeping things professional, good at compartmentalizing, but with Maddy it feels like I’m constantly standing at the edge of a cliff.

Connor doesn’t say anything at first, just studies me with that damn perceptive look he always gets when he’s reading between the lines. He’s my closest friend, and he knows me better than anyone. Of course he’d pick up on this.

His smirk fades, and his expression turns more serious. “You’ve got feelings for her,” he states, not a question, just an acknowledgment.

I nod, running a hand over my face. “Yeah. I guess I do.”

Connor lets out a low whistle, shaking his head. “Damn. That’s complicated.”

“No shit,” I mutter, leaning back in the chair and staring up at the ceiling. “I’m supposed to protect her, keep her safe, but I can’t fucking stop thinking about her. And now with this… I don’t know what to do.”

Connor watches me for a moment, his gaze steady. “You’ve been hovering around her and she’s proven you wrong with certain things. Not to mention that you just said her first word after everything wasyourname. Maybe it’s not so surprising that you’d feel something.”

I clench my fists, frustration boiling inside me. “It’s not just that. It’s… when I’m around her, I don’t feel like I’m in control of anything, least of all my feelings.”

Connor chuckles softly. “Mate, you’ve been in control of everything for so long. Perhaps that’s why she’s getting under your skin. She’s pulling you out of that bubble.”

I scowl, not liking how easily he’s reading me. “You don’t get it.”

“Oh, I get it,” Connor says, a knowing look in his eyes. “You care about her. And that’s fine. But you’ve got to be careful. She’s fragile right now, and you’re walking a fine line.”

“I know,” I snap, my frustration bubbling over. “I fucking know that. But it doesn’t change how I feel.”

Connor nods, his smirk returning slightly. “Well, looks like you’ve got your hands full, don’t you?”

I groan, leaning back in the chair and covering my face with my hands. “This is such a mess.”

Connor laughs, slapping a hand on my shoulder. “You’ll figure it out. Just don’t screw it up.”

I let out a frustrated breath, shaking my head. “Easier said than done.”

Connor stands, stretching his arms above his head. “I’d say so. But if anyone can handle this shitstorm, it’s you.”

I don’t respond, my mind still spinning with everything. Maddy’s talking again, my father’s coming, and on top of it all, I’m in deeper than I ever thought I’d be with her.

“Just keep her safe,” Connor says, his voice more serious now. “And don’t let this thing with your feelings get in the way of that.”

I nod, knowing he’s right. No matter how I feel, no matter what’s going on inside my head, Maddy’s safety comes first. That’s the one thing I can control.

I stand up, feeling the weight of everything settle on my shoulders again. “I’ve got to go check on her.”

“Of course you do,” Connor says with a grin. “Go be the knight in shinin’ armor. Or, you know, the angry Romanian with too many guns.”

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