Page 68 of Reckless Royalty

“The way you say my name… Fuck, I could get addicted to that real quick,” I murmur, pulling back and peering down at her. “Speak, sing, whisper—I want every fucking sound.”

I watch as she swallows hard, her eyes flicking up to meet mine, and I can see the challenge there, that fire that’s always been in her.

“And what if I don’t say it? What will you do then?”

My hand grips her waist, pulling her just a little closer, daring her to keep me waiting. “I’ll make you scream it again.”

Her breath hitches, and she looks up at me, eyes wide but playful. “I didn’t know you were that possessive about my voice.”

I lean down, my breath brushing against her ear. “When it comes to you? I’m worse than you think, Little Rebel.”

I pull back just enough to see her face, her flushed cheeks, her lips swollen from the kiss. Her chest rises and falls quickly, her breath matching the rhythm of mine, and it takes everything in me not to dive back in.

Instead, I let my fingers trace slow, lazy circles on her waist, grounding myself in the warmth of her skin.

“I’ve wanted you since the day at the creek,” I admit, my voice low, raw. “Maybe even before that. But I didn’t want to scare you off.”

Her eyes widen slightly, and then she grins, that playful spark lighting up her face. “Scare me off? I may seem like it now, but I’m not fragile, Mihai.”

Her confidence catches me off guard, and I can’t help but laugh, the sound rumbling deep in my chest. “You think so, huh?”

“Think so?” she teases, her grin widening. “I know so.”

But then her smile falters, the light in her eyes dimming as something else takes over. Her gaze drifts to the side, like she’s pulling away from me even while still lying in my arms. I frown, my thumb brushing against her side.

“Maddy,” I say softly, coaxing her back. “What is it?”

She hesitates, chewing on her bottom lip before finally meeting my eyes. “I don’t belong in your world, Mihai. You know that.”

Her words tighten like a vice around my heart, but I don’t let it show. I tilt her chin up gently, making sure she’s looking at me.

“Then I’ll make space for you in it.”

Her lips part, her eyes searching mine like she’s trying to figure out if I mean it. I lean closer, brushing my nose against hers, letting her feel the truth in my touch.

“You don’t have to fit into anything, Maddy. I’ll make sure there’s room for you exactly as you are.”

She swallows hard, her hands sliding up to rest on my chest, and I can feel the tremble in her fingers. “You say that now, but what about later? What happens when your world demands something I can’t give? Wouldn’t Sofia be a better option since she grew up knowing what to expect from this life?”

“I don’t give a fuck what my world demands,” I say, my tone sharper than I intend. “I’ve spent my whole life doing what’s expected of me, following the rules, playing the game. But you…” I pause, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. “You make me want something more than what my legacy demands. And no, Sofia is not a better option, because she’s not you.”

Her eyes well up slightly, and I can see the battle playing out inside her—hope warring with doubt. She blinks quickly, banishing the tears, but I don’t miss them. I won’t let her go back to hiding from me, not now.

“You’re too good at this,” she whispers, her voice trembling. “At making me believe it’s possible.”

I smirk, leaning in to brush my lips against hers. “That’s because it is, Little Rebel.”

She shivers at the nickname, her fingers curling into my hair as she pulls me closer. “You’re impossible,” she murmurs, but there’s no bite in her words—only softness, only surrender.

“And you’re mine,” I counter, my voice low, possessive. “Whether you realize it yet or not.”

I press a kiss to her forehead, letting myself linger there for a moment, breathing her in, letting the strawberry scent of her shampoo fill every corner of my mind. I’m not giving this up, not when she’s made me feel alive for the first time in years.

I just need to get us out of immediate danger first.

MADDY

The walk over to the building Mihai called the Main Crown Suite is quiet, and I’m painfully aware of last night lingering between us. The feel of his hands on me, the way he whispered that he wanted me—it’s all there, sitting in the silence.

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