Page 96 of Reckless Royalty

Cat shoots her a look but doesn’t argue. “Anyway, I thought I was being careful, but then… this happened.” She gestures vaguely, and we all know she means the pregnancy.

Marina reaches over, squeezing Cat’s hand. “What did your dad say?”

Cat lets out a shaky breath. “He wasn’t mad, exactly. Disappointed, maybe. But mostly, he was worried. About me, about the baby, about what this means for everything.”

“And Nikolai?” Chiara asks, her voice sharper now. “What did he say?”

Cat bites her lip, looking down at the pillow in her lap. “Nikolai was sweet about it, but he said we couldn’t have the baby. That it would break everything apart.”

“Sweet?”Chiara scoffs, crossing her arms. “That doesn’t sound sweet to me. That sounds like he’s manipulating the fuck out of you.”

Cat shakes her head quickly. “No, it wasn’t like that. He wasn’t mean or anything. He was just… practical. He said it would ruin everything for everyone.”

“That’s bullshit,” Marina snaps, her eyes blazing. “If he cared about you, he wouldn’t care about the consequences. He’d step up.”

“I think he’s scared,” Cat admits quietly, her voice barely audible. “Scared of what this will mean for him.”

I reach out, placing a hand on Cat’s arm. “That’s no excuse, Cat. You’re scared too,” I say softly.

She nods, tears welling up in her eyes. “I don’t know how to fix this. I don’t even know if it can be fixed.”

Her tears start falling freely now, and I lean forward, placing a hand on her arm. “I’m so sorry, Cat,” I whisper. “I shouldn’t have blurted out Nikolai’s name to Connor like that. You deserved to have a moment to tell them.”

She shakes her head, her hair falling into her face. “It’s not your fault, Maddy. And honestly, this was bound to come out eventually. Better now than later, right?”

We’re all quiet for a moment, then Chiara clears her throat, her tone more serious. “You know he’s gonna have to face both your dad and Dmitri, right?”

Cat nods, her expression resigned. “Yeah. I know.”

Marina whistles low, shaking her head. “That’s gonna be brutal.”

“No kidding,” Chiara mutters. “And honestly? He deserves it.”

Cat looks up at her, her eyes pleading. “Chiara…”

“No, Cat,” Chiara says firmly. “I love you, but Nikolai fucked up. He doesn’t get a free pass just because he’s my stepbrother.”

Cat looks like she wants to argue, but she doesn’t. Instead, she wipes at her tears again, taking a deep breath.

“I don’t know what’s gonna happen,” she admits. “But I’m scared. For me, for the baby, for all of it.”

“We’re here for you,” Chiara says as she takes Cat’s hand. “Whatever happens, okay?”

Marina smirks, her usual fire returning. “And if Nikolai doesn’t get his shit together, we’ll kick his ass. Right, Maddy?”

I blink, surprised to be included, but then I nod firmly. “Right.”

Cat laughs softly, wiping her eyes. “You guys are the best.”

“And don’t you forget it,” Chiara says with a grin, but then her expression sobers. “But seriously, Cat, you need to decide what you want. Not what Nikolai wants, not what your dad or Dmitri want. You. This is your life and your decision.”

Cat nods slowly, her green eyes thoughtful. “I’ll think about it. I promise.”

Chiara grins again, nudging Cat playfully. “And hey, if you need me to put Nikolai in his place, just say the word. I can take him.”

Cat laughs, a real laugh this time, and the sound is like a weight lifting from the room. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

MIHAI

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