Page 97 of Reckless Royalty

Iknock on Nikolai’s door, the sound echoing through the silent hallway. For a moment, there’s no response, and I almost turn away, thinking he won’t answer. But then the door creaks open, revealing Nikolai on the other side.

He looks like shit. His face is a mess of bruises and cuts, his lip still split, and his eye swollen nearly shut from Connor’s fists. But even through the wreckage, he stands with his shoulders squared, his head held high, like he refuses to let it break him.

The composure of a Crown.

He steps aside and lets me enter, walking over to the couch and falling down in it. “Back to finish the job, Vasile?”

I shake my head, crossing my arms over my chest. “If I wanted to finish the job, you wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”

His smirk fades, and he lets out a long breath, leaning back against the couch. “So what do you want, then? A confession? An apology? Because I’ve already said my piece.”

“I want to understand,” I say, my voice steady but firm. “I want to know how the hell we got here. How you, of all people, let this happen.”

Nikolai sighs. “It’s not like I planned this, Mihai,” he mutters. “It just… happened.”

“Bullshit,” I snap, stepping closer. “Things like this don’t just happen, Nikolai. You’re not an idiot, and you’re sure as hell not reckless. So start talking. How did it start?”

Cat already told me, but I need to hear it from his side.

He sighs, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. “It was after Legacy Week,” he begins, his voice low. “Cat was… different. She wasn’t the shy girl we all used to look out for. She had this fire, this confidence, and I—fuck, I don’t know. I noticed her.”

I grit my teeth, but I keep my mouth shut, letting him continue.

“It wasn’t supposed to be serious,” he says, his tone defensive now. “We fooled around a couple of times. I tried to stop it, but… I kept going back. She made it easy to forget everything else for a while.”

“Forget what?” I press, narrowing my eyes. “What the hell are you running from?”

He tenses, his jaw tightening, and I see the flicker of something in his eyes—something he’s not saying.

“Don’t,” I warn, stepping closer. “Don’t lie to me, Nikolai. I know you too well.”

For a moment, he says nothing, the silence stretching between us. Then he lets out a harsh laugh, shaking his head. “You always could see through my bullshit, huh?”

“Start talking,” I demand, my voice sharp.

He sits there, his jaw tight, like he’s trying to decide whether to tell me the truth or keep whatever he’s holding inside buried. Finally, he lets out a heavy sigh and drops his head back against the cushions.

“I’m a fucking idiot,” he says bluntly. “I was trying to... I don’t know, distract myself. Forget.”

“Forget what?” I ask again, narrowing my eyes. “Or who?”

He flinches and looks down, his hands curling into fists on his lap. “Chiara,” he admits after a long pause, the name barely audible.

I stare at him, my mind reeling. “What the fuck did you just say?”

Nikolai doesn’t look at me, his gaze fixed on the floor. “You heard me.”

“You’re telling me,” I say slowly, trying to wrap my head around it, “that you went after Cat—Connor’s little sister—to get over your fucking step-sister?”

He winces at the accusation in my tone but doesn’t deny it. “I know it’s fucked up,” he says quietly. “I fell for Chiara long before she got with G.”

My mind races, piecing together what he’s saying. “You’re in love with Chiara.”

It’s not a question, and his silence is all the confirmation I need.

“Fuck, Nikolai,” I mutter, running a hand through my hair. “Do you have any idea how much worse you’ve made this for yourself?”

He nods, his shoulders slumping. “Believe me, I know.”

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