Page 103 of Shameless Royalty

The thought makes my stomach churn, and makes my grip on him tighten just a little more.

Could I let him go? Could I give him the chance tochoose—really choose—what he wants for the first time in his life?

Would I be strong enough to walk away if he didn’t choose me?

I pull him closer, pressing my face into his neck, breathing him in, grounding myself in the feel of him, the warmth of him, the reality ofus.

Because right now, he’s here. Right now, he’smine.

And I don’t know if I’ll ever be strong enough to let him go.

Chapter 42

Malachi

Iwakeupslowly,my body aching and my ribs a dull throb under the weight of sleep. For a second, I don’t move. I don’t even open my eyes. I just breathe, steadying myself against the familiar pain, waiting for it to settle into something tolerable.

But then I feel the solid weight of another body pressed against mine. The steady rise and fall of a chest at my back. An arm draped heavily around my waist and fingers splayed over my stomach.

Connor.

I know I went to sleep alone, though.

I open my eyes, shifting just enough to look at him and careful not to jostle my ribs too much. He’s still asleep, his blond hair a mess, his face softer in unconsciousness. There’s no smirk, no sharp-edged arrogance to hide behind. Just him.

This fucking man.

I hate how fucking fond I feel staring at him, how badly I want to reach out and trace my fingers over his jaw and the frecklesdusting his skin. I hate that my first instinct isn’t to push him away but to pull him closer, to bury my face against his throat and breathe him in.

Because I’m gone for him.

Completely and utterly gone for him.

I don’t know when it happened—if it was the first time he flirted with me just to make me blush or the time he tried to make me smile when I was down. Maybe it was the night he put a ring on my finger, or maybe it was the moment I realized I felt safe in his arms.

I glance down at the Claddagh ring still wrapped around my finger. The silver catches the faint morning light, the engraving inside still pressed against my skin.

CM.

Connor and Malachi.

I squeeze my fingers into a fist, pressing the ring tighter against my flesh. I want to feel safe, but I don’t anymore. Not after what happened when he wasn’t here.

Connor moves behind me, inhaling deeply before letting out a quiet sigh. I tense for a second, but then his grip tightens around my waist, his fingers flexing against my stomach like he’s making sure I’m still here.

Then, before I can even process it, his lips brush against the back of my neck, soft and lazy, like kissing me is as natural as breathing. I shudder and feel my breath catching in my throat.

Fucking hell.

He presses another kiss there, slower this time, lingering, like he can’t get enough of me and needs to feel me against him. His hand moves, sliding over my hip, up my ribs, careful but possessive while mapping my skin with deliberate strokes.

I squeeze my eyes shut, hating how fucking easy it is to melt into him.

“Mornin’, Babyface,” he murmurs against my skin, his voice thick with sleep.

I swallow hard, willing my voice to stay steady. “You weren’t here when I went to sleep.”

He chuckles, and a shiver shoots up my spine when his lips ghost against my skin. “Couldn’t stay away.”

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