Page 111 of Shameless Royalty

Konstantin’s dark eyes lift to him. “You want me to prove myself.”

My father nods. “You want a place among us? Then you’ll take your place beside them.”

Konstantin’s gaze flicks to Nikolai for a brief second before settling back on my father. “I won’t disappoint you.”

My father doesn’t nod right away, just watches him for a long moment, considering. Then he exhales. “See that you don’t.”

Christian leans forward. “This will change things.” His gaze sweeps across all of us, his voice calm but certain. “Once Vito is gone, once the Volkovs are dealt with, the Five Crowns will look different than they ever have before.”

Giovanni meets his gaze, steady. “That’s the point.”

Drakos nods slowly, approval flickering in his eyes.

The weight of what we’re about to do settles deep in my chest, but I don’t fight it.

It’s about fucking time.

Chapter 45

Connor

Sofialefttheestatewith Ion as part of her protection agreement. He will make sure she’s safe in a part of the world Vito’s influence won’t reach. No one knows where she’s been sent to, except Ion, Dmitri, and Da.

Now the five of us are sprawled across my room like we have no care in the world. But the truth is, this is the first real moment of normalcy we’ve had in a long time. With everything happening—the coup, the Volkovs, the future of the Five Crowns hanging in the balance—it feels fucking good to just sit here and shoot the shit for a while.

Mihai is stretched out on the armchair near the window, a cigarette dangling between his fingers, smirking like he already knows how this night is going to go. Giovanni and Nikolai are sitting on the couch, their feet propped up on my coffee table, while Konstantin sits stiff-backed on the edge of my bed, still trying to figure out where he fits in all this.

We’ve been drinking, planning, laughing—going over everything we want to change when the new school year starts, and of course, Legacy Week is at the top of the fucking list.

“I’m just sayin’,” I say, gesturing vaguely with my glass of whiskey while stabbing the wooden armrest of the couch I’m sitting in. “If we’re gonna do Legacy Week properly, we need to up the ante on The Night Hunt.”

Nikolai groans, tipping his head back against the couch. “It’s already brutal.”

Giovanni smirks. “He’s right, though. Last year, half the fucking pledges nearly pissed themselves.”

“Which means we’re doing it right,” Mihai says, exhaling smoke. “But Connor’s got that psychotic little glint in his eye, so let’s hear it.”

I grin twirl my knife. “I want to add an element of real fuckin’ fear.”

Konstantin raises an eyebrow. “And how exactly do you plan on doing that?”

“Easy,” I say, leaning forward again. “No more safe zones. No more designated hidin’ spots. We hunt them until they drop.”

Giovanni lets out a low whistle, his dark eyes gleaming. “You’re sick.”

“Am I?” I smirk. “Or am I just makin’ it more interestin’?”

Mihai chuckles, shaking his head. “You’d have to come back next year to make that happen.”

I shrug, leaning back against the arm of the couch. “Then I guess I’m comin’ back.”

Nikolai lifts his glass. “To another year of terrorizing the next generation.”

We clink glasses, and for a moment, it’s just us, just the way it’s always been—until it’s not.

Because as much as I want to keep things light, as much as I want to pretend that I can just let everything play out like it always has, there’s something I need to fucking say.

I set my glass down heavily, the amber liquid sloshing up the sides. A restless tension coils through me, making my skin itch. I rake a hand roughly through my hair, exhaling a slow, heavy breath. My eyes flicker briefly toward Mihai, noticing him shift subtly in his chair. He already fucking knows what I’m about to say—I can feel the weight of his gaze, silently pushing me forward.

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