Page 141 of Shameless Royalty

Something better.

I’m smiling like an idiot as I head down the path toward the fountain, hands in my pockets, the warmth on my face feeling fucking good. Last night keeps replaying in my head like some highlight reel, each kiss, each touch, each word.

Malachi forgave me. He actually fucking forgave me. Yeah, he said he needs his freedom, needs time to find himself, and fuck—I get it. After everything, after the way I kept him locked up, after what I put him through, he deserves that.

If that’s what my boy wants, who the hell am I to deny him? As long as he knows who he belongs to, as long as I get to see him smile like that again, I can deal with anything.

I catch up to the boys and we make our way to campus, piling out of Mihai’s obnoxious black Range Rover in the parking lot soon afterward. Nikolai steps out first, all swagger and tattoos, a smirk playing on his lips that immediately sets me on edge.

Mihai follows, relaxed, amused as always, but his dark eyes catch mine, silently checking in. Giovanni’s next, shaking his head with a teasing grin, Konstantin right behind him, quiet but looking entertained as hell.

Nikolai throws an arm around my shoulders, squeezing tight as we head toward the quad. “Someone’s glowing,” he drawls, eyeing me sideways. “Good night, was it?”

I roll my eyes, shoving him off, but I can’t quite hide the smile still tugging at my lips. “Piss off, Niko.”

Giovanni chuckles lowly, shaking his head. “Shit, Connor. You’re practically skipping.”

Konstantin arches a brow, smirking at me with quiet amusement. “I didn’t realize you knew how to smile, Irishman. Looks good on you.”

I flip them both off, unable to stop the laugh from escaping. Fucking arseholes, the lot of them, but they’re my brothers. I wouldn’t change a goddamn thing.

Nikolai winks, nudging me as he steps in beside me again. “Come on, princess, give us some details. You finally make shit right with Malachi?”

I glance over at him, narrowing my eyes. “If I tell you yes, are you gonna shut the fuck up?”

He laughs, deep and genuine, and shoves me back. “Not a fucking chance.”

Giovanni groans dramatically, shoving his hands into his pockets as we walk. “Yeah, man. We’ve had to watch you mopearound like some lovesick bastard for months. Least you could do is tell us you finally got your boy back.”

Mihai chuckles beside me, clapping a firm hand on my shoulder. “Ignore them, Con. You look happy, brother. That’s all we care about.”

I feel myself relaxing slightly at Mihai’s steady presence. He’s always had my back, never judged, never given unnecessary shit, but he knows exactly how deep this runs for me.

“Yeah,” I finally say, exhaling a long breath, a genuine smile pulling at my mouth again. “We talked. I fucked up, but we’re figurin’ it out. He needs some space, though. Wants his freedom.”

Nikolai scoffs, feigning horror as he places a dramatic hand over his heart. “Freedom? You mean you aren’t going to lock him up like a pretty bird in a cage anymore? Jesus, next thing you know, you’ll be bringing him flowers and writing poetry.”

I glare at him, flipping him off again. “Go fuck yourself, arsehole.”

Giovanni grins, nudging me slightly. “Nah, he’s right. Never thought I’d see the day. Big, bad Connor Cunningham, crown prince of the Irish mob, whipped and smiling like a lovesick kid.”

“Whipped?” I shoot him a look, trying—and failing—to hold back a smirk. “Fuck you. I’m not whipped.”

Nikolai snickers, giving me a look that clearly says bullshit. “You kidding? Malachi’s got you wrapped around his pinky. Face it, you’re gone. Lost cause. Completely fucked.”

Konstantin hums quietly, a small smile tugging his lips. “He’s right. But honestly, it looks good on you.”

I huff a laugh, running a hand through my hair as I glance around at these bastards I call brothers. They’re grinning like idiots, giving me shit, but I can see the relief and genuine happiness in their eyes. They know what Malachi means to me. They know how bad I fucked up, how much losing him broke me.

And they’re glad to see me come back from the brink.

“I didn’t realize until I lost him,” I admit quietly, sobering slightly. “I never treated him like he mattered. I thought he’d just be there, waiting for me. Fucked that up pretty royally.”

Nikolai sobers up too, glancing at me with surprising sincerity in his gaze. “Look, I give you a lot of shit, Connor, but if anyone deserves a second chance, it’s you. You made mistakes. We all have. If Malachi’s willing to forgive you, that means something.”

I glance at him, feeling something tight in my chest loosen slightly. Nikolai and I have our own tangled mess between us—our own betrayals and reconciliations. Hearing him say that means more than he’ll ever know.

Giovanni nods, throwing an arm around my shoulders and squeezing lightly. “Exactly. The hard part’s done. You faced it, owned it, and now you get to fix it.”

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