Page 39 of Shameless Royalty

“That’s not a goddamn answer,” I say, ignoring how unsteady I feel. “You don’t get to ‘just do.’ You don’t get to sit there and act like you give a shite about how I feel when you’re the reason I feel like this in the first place.”

He stiffens. “Malachi—”

“No,” I cut him off. My pulse pounds in my ears, the weight in my chest growing heavier, pressing against my ribs. “You kidnapped me, Connor. You ripped me away from my life, threw me into this mess, and now you’re sittin’ here trying to act like you give a fuck that I’m not handlin’ it well?”

His jaw tightens, his fists clenching at his sides. “That’s not—”

“Itis,” I snap, my voice shaking. “You’rethe reason I haven’t taken my meds in weeks.You’rethe reason I can’t fuckin’ sleep.Youdid this to me.”

Fuck, I didn’t want him to know about the meds, but how fucking dare he pretend to care now? Silence stretches between us, thick and uncomfortable. His lips press into a thin line like he’s actually considering my words—like they’re sinking in.

“I didn’t know you were on meds,” he says finally, his voice quieter now.

I scoff. “Yeah, well, that doesn’t fuckin’ change anythin’, does it?”

Connor watches me for a long moment, his gaze searching mine. It pisses me off how serious he looks. It’s like he’s actually trying to figure me out, like he actually cares. He shouldn’t. He doesn’t get to.

“I don’t know how to fix that,” he admits, and there’s something raw in his voice, something I don’t want to hear.

“Then don’t fuckin’ try,” I snap, my stomach twisting and I lay back down. “You don’t get to fix anythin’, Connor. You don’t get to be the person who makes this better, not when you’re the one who made it worse.”

His eyes darken, his jaw ticking. “You’re actin’ like I had a fuckin’ choice.”

I bark out a hollow laugh. “Everyone has a choice.”

He leans in slightly, his voice dropping. “Not in my world, and you fuckin’ know this.”

The weight of those words settles between us.His world.The world I never asked to be part of even though I was born into it. The world I was dragged back into against my will.

“You might not have had a choice,” I say, quieter now. “But neither did I.”

Connor’s gaze flickers, something shifting in his expression. And for the first time, I think he actually gets it. Neither of us speak for a while. The rain keeps falling, steady and relentless, the only sound filling the silence between us.

He drags a hand down his face, exhaling hard. “How bad is it?”

I glare at him. “Does it matter?”

“Yes, it fuckin’ does.”

I shake my head, pushing the heels of my palms against my eyes. “I don’t know, alright? It’s bad. It’s worse than usual. I feel like I’m drownin’, and I can’t fuckin’ think, and I hate every second of it, but there’s nothin’ I can do about it.”

I can’t look at him when he asks, “Why didn’t you say somethin’ before?”

I let out another bitter laugh, shaking my head. “Right. Because that would’ve gone over well.‘Hey, Connor, since you kidnapped me, mind runnin’ to the pharmacy for me and pickin’ up my prescription?’” I let the sarcasm drip from my voice. “Sure. That would’ve worked.”

His mouth presses into a firm line. “You still should’ve said somethin’.”

“And what? Let you think I’m weak?” I laugh without humor. “No, thanks.”

His expression darkens, and for a second, I think he might actually lose his temper. But instead, he shoves a hand through his hair, breathing hard.

“Fuck,” he mutters under his breath. “You’re a stubborn little shite, you know that?”

I smirk, but it’s weak. “Takes one to know one.”

He shakes his head but doesn’t argue. I can see him thinking, see the gears turning in his head. Then he looks at me, something dangerous sparking behind his eyes.

“Alright,” he says. “I’ll get you your meds.”

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