Page 84 of Shameless Royalty

Mihai is the only one I can talk to about this. He’s been my best friend since we were kids, before the power, before the weight of our families settled onto our shoulders. He knows me better than anyone, and if there’s one person whose opinion I actually care about, it’s his.

So I don’t fuck around. I just say it.

“I think I’m in love with Malachi Dawson.”

Mihai blinks and his glass stills just before it reaches his lips, his brows pulling together slightly as he processes what I just said. It’s rare to catch him off guard. Almost impossible, really. But that? That sure as fuck did it.

He sets the glass down with a soft clink, exhaling sharply. “I’m sorry, what?”

I huff out a quiet laugh, shaking my head. “Didn’t expect that, did you?”

“No, Connor, I fucking did not,” he mutters, rubbing a hand down his face before giving me a look. “Let’s start with the part where I didn’t even realize you two were close, let alone—” He gestures vaguely at me. “Whatever the fuck this is.”

I smirk slightly. “Yeah, well, wasn’t exactly plannin’ for it to happen.”

Mihai scoffs. “No shit.” He narrows his eyes. “When did this even start?”

I swirl the whiskey in my glass, thinking back. “Took him from his bed in the middle of the night, locked him up, threatened him—real romantic beginning.”

Mihai snorts. “Right. Classic love story.”

I shake my head, exhaling. “I don’t know when it happened. It wasn’t all at once.” I run a hand through my hair, leaning forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “I didn’t mean for it to happen. I tried to ignore it, tried to push it down, but the bastard got under my skin and now I can’t get him out.”

Mihai watches me with narrowed eyes. “How close are we talking?”

I exhale and grip my glass tighter. “He’s in my bed, Mihai. I was balls deep inside of him before I left home.”

“Jesus Christ.”

I glare at him for his stupid as fuck response. “That all you’ve got to say?”

He lets out a dry chuckle. “What the fuck else am I supposed to say, Connor? One minute you’re the cockiest bastard I know, sleeping your way through half of Europe, and the next, you’re sitting here telling me you’re in love with the son of the man who kidnapped our sisters.”

I scowl. “When you put it like that, it sounds worse than it is.”

“Oh no, it’s that bad,” he mutters, dragging a hand down his face again. “Does anyone else know?”

I shake my head. “No. And they fuckin’ can’t.”

Mihai whistles low and shakes his head. “Fuck.” He stares into his glass for a moment, then looks back at me. “This isn’t just a casual thing, is it?”

I smirk humorlessly. “Gave him a Claddagh ring for Christmas.”

Mihai freezes mid-sip. He lowers his glass slowly, his brows raising. “You did what now?”

I shrug and avoid his gaze. “Had it engraved with our initials and everything.”

He lets out a sharp breath, muttering something in Romanian under his breath, but I don’t say anything. I just take another sip of whiskey, letting it burn its way down.

Mihai exhales through his nose, studying me for a long moment. Then he leans forward, resting his forearms on the table. “You really love him?”

I hesitate, but only for a second. “Aye,” I admit, my voice quieter now. “I do.”

Mihai leans back, rolling his whiskey glass between his fingers. “Then you’re fucked.”

I snort. “Thanks for the advice, bestie.”

He shakes his head, exhaling sharply. “I mean it, Connor. You know how this looks, right? To your father? To everyone?”

---