Page 106 of Shameless Royalty

My blood turns to ice.

I sit up slightly, wincing as pain lances through my ribs, but I don’t take my eyes off of him. He’s frowning now, running a hand through his hair, tension rolling off of him in waves.

“Fuck me sideways,” he mutters, rubbing his forehead. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll be there now.”

He ends the call, tossing the phone onto the nightstand while looking confused as fuck. I swallow hard, my throat tight, trying not to let my emotions show, trying not to care, but he fucking notices.

His gaze softens slightly as he leans down, pressing a quick kiss to my lips. “Duty calls.”

I force myself to smirk. “Didn’t know you were on call for random women.”

His lips twitch, but there’s something unreadable in his expression as he brushes his knuckles against my cheek. “It’s not what you think, Babyface.”

I don’t answer.

I can’t.

Because no matter how much I pretend, no matter how much I want to act like it doesn’t bother me, it fucking does.

Connor watches me for a second longer like he’s trying to read my mind, like he knows I’m spiraling. But instead of saying anything, instead of reassuring me, instead of staying—

He leaves.

And just like that, the warmth, the safety, the certainty of him is gone.

Chapter 43

Connor

ThesecondIhangup the call, I move, already heading down the hall toward my father’s study. I don’t bother knocking before I push the door open, finding him exactly where I knew he’d be—sitting at his desk and nursing a glass of whiskey. He barely looks up as I step inside, but something in my expression must give me away because he sets the glass down, straightening slightly.

“Da,” I say, keeping my voice level even though my pulse is hammering. “Sofia’s at the gates.”

His reaction is immediate. His entire body stiffens, his head snapping up, his green eyes locking onto mine with something I don’t see often—genuine shock. “Sofia Reyes?”

I nod, still processing it myself. “Aye.”

He exhales sharply, running a hand down his face before leaning back in his chair. “Well, fuck me.”

I don’t wait for him to say more—I’m already turning on my heel and heading for the door. “I’m bringin’ her in.”

He doesn’t stop me, but I hear him mutter something under his breath before reaching for his phone, no doubt already making arrangements. I don’t care. Right now, all I care about is getting to her, seeing her with my own eyes, and figuring out what the hell she’s doing here after disappearing off the face of the earth for half a year.

When I reach the gates, she’s standing just outside them, wrapped in a thick coat, her blonde hair damp from the misty rain falling over the estate. She’s not the same girl I remember—not the sharp-tongued, cocky daughter of Santiago Reyes, who used to strut around like she owned the fucking world. The woman standing in front of me is different.

She’s scared.

That realization punches me right in the fucking gut.

I barely get a chance to take her in before she moves, closing the distance between us in two quick steps and wrapping her arms around me. I don’t hesitate—I pull her in, holding her tight as she buries her face in my shoulder. She’s shaking. Fuck.

“I got you,” I mutter, gripping the back of her coat. “You’re safe now.”

She exhales sharply, then pulls back just enough to look at me, her eyes wide and lined with exhaustion. “Connor, I know why my father was killed.”

My stomach drops. “What?”

She nods, swallowing hard. “I know everything. It runs deeper than Vito betraying the Crowns. Deeper than anything we ever thought.”

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