Page 130 of Shameless Royalty

I grind my teeth and look back at my best friend. “So you’re sayin’ I should let him go?”

Mihai holds my gaze. “I’m saying, maybe you should figure out what’s best for him, not just what you want.”

I clench my jaw and look away.

The thought of Malachi not being mine—of not having him in my arms, in my bed, in my life—makes me feel like I’m fucking dying. But Mihai’s right. If Malachi’s free for the first time in his life, am I really about to just claim him like nothing’s changed?

No.

But I’m not walking away from him, either.

“So what the fuck do I do, then?” I ask finally, voice rough.

Mihai sighs. “You go to Willow Bridge, find him, and ask him what he wants. No bullshit, no games, no fucking control tactics. Just ask.”

I let out a slow, steady breath, forcing my hands to stop shaking. “I don’t care what it takes,” I murmur, more to myself than them. “I’m gettin’ him back.”

Mihai nods once, like he expected that answer, then he smirks. “Then stop being a little bitch about it and figure out how.”

I exhale sharply, rubbing my fingers over my brow. “Fuckin’ hell, I hate you lot.”

Mihai watches me for a second longer, then lifts his whiskey glass. “To fixing your fuck-ups,” he says dryly.

Nikolai chuckles. “And to our boy finally admitting he’s fucking gone for someone. Now sit the fuck down and stop pacing before I put a bullet in your knee.”

The others lift their glasses, and I roll my eyes, but there’s no heat behind it. I grab the nearest bottle, pouring myself a generous amount before clinking my glass against theirs.

“To fixin’ my fuck-ups,” I mutter. “And to not losin’ the best thing that’s ever fuckin’ happened to me.”

Because Malachiisthe best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I’ll be damned if I let him slip through my fingers.

Chapter 52

Malachi

Thegrassisslightlydamp where I’m sitting, but I don’t care. The air is crisp, the kind that bites just enough to keep me awake, and I need to stay awake. I have three books to get through before the test in three weeks, and if I don’t start cramming now, I’ll be fucked.

I shift slightly, stretching my legs out in front of me, my notebook balanced on my lap as I scribble down notes. A highlighter is tucked between my fingers, ready to attack the next passage that might be important, and my pen is already running dangerously low on ink.

Around me, students filter out of the lecture hall in groups, talking about weekend plans, upcoming assignments, and all the shit that’s supposed to make up a normal college experience. I don’t pay much attention. I’m used to being on the outside of conversations, used to existing in my own little world. It’s easier that way.

As I flip to the next chapter, I hear footsteps approaching from the side, stopping just a few feet away. I glance up, already expecting to see Aiden, and I’m right.

He nods toward me. “You’re actually touchin’ grass. Impressive.”

I smirk, shutting my notebook for a second. “Shocking, I know.”

He tilts his head slightly, his sharp green eyes scanning my setup. “Three books at once? Overkill.”

I shrug. “Test in three weeks. I like being prepared.”

He hums in amusement, shifting his weight onto one foot. “I won’t be at the dorm tonight,” he says after a pause. “So you’ll have some peace and quiet.”

That makes me chuckle. “You say that like your guitar playin’ actually bothers me.”

One of his rare smiles tugs at the corner of his lips. It’s faint, barely there, but it’s real. “You’re the only one who doesn’t complain about it.”

“It’s better than whatever the hell the cunts in the next dorm over blast at two in the mornin’,” I reply dryly.

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