Mihai
MIHAI
I take a deep breath before I dial my father’s number. The weight of what I’m about to tell him sits like a boulder pressing down, making it hard to breathe. Maddy’s voice, her words from this morning, are still echoing in my head.
She remembers. She wants to talk to my father directly, and that changes everything.
The phone rings once, twice, and then I hear the familiar sound of his deep voice. “. Is everything alright?”
I hesitate for a second, then shake off the tension. “I need to talk to you about Maddy. She’s… talking again.”
There’s a brief silence on the other end, and I can picture my father’s sharp eyes narrowing, calculating. “Talking?” he finally says, his voice clipped. “What did she say?”
I rub the back of my neck, leaning against the wall of my suite as I stare out the window. “She remembers who shot Santiago, and what he and someone else were talking about before the gunman walked in. She wants to talk to you in person.”
Another pause, this one longer. I can almost hear the gears turning in his head. My father doesn’t like surprises, and this… this is a big one.
I hear my father inhale sharply, the first real sign of emotion he’s shown since I called. “Are you certain?”
“She wouldn’t make this up, Tat? ,” I reply firmly. “She’s been through hell, and now that she’s talking, she wants to tell you everything.”
There’s a long pause on the other end, and I wait, knowing he’s calculating the implications of this. Santiago’s murder was a massive blow to the organization, and if Maddy remembers details about the conversation before the hit, shit will hit the fan with the wrong people.
Especially since she mentioned Gianinni. That asshole has been lying low after Chiara’s kidnapping and our fathers have been worried about him striking. Now it looks like he already has without us even knowing.
“I have a few things to sort out here, but I’ll come to Willow Bridge right after,” he says, his tone decisive. “Make sure she’s safe, , even if you have to keep her in your room. We can’t risk this getting out until we know exactly what she remembers.”
“I know,” I mutter. “I’ll keep her protected.”
“Good,” he replies, his voice firm. “Don’t let anyone else know she’s talking yet.”
“I won’t.”
He’s quiet for a moment, then he says, “I’ll be there in a few hours. I want this matter handled directly and swiftly. She understands the implications of coming forward, yes?”
“She does. And she trusts us.” I bite back on anything else that feels too personal, reminding myself that this is business as much as it is personal.
“Good. I’ll see you both soon.”
“ Tat?, ” I say before he hangs up. “I… I need to tell you something.”
The line is quiet for a moment, and I almost think he’s hung up until his voice cuts through. “Go on, .”
I take a deep breath, leaning my head back against the wall, trying to sort through the mess in my head. “I think… I think I’m starting to grow closer to Maddy and not just… professionally.”
The silence on the other end stretches longer this time, and I brace myself for some form of disapproval, maybe a reminder of my responsibilities or how dangerous attachments can be. But then my father speaks, and his tone surprises me.
“Closer, you say?” There’s a note of curiosity there, almost teasing.
I grit my teeth, already regretting opening my mouth. “Yes. Closer. She’s… not what I expected, okay? And being around her—she’s been through so much, but she’s still holding on, still fighting. I can’t help but admire that.”
He hums thoughtfully, and it sets me on edge. “And how does this closeness make you feel, ? Out of control, perhaps?”
I let out a sharp exhale, frustrated but unable to deny it. “Yeah, maybe. It’s like she’s under my skin, Tat? . And I know what you’re thinking, that it’s a distraction, but?—”
“I wasn’t thinking that at all,” he cuts me off, his voice calm. “I’m glad you told me.”
I blink, caught off guard. “You are?”
“Yes, . You’ve been wound so tightly for so long, carrying the weight of your responsibilities and pushing away anything—or anyone—that might make you vulnerable. But maybe this girl… maybe she can be what you need. But we’ll talk more when I arrive, okay?”
I nod even though he can’t see it. “Thanks, Tat?. Have a safe flight.”
The line goes dead, and I pocket my phone, feeling a weird blend of relief and tension. I hadn’t expected him to be okay with this, but then again, my father and I have always been close.
I run a hand through my hair, feeling the stress of it all settle on my shoulders. Maddy speaking again, remembering what happened that night—it puts her in even more danger. And if my father readily agreed to coming here in person, it means he sees the gravity of the situation too.
I need to talk to Connor.
I find him in his suite, sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone. When I walk in, he raises an eyebrow, sensing the tension immediately. “You look like shit, mate.”
“Thanks for the observation,” I mutter as I sit down across from him, running a hand through my curls again. “I need to tell you something. But first, this stays between us.”
Connor’s expression grows more serious as he leans forward. “You’ve got my word. What’s going on?”
I let out a heavy sigh. “Maddy’s talking again.”
Connor’s eyes widen in surprise. “Shit. Really?”
I nod. “Yeah. She wants to talk to my father in person.”
“Fuck,” Connor mutters, rubbing a hand over his face. “That’s… that’s huge, mate. Does anyone else know?”
“No,” I say firmly. “And it needs to stay that way. At least until we know what we’re dealing with. My father will be here in a few hours to see her.”
Connor nods slowly, processing the information. “Right. So what’s the plan? You gonna keep hovering over her like you have been?”
I lean back, crossing my arms over my chest. “Yeah, my father asked me to keep her close because once this gets out, we’ll be on high alert. Whatever Maddy knows is important, the hit last night and the day we left Bucharest has proven that.”
Connor studies me for a moment, his green eyes narrowing slightly. “There’s more to it, isn’t there?”
I don’t answer right away. My jaw tightens, and I can feel the tension building up again. I didn’t come here to talk about my feelings, but I know Connor. He’s not going to let this slide.
“Come on, man,” Connor presses, leaning forward. “You’ve been all over the place with her. And now she’s talking, and you look like you’re about to explode. What gives?”
I exhale slowly, rubbing my temples. “It’s… fuck, I don’t know how to say this.”
Connor leans back, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Oh, this should be good.”
I shoot him a glare. “Shut the fuck up.”
“Alright, alright,” he says, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Go on then.”
I stare at the floor, my mind racing. I hadn’t planned on admitting this to anyone, but it’s been eating at me for weeks. Ever since I saw her tattoos and knew there was more to her, I’ve felt this pull—something deeper than just protecting her. Something I can’t fucking control.
“I feel something for her,” I finally admit, my voice low and rough. “I don’t know what the fuck it is, but it’s there and it’s messing with my head. I want to know her, I want to know what makes her tick. And that pull has gotten worse since the first word out of her mouth was my name.”
There. It’s out. The words I’ve been avoiding since I took her to the creek, the truth I’ve been trying to shove down. I’ve always been good at keeping things professional, good at compartmentalizing, but with Maddy it feels like I’m constantly standing at the edge of a cliff.
Connor doesn’t say anything at first, just studies me with that damn perceptive look he always gets when he’s reading between the lines. He’s my closest friend, and he knows me better than anyone. Of course he’d pick up on this.
His smirk fades, and his expression turns more serious. “You’ve got feelings for her,” he states, not a question, just an acknowledgment.
I nod, running a hand over my face. “Yeah. I guess I do.”
Connor lets out a low whistle, shaking his head. “Damn. That’s complicated.”
“No shit,” I mutter, leaning back in the chair and staring up at the ceiling. “I’m supposed to protect her, keep her safe, but I can’t fucking stop thinking about her. And now with this… I don’t know what to do.”
Connor watches me for a moment, his gaze steady. “You’ve been hovering around her and she’s proven you wrong with certain things. Not to mention that you just said her first word after everything was your name. Maybe it’s not so surprising that you’d feel something.”
I clench my fists, frustration boiling inside me. “It’s not just that. It’s… when I’m around her, I don’t feel like I’m in control of anything, least of all my feelings.”
Connor chuckles softly. “Mate, you’ve been in control of everything for so long. Perhaps that’s why she’s getting under your skin. She’s pulling you out of that bubble.”
I scowl, not liking how easily he’s reading me. “You don’t get it.”
“Oh, I get it,” Connor says, a knowing look in his eyes. “You care about her. And that’s fine. But you’ve got to be careful. She’s fragile right now, and you’re walking a fine line.”
“I know,” I snap, my frustration bubbling over. “I fucking know that. But it doesn’t change how I feel.”
Connor nods, his smirk returning slightly. “Well, looks like you’ve got your hands full, don’t you?”
I groan, leaning back in the chair and covering my face with my hands. “This is such a mess.”
Connor laughs, slapping a hand on my shoulder. “You’ll figure it out. Just don’t screw it up.”
I let out a frustrated breath, shaking my head. “Easier said than done.”
Connor stands, stretching his arms above his head. “I’d say so. But if anyone can handle this shitstorm, it’s you.”
I don’t respond, my mind still spinning with everything. Maddy’s talking again, my father’s coming, and on top of it all, I’m in deeper than I ever thought I’d be with her.
“Just keep her safe,” Connor says, his voice more serious now. “And don’t let this thing with your feelings get in the way of that.”
I nod, knowing he’s right. No matter how I feel, no matter what’s going on inside my head, Maddy’s safety comes first. That’s the one thing I can control.
I stand up, feeling the weight of everything settle on my shoulders again. “I’ve got to go check on her.”
“Of course you do,” Connor says with a grin. “Go be the knight in shinin’ armor. Or, you know, the angry Romanian with too many guns.”
I flip him off as I head for the door, but there’s a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips. Connor’s an ass, but he’s right. I need to stop overthinking this. Maddy needs me, and if I’m being honest with myself, I need her too.
Now, I just have to make sure I don’t fuck this up.