Chapter 2

By noon the next day, I've learned three things about the Romano house.

First, Leo hates carrots.

Second, nobody uses the basement elevator without permission.

Third, if a man carrying a gun tells you to go upstairs, you go upstairs.

Mr. Bell delivers that last one while showing me my room.

I stop unpacking.

“Is that a nanny rule?”

“It’s an everybody rule.”

“Comforting.”

He gives me a look that suggests comfort isn't included in my benefits package.

There are other rules.

Rafe's office is private. The west side of the second floor is off-limits. I'm not supposed to open the door for anyone, even if I recognize them.

“And Mr. Romano?”

“What about him?”

“Any special rules?”

Mr. Bell considers that.

“Don't lie to him.”

That sounds less like household policy and more like survival advice.

I'm helping Leo build a dinosaur village that afternoon when Nico walks into the playroom.

Today there is no blood.

Progress.

There are also, apparently, still no buttons.

His black shirt hangs open in a deep V across his chest, sleeves pushed to his elbows. A gold chain disappears under the fabric.

I look back at the dinosaurs.

“Morning, sweetheart.”

“It’s three.”

“I had a long night.”

“I’m sure several women are devastated.”

He laughs.

“Just one. She wanted breakfast.”

I stare at him.

“You're very honest.”

“Lying takes effort.”

Leo holds up a plastic T-Rex.

“Nico.”

Nico immediately crouches beside him.

“What’s up, killer?”

Leo hands him the dinosaur.

That surprises me.

Nico accepts it with complete seriousness.

“Is this guy on our side?”

Leo nods.

“Good. He looks like he knows how to handle himself.”

Then Nico looks at me.

His eyes drop.

I glance down too.

Nothing unusual. Jeans. T-shirt. Apparently my body continues to offend his ability to behave normally.

“Can I help you?”

“Maybe.”

“With what?”

His mouth curves.

“Depends how adventurous you are.”

“Nico.”

Rafe's voice comes from the doorway.

Nico doesn't even turn around.

“She asked.”

“I asked if I could help you.”

“Exactly.”

Rafe walks in, gaze settling on his cousin.

“Go bother someone else.”

Nico finally looks over his shoulder.

“You’re getting possessive over the nanny already?”

Rafe's expression doesn't change.

“I'm considering burying you in the garden.”

Nico grins.

“See? Possessive.”

He stands and hands Leo back the dinosaur.

On his way out, he leans slightly toward me.

“If he gets boring, sweetheart, I’m significantly more fun.”

Rafe waits until the door shuts.

“He thinks he's charming.”

“He’s wrong.”

“He usually is.”

That almost makes me smile.

That night, I wake to crying.

Leo is curled against his headboard, blanket pulled to his chin.

“Hey.”

His eyes find mine.

“There’s a monster.”

“Where?”

“In my dream.”

His voice shakes.

“It comes when it’s dark.”

I sit beside him and tuck the blanket around his legs.

“Want to hear a secret?”

He nods.

“There was once a very small soldier who was scared of monsters too.”

Leo watches me carefully.

“He wasn't strong. His armor was old, and his sword was terrible. Honestly, it was probably a safety violation.”

Leo's mouth twitches.

“But one night, a dragon came.”

“What did he do?”

“He was scared.”

Leo frowns.

“That’s not brave.”

“Sure it is.”

I touch his hair.

“Being brave doesn't mean you're not scared. It means you're scared and you do it anyway.”

I tell him the soldier discovered the dragon hated light.

So he lit a torch.

The dragon ran.

Leo thinks about that.

“Did he win?”

“He did.”

A small hand slips into mine.

“Can I win?”

“Absolutely.”

He settles down slowly.

“And I can protect you too.”

I smile.

“Deal.”

By the time he falls asleep, his fingers are still wrapped around mine.

A shadow moves near the doorway.

Rafe.

His black shirt is open at the throat. There is blood along one cuff.

I look at it.

He notices.

“Not mine.”

“Apparently that's a common sentence in this family.”

His mouth moves slightly.

He looks at Leo.

“He usually wakes up screaming.”

“He was scared.”

“You got him back to sleep.”

“I told him a story.”

Rafe's eyes come back to me.

For a moment, he just stands there.

Then he says,

“Marry me.”