Chapter 4

Three days later, I learn Nico Romano is much less entertaining when people owe the family money.

I don't mean to overhear anything.

Leo has left his dinosaur in the downstairs hall, and I'm halfway there when a man's voice comes through the closed dining-room doors.

“I can pay it back.”

Nico answers.

“That's great.”

He sounds almost cheerful.

“Which hand do you like more?”

Silence.

Then, “What?”

“Left or right. Pick one.”

I stop walking.

Rafe says something too low for me to hear.

A chair scrapes.

The man starts begging.

I make it back upstairs before the screaming starts.

Twenty minutes later, Nico walks into the kitchen wearing black pants and a dark V-neck shirt open halfway down his chest.

His sleeves are rolled up.

His hands are wet.

He finds me staring.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“That was definitely something.”

I reach for Leo's juice.

Nico leans against the counter.

“Scared of me now, sweetheart?”

“I was already reasonably concerned.”

He grins.

“Good. Means you're paying attention.”

That evening, the Romanos host a private dinner at one of their clubs.

Apparently, “private” means fifty people, armed security, and at least three men Mr. Bell quietly advises me not to ask about.

Leo wants me there, so I go.

I wear a navy wrap dress I've had for years.

Grant hated it.

Too fitted around my stomach. Too much hip.

I almost change before leaving.

I don't.

Nico notices immediately.

Of course he does.

“Fuck.”

I look at him.

He takes a drink.

“What?”

“You can't wear that and expect me to behave.”

“I don't expect you to behave in anything.”

“Smart woman.”

Before I can answer, a woman nearby looks at the birthmark across my chest.

Her mouth tightens.

“So you're the nanny.”

“Mara.”

She ignores that.

“I heard Rafael hired someone Leo wouldn't get attached to in the wrong way.”

Her friend laughs softly.

My stomach drops.

The woman looks me over.

“I suppose that makes sense.”

I know exactly what she means.

My fingers move toward my neckline before I can stop them.

Leo sees.

He steps in front of me.

“Don't.”

The woman blinks.

Leo points at my chest.

“That's Mara's birthmark.”

His voice shakes, but he keeps going.

“It doesn't make her ugly.”

My throat tightens.

“She tells me stories,” he says. “And she stays when I'm scared.”

Then, louder:

“She’s pretty.”

The table goes quiet.

Nico appears beside us.

He looks at the woman, then at me—slowly enough to make his meaning obvious.

“You've spent the last five minutes staring at her tits.”

Her face goes white.

“Nico—”

“At least buy her dinner first.”

I turn on him.

“That wasn't helping.”

“Helped me.”

Later, near the bar, Nico leans close enough that I can smell whiskey.

“Your boss is watching us.”

“He's your boss too.”

“Yeah.”

His eyes flick toward Rafe across the room.

“That’s what makes this fun.”

Rafe is already walking toward us.

“Nico.”

“Relax.”

Nico looks straight at me.

“I haven't even asked her to fuck me yet.”

Rafe stops.

“Yet?”