Page 21 of Ruthless King

Nico eventually finishes his dinner and asks me to follow him to our bedroom. I do as he says, playing the good little wife.

“So,” he says, taking his jacket off. “Are you ready tonight?”

“Oh. No.”

He nods once. “Shame, but I understand. Just let me know when you’re ready.” He takes his shirt off next, exposing his nice body to me.

I stand there in complete shock before pulling myself out of it. “Nico … are we ever going to just … talk?”

“Talk? About what?”

“Well, you wanted a wife because sometimes you get lonely. Don’t you want to talk?”

He pauses, the bedsheet in his hand, his body halfway into the bed. “Huh. I guess I hadn’t thought about it. I’ve been so busy with work and this police thing. But … you’re right. We can talk.” He gets under the covers.

Slowly, I join him there. “How was your day?”

“As I said, busy.” He doesn’t offer me anything more. It’s obvious he doesn’t trust me with all the details yet. “How was your day?”

“Long,” I admit. “I saw my aunt. She’s doing well.”

“Good.”

We both fall silent.

Then I laugh. “You’re not a very good conversationalist.”

After a moment, he laughs with me. “Neither are you.”

“I’m still a little nervous around you.”

“And there’s so much of my life I can’t share,” he says. “Not until I know I can trust you fully.”

“So, we’re at an impasse.”

“Tell me something about you no one else knows.”

“Only if you do the same,” I say.

“Deal.”

I inhale shakily. “I have an irrational fear of cats.”

He’s silent, then slowly smiles. “We won’t own any cats then. Why the fear?”

“They have claws and sharp teeth. They kind of freak me out.” I gently touch his hand without even thinking about it. “Your turn.”

Nico notices the touch but doesn’t comment on it. I pull my hand away before I get in my head. “I’ve always had a love of country music.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes. I was born and raised in New York. Country music doesn’t fit here. But I’ve always loved it. The storytelling. I could get lost in it.”

“When do you listen to it?”

“When I have time, which is barely anymore.”

“You can talk to me over dinner, you know? Over breakfast, too.”

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