Remembered the crushing disappointment when I hadn’t been able to find anything to fit me, especially not in my budget.

Not the biggest problem in the world, I supposed, but it had left a mark.

“You sound certain about that,” I said, looking at Nico, if only to ignore the feelings that were threatening now.

“I took some clothes from your apartment to take to the store to get stuff that would fit. The rest of it will be here tomorrow,” he said.

“You were in my apartment?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“Yeah,” he said like it was nothing. Though to him, it probably was nothing.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because I needed to see where you live. And that place isn’t safe,” he said, his eyes narrowing as he looked at me.

“It’s the safest place I can afford, and why did you break into my house?” I said.

It was a weird hill to die on.

I knew that, but the thought of him in my home, my sanctuary, was upsetting.

Nico tsked and then shook his head. “Don’t freak out, Trouble.”

“I’m not freaking out, Nico,” I said, though I was on the verge of doing just that.

No one, not even my best and only friend, had been inside my apartment.

Yeah, the place was sketchy, but it was also my home, the first place that I had felt safe since before my mother died.

And he had invaded it!

“So,” Nico said.

Something in his voice drew my attention, and I looked at him, for some reason bracing myself.

“Yeah?” I said.

“I have news,” he said.

I narrowed my eyes at him, on full alert now.

“Is there a reason you’re stalling?” I asked.

“I guess there’s no reason to, because stalling won’t change anything.”

Now I started to worry, really worry.

There was a…resignation in his voice, and a wariness that sent me on edge.

This man didn’t do wary, so this couldn’t be good.

“You’re my fiancé, at least for the time being,” he said.

I looked at him, and then, unable to control my reaction, I started to laugh.

He looked at me, his expression giving away nothing. Then, finally, he interjected. “I don’t understand the joke,” he said.

“Engaged?” I sputtered.