Page 37 of Billionaire Wolf Needs a Maid

"Jenkins, security protocols alpha-three," Dean started automatically.

I elbowed him. "He's five, not a corporate spy."

"Right. Sorry." Dean's cheeks actually flushed pink. "Force of habit."

"Aunt Nina!" Max barreled into me, and I caught him with only a slight wince. My ribs were mostly healed, the sharp stabbing pain reduced to a dull ache, thanks to Dr. Wu's careful monitoring and whatever supernatural healing boost I'd gotten from Dean's mating bite. The bruises had faded from violent purple to yellowish-green, but I still caught Dean watching me when I moved, his protective instincts warring with his respect for my independence. Dr. Wu had promised I'd be back to normal in another week, though she'd rolled her eyes when Dean demanded hourly daily check-ups on my progress.

His hands twitched forward before he forced them still, respecting my silent signal to let me handle my nephew. But his eyes tracked every movement, ready to intervene if needed.

"Max," I said when he finally paused for breath, "I want you to meet someone very special. This is Dean."

Max tilted his head back, way back, to take in Dean's full height. "Whoa. You're like a superhero! Are you as tall as Iron Man? Can you fly? Do you know Batman?"

Dean crouched down to Max's level, and I felt something in my heart melt at how carefully he controlled his usually intimidating presence.

The mighty CEO of Nightfang Securities, who could silence a boardroom with a glare, was practically holding his breath as he faced down a kindergartener. His usual dominance softened into something gentler, more cautious. I caught flickers of his thoughts. Memories of his own cold childhood, a desperate desire to be nothing like his own father, and fear of frightening this small, precious piece of my family.

"I can't fly," he admitted. "But I do know something about technology. Want to see something cool?"

Max's eyes widened as Dean gestured to Jenkins. The AI understood immediately, projecting a holographic superhero that soared around the room. Light and color danced through the air as the figure performed increasingly elaborate stunts.

"That's so awesome!" Max bounced on his toes. "Can you make more? Can they fight bad guys? Can they shoot lasers?"

"Easy there, buddy," Maggie laughed, finally catching up to her son. Her eyes met mine, communicating volumes in that sisterly way we'd perfected over years of shared secrets and silent support.

Dean's shoulders relaxed incrementally as Max chattered away, his rigid posture softening. His eyes, usually sharp with calculation, grew warm and crinkled at the corners when Max laughed. I caught Maggie watching him, noting how his largehands were infinitely gentle as he guided Max's smaller ones over the holographic controls.

"Nina." Maggie pulled me into the kitchen while Dean kept Max entertained. "Tell me the truth about the accident. Those weren't normal injuries. I saw how you winced when Max hugged you. I've been going crazy imagining what really happened."

I hesitated, weighing how much to reveal. "It's complicated."

"Complicated?" Her voice sharpened. "Nina, you disappeared for days. Your phone was off. I filed a police report! Then suddenly you call from a penthouse, engaged to one of the richest men in the city, with some vague story about a car accident?"

"Mags—"

"I'm your big sister. It's my job to protect you." Her eyes welled with tears. "After what happened with your ex, I promised myself I'd never let anyone hurt you again."

I caught her hands. "Dean isn't Travis. He's the one who saved me from something bad. He risked everything to protect me."

She raised a hand and brushed my hair aside. "Those bruises are awful."

"They're from the people he saved me from," I said firmly. "Dean would die before hurting me. What we have is real, Maggie. More real than anything I've ever known."

She studied my face for a long moment. Through the kitchen doorway, we could hear Max's delighted laughter as Dean's holographic creatures danced through the air.

"He's different with you," she finally said. "I've seen him in the news, the cold, ruthless CEO. But the way he looks at you, it's like you're his whole world. And he's so patient with Max." She shook her head, smiling. "Most men like him wouldn't give a child the time of day. But he's so gentle."

"That's who he really is," I said softly. "Under all the corporate armor. He builds his companies to protect people, Mags. Everything he does is about keeping others safe."

"Including you?"

"Especially me." I touched the mating mark on my neck unconsciously. "But not because he thinks I'm weak. He supports my dreams and helps me be stronger. That's what real love should do."

Maggie's expression softened as we watched Dean teach Max a simple coding sequence, his large hands carefully guiding my nephew's smaller ones. My nephew sat perched on a specially cleared workbench, face scrunched in concentration as he followed Dean's instructions. "Okay," she said finally. "He passes the big sister inspection. I haven't seen you this happy since, well, ever."

"He does make me happy," I whispered. "So incredibly happy."

"Then he's family now." She squeezed my hand. "But I still reserve the right to threaten him if necessary. It's in the big sister handbook." She turned back to me. "And what about your dreams? The wedding planning business you've talked about since we were kids?"

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