Page 161 of Nanny and the Beast

“Good morning, Alaric,” I say. “I didn’t know you’d be coming to Chicago, too. When did you get here?”

“Just last night. I thought I’d surprise you guys,” Alaric says, giving me a hug. “Klaus doesn’t know I’m here.”

Alaric has the kind of natural warmth that makes you want to trust him immediately. I’ve only met him once before, but it still feels like I’m catching up with an old friend.

When we pull apart, he studies me for a moment.

“I don’t know how to say this,” he says.

“Say what?” I ask.

“There’s a reason I’m here,” he says.

He hesitates, watching me closely. I fold my arms over my chest and wait for him to continue.

“There’s something I need to ask you, and I need you to be completely honest with me,” he says.

“Okay?” I say cautiously.

“What are your intentions with Klaus?” he asks.

“Pardon?”

“He’s my brother. I know everything about him. He’s a man who vowed never to fall for a woman ever again. But he went and fell head over heels in love with you,” he says.

Love.

That one word doesn’t feel sufficient to encapsulate everything I feel for him.

Klaus and I haven’t even said the words to each other yet, but everyone seems to be saying it for us. It’s more than a little overwhelming.

“I’m not a gold digger, if that’s what you’re worried about,” I say.

“Gold diggers aren’t a problem. They’re straightforward and simple. It’s the people we actually care about who have the power to hurt us the most.”

“Why did Klaus vow to never fall in love?” I ask.

A gust of wind passes over the dark embers in my heart, making them burn neon orange. I’m jealous of anyone Klaus has ever given his affection to in the past.

“Her name was Hannah,” Alaric says. “She was kind of his high school sweetheart.”

It’s unreasonable and petty, but I hate that girl.

“Back then, every girl in school had a thing for Klaus. He didn’t want anybody, so everybody wanted him. Hannah was the head cheerleader and spent all of high school trying to seduce him.”

I’m not entirely sure if I want to hear this. All of this wasyearsago, but the thought of Klaus with another woman makes me feel like my skin is on fire.

“Fast-forward to the end,” I say.

Alaric gives me a curious glance. “Are you jealous? You sound jealous.”

“No, I just don’t want to hear the details about how much he loved another woman,” I say.

“I wouldn’t go so far as to call it love,” he says. “They were only together for about a month. He broke things off when he learned she was also sleeping with half the football team. It did a number on his ego, though. He’s always been closed off, but that was the moment he swore off all romantic relationships.”

“And he’s never been in a relationship since?” I ask.

“He threw himself into work. He took the family business to new heights, and then he was in the service,” he says. “I saw him through every stage of his life. I saw him turn into the ghost of the man he once was. Until recently. Until he met you. Which is why I want to make sure your intentions with him are pure.”

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