Page 180 of Nanny and the Beast

Dessert is served. It’s gingerbread cake with a light icing on top. He ordered a plate for me as well.

“I know it’s your favorite,” he says.

I take a distracted bite.

The taste instantly takes me back to happier times—when the only things I was worried about were school assignments and soccer games. It was a simpler time when my sister was still a part of my life, lighting up my world with her bright laughter and easygoing nature.

“I can’t wait for the holidays,” Alaric says. “I spend the whole year dreaming about Helena’s gingerbread roll with the cinnamon icing. She only makes it for Christmas and refuses to share the recipe.”

“I don’t know why, but I always dread the holidays,” I confess.

“I think everyone does a little bit,” he replies. “It’s a lot of pressure, especially when you’ve gone through so many life changes.”

I nod, taking another bite of the cake.

It tastes like the loss of innocence. But now, it also tastes like new memories and new love. I see Emma in the kitchen decorating cookies with the kids. I see her smiling across the room at me.

Alaric clears his throat.

“There’s something else I wanted to talk about,” he says.

“I’m all ears.”

“It’s about Emma,” he says. “I learned something about her that you might not know.”

“Alaric, we don’t have to do this,” I say. “She told me about her father. Just because the two of us don’t know every single detail about each other’s life doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be together. That’s what the rest of our life is for.”

He looks at me with a pained expression on his face.

“I have to tell you this, though,” he says.

“You don’thaveto tell me anything,” I say. “If there’s something that she wants to share with me, she’ll do it in her own time.”

“Klaus, you’re about tomarrythat girl. That’s a pretty big decision to make.”

“I’m finally happy again, Alaric.Shemakes me happy.”

“And I love that for you, but?—”

“Let’s end this discussion here.” I push my plate away.

He purses his lips together. There’s resolution in his eyes. Whatever he wants to say, he’s going to say it.

“Did she tell you what she does on the weekends?” he asks. When I only stare at him, he adds, “She works at Elysium, man. She’s one of the girls here.”

38

KLAUS

“She’s only a cocktail waitress, but I saw on her file that she took a client last month. That was probably before the two of you even got together, but I thought you would want to know,” Alaric says.

He’s still speaking, but I drown out the rest of his words.

There’s a hollow ringing in my ears.

I bumped into someone at the club a few weeks ago. I remember it vividly because I didn’t mind the physical contact.

I haven’t thought about it since, but I remember it now. I remember the scent of cupcakes in the air. I remember her dark eyes behind the mask. Eyes I’d recognize anywhere now.

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