“I agree.”
He became quiet for a moment. “I do not like the way he looks at your wife when he thinks no one is looking. She caught the look more than once. I believe she felt this as well, but with all that is going on—” He shrugged.
As if his words called to the truth, she began to cry in her sleep.
* * *
The nightmare had her by the clutches. It took shaking her to get her to come to. She blinked at me, eyes red rimmed and tired, attempting to make sense of my face.
“Brando?”
“Brando Piero Fausti.” I put her hand to my heart. I ran my free hand over her head. “Scarlett Rose Fausti.”
I expected her to smile, to make some wisecrack about knowing who I was and who she was, but she only nodded, a relieved look on her face.
“Tell me about these dreams,” I said.
“I—” She licked her lips. “I remember having one in the castle—Matteo’s castle. But I couldn’t remember what the dream was about. I just woke up knowing that something wasn’t right. Something scared me in my sleep. In Scotland, I dreamed of faces. Nemours came to me more than anyone else. I woke up gasping—” Her eyes searched mine. Whatever she saw made her swallow the rest of her words. “These dreams continued until Ireland. Then the dreams were more vivid, almost sickening. So damn real. When I was standing there watching the parade, I felt itwasreal. I couldn’t convince myself otherwise. All I wanted to do was call you. I knew.” She blew out a frustrated breath, despite the tears that leaked from her eyes. “I knew you could convince me that’s all they were—puppets and stilt walkers and fire breathers. These were performers like I had never seen before.”
“Like you,” I said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. It was wet from tears.
She nodded. “I knew you could talk me out of it. That you could help me conquer the fear and make me see that it was only something fun to watch. You have a way of putting things into perspective.”
“You don’t have many of those, my baby. Fears. You are the strongest woman I know.”
“I’m not so strong now.”
“You might want to ask Abree about that.”
She pushed against my chest. A vestige of a smile came to her face before her eyes turned serious. “I’m not, Brando. Strong.”
Her eyes, along with her tone, clearly said,I need you. I need the man who promised to take care of me, in good times and in bad. I need the man who promised to love me out of any situation when I’m not strong enough to do it myself.
I came in close and kissed her forehead. “You don’t have to be. I’m here.”
“You’re the only person on this earth who makes me feel invincible,” she whispered. “At the same time, you force me to touch my greatest fear—losing you.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“No,” she said, her fingers caressing my throat. I loved the way she still explored me, like she had never seen me before, like there was always something new to find. “Not by choice.”
I couldn’t answer. How could I promise her something I had no control over?
She sighed, her warm breath fluttering over my skin. “We are still so in love, aren't we?”
I looked down at her. She stared at her hands on my neck. “Yeah. We are. Beyond love.”
“I still make you happy?”
“Ask me if the stars still exist in the sky.”
She smiled. She liked that.
“Tell me,” I said when she didn’t answer.
“Yes,” she breathed. “They do.”
“You have your answer.”
