“What are we talking about?” Atlas asks.
“We’re finding out whether Nina decided to make Nero an honest man or keep him as a late-night snack,” his twin explains. Atlas smiles discreetly.
Nina looks up at me, silently asking for help.
She’s reluctant to accept the fact that we’re dating. I lower my mouth to her ear, my next words quiet enough for only her to hear.
“Did I not apply my persuasion strategies well enough,Little Fae?”
“Maybe you applied themtoowell and I’m just making excuses so you’ll do it again,” she answers in the same low tone, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“Ah, Nina. Then we need to talk about how exceptionally skilled I can be with my strategies when I’m properly rewarded.”
She throws her head back in laughter at that.
“Get a room!” Atlas snaps—and doesn’t stay silent for even two seconds after. “Unless there’s only one available. In that case, give it to Drako. He’s clearly already ordered the appetizers.”
His words pull both my gaze and Nina’s in the same direction.
We find Drako glued to a blonde as if his life depends on stealing every last molecule of oxygen from her body.
When I look back at my friends, the frown on Atlas’s face catches my attention—and not just mine. Apollo’s reaction tellsme I’ve missed part of the story, but the explanation comes quickly.
“Isn’t that the woman I bumped into in our kitchen last week?” Atlas asks his twin.
Nina moves, stepping in front of me, suddenly very interested in the conversation.
I raise a brow, realizing myLittle Faeisn’t immune to Khione’s curse: the gossip instinct.
Apollo shrugs before answering.
“I’m not jealous. In fact, if you need recommendations, I’ve got a list.”
Atlas opens his mouth, turns toward his brother with an incredulous expression, then raises his hands, shakes his head, and walks into the restaurant—ignoring the hostess beside him and heading inside, where we have a standing table thanks to how often we come here.
“If you’re so eager to share, I suggest you go tell Drako we’re here. I don’t think he’ll mind answering if we just call him,” I mutter, unhappy. Of all the friends I could have… “Don’t get me wrong—I like the idea of you finding girlfriends. That way I won’t have to share mine anymore.”
“Who said anything about finding a girlfriend?” Apollo asks, unmistakably horrified. “We prefer yours.”
I let out a long sigh before addressing the woman dressed in black who’s been watching our group’s interaction with far more interest than necessary.
“Good evening, Cleo.”
“Good evening, Mr. Nero Zanthos.”
With a nod, we step into the restaurant.
CHAPTER 23
NERO ZANTHOS
Nina shifts on the narrow bed, and although I love having her pressed so tightly against me, the very real risk of falling off it makes me—for the first time in a long while—consider moving into my own place.
It’s the fourth night I’ve slept in her pink-walled bedroom, even though on the second night the stuffed animals mysteriously disappeared, and on the third, the posters were gone too. Since she told me her mother would be away for a few days, keeping my distance has become an impossible task.
She’s told me dozens of times how unnecessary it is for me to fold her into my routine just so she won’t be alone during these days. Creating a routine is a much more accurate description of what I’ve actually done.
For the past four days, I’ve picked Nina up from the shop at the end of her shift and only parted from her the following morning, when I dropped her off there again. And the unsettling part is that the more time I spend with her, the more I want.
