Chapter 102


    The next morning, a knock came early on the bedroom door. Fortunately, Elva and I had risen with the


    dawn and were already dressed.


    Expecting the nanny, I headed for the door, yet when I drew it open, the person on the other side


    surprised me.


    “Nichs. What are you doing here?”


    Behind him, Mark cleared his throat. Immediately, I realized my error.


    “Prince Nichs,” I corrected. Afterst night, I had be entirely too familiar with him. I had to be


    more careful, for both our reputations, not to address him so informally. Especially in front of others.


    “I came to see Elva,” Nichs said.


    “Nickss!”


    The rules of propriety, however, did not extend to my three year old.


    Elva rushed toward the door. Nichs bent down and scooped her up into his arms. Elva giggled as he


    lifted her.


    I’d already told Elva that we would be staying around for a while longer, but she didn’t seem to quite


    believe me. Now that she could actually see Nichs, it was like those remaining worries had been


    washed away.


    “Come in and y! I want a tea party.”


    “Okay, okay,” Nichs said.


    When Elva got too squirmy, he set her down. She snatched his hand and pulled him further into the


    room.


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    Nichs looked at me as he passed. Unlike so many times before, when he gazed at me now, his


    eyes. held a certain measure of warmth. Ever sincest night, when he learned I hadn’t betrayed him –


    at least not out of choice he had been softer toward me.


    It wasn’t anything like when we had been dating, when his affection was obvious and carefree. But it


    was less harrowing than the looks of cold indifference I had grown used to the past few weeks


    “Are you joining us for the tea party, Piper?” he asked.


    71 well wanted to say yes but I had other ns. ns that might show up at any moment.


    Like right now, as Julian sauntered into the room like it belonged to him. When he spotted Nichs, he


    didn’t even slow. Instead a smile quirked his lips.


    “Oh, good morning, brother.”


    All the good cheer vanished from Nichs’s face. “What are you doing here, Julian?”


    Julian picked at his nails, as if he hadn’t a care in the world. “Oh. I’m taking Piper on a date today.”


    Nichs nced at me. Julian wasn’t wrong, though under Nichs’s scrutiny now, I kind of wished I


    could deny it.


    “It’s true,” I said.


    Nichs’s gaze hardened as he sliced it back to Julian, “There was no official date announcement.”


    Julian shrugged. “After what happenedst time, can you me us?”


    “If you had followed the rules–**


    “Rules are boring. Piper and I have plenty of fun on our own.”


    “The tea party, Nickss! It’s starting!” Elva tugged on his arm.


    Nichs grit his teeth, looking for all the world like he wanted to physically tackle Julian, but the little


    Legirl on his sleeve held him back.


    “It’s fine,” I said, stepping between the two men. “I’m okay with this.”


    With me in his line of sight, Nichs’s anger dimmed somewhat, though his annoyance was clear in


    the downward turn of his lips and the chill in his eyes.


    “How?” he asked.


    “It’s just how Julian is,” I said.


    How I wished I could tell him the truth! That these ‘dates‘ with Julian were just excuses to investigate


    the underground that had taken my wolf.


    But Julian had rightfully pointed out the Nichs was a stickler for the rules. This entire conversation


    only evidenced that.


    Nichs clenched his jaw but didn’t say more.


    Julian waved me toward him. “Come on, Piper.


    I broke for a minute, to whisper goodbye to Elva. “Be nice to Prince Nichs.” She’d barely paid


    attention to me, still trying to tug Nichs to where she’d set up her stic tea cups and stuffed


    animals.


    When I went to Julian’s side, Nichs finally gave in, joining Elva at her makeshift tea party. But I felt


    his eyes on me the whole way to the door.