Page 135 of Nanny and the Beast

"You can't keep blaming yourself for what happened," I say. "It's not healthy."

When his gaze shifts to look at me, I melt completely. I forget the words I was going to say. The pain that haunts his head is reflected in his eyes now.

He's letting me see how broken he is.

"What you went through is horrific," I say. "But it wasn't your fault, Klaus."

"If I could go back in time, I would do so many things differently," he says. "I would make sure that my squad wasbetter protected against the enemy militants. I would have been more vigilant in the night."

"That's a dangerous game to play, Klaus." I dig my fingertips into his cheekbones, making sure he keeps those troubled eyes on me. "Don't keep revisiting that time in your life. Don't play 'what-if' with what already happened."

"I can't help it," he says. "I go right back into that cramped, dark cell every time someone touches me. I don't have control over it."

I have no words of comfort to offer him. So I just hold him.

"Except with you," he says. "Everything is different with you, and I don't know why."

Seeing this vulnerable side of him does things to my heart.

"I feel the same way," I whisper. "Being around you makes me feel at peace for some reason."

"That's not a good thing, Emma," he says, looking up at the ceiling.

"That's not up to you to decide," I reply.

His mind is trying to pull away from me, but his arm is branded tightly around my waist. He holds me like he needs me. His fingers press into my skin like he's never going to let go of me.

"Your turn," he says, turning to look at me.

"Hmm?"

"A secret for a secret," he says.

"What do you want to know about me?" I ask, playing with his beard.

"Tell me about the man who stalked you."

30

KLAUS

The light fades from her eyes.

"What do you want to know?" she whispers.

"Everything," I say. "Start from the beginning."

She lowers her gaze. If she told me now that she didn't want to talk about it, I wouldn't push her. But I had to ask.

"He came into my life when I was at my loneliest," she says. "It was the summer after high school. I was working three jobs to save up for college. I told one of my coworkers how isolating all of it was, and she suggested this dating app."

She stops to take a shaky breath.

The strangest feeling envelopes my heart. It's more than protectiveness. It's regret that I wasn't there for her when she needed someone.

"So I installed the app," she says. "I wasn't really ready to date anyone, but I still craved connection. That's when I met Adam."

My arms tighten around her. I have to remind myself that she's inmybed right now.I'mthe one holding her and kissing her.

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