Page 31 of Of Lies and Shadows

She doesn’t look like a nanny. She looks like somethingout of a dream I never let myself have.

And I’m fucked. So deeply, stupidlyfucked.

“You’re coming?” she asks, her eyes drifting over me with the kind of appreciation that does dangerous things to a man’s self-control.

“I’m creating memories,” I say, then glance down at my daughter gripping her hand. “You look like a princess.”

Lucia beams, giving a proud little twirl as her skirt flutters around her knees. The flower crown on her head slips slightly, but she doesn’t care. She's glowing.

I shift my gaze to Alessio, arching a brow. “You didn’t put up a fight?”

He grins, all mischief and missing teeth. “Nope. I’m an undercover pirate.” He flashes the folded black eye patch tucked into his tuxedo pocket like it’s classified intel.

I huff out a quiet laugh that I can't help and glance back at Alice.

She shrugs, guiltless and stunning, her lips curving into a soft, sheepish smile. “I did what I could to get him into a tux.”

And just like that, the air shifts again. Lighter. Softer.

If I’m not careful, I’ll start to believe this,us, could be more than an ephemeral illusion.

“You look beautiful,” I say, low and rough.

It comes out grittier than I intended, and I’m not even sure why my voice sounds like that—like I’ve been chewing glass and swallowing fire.

And beautiful?That’s blasphemy. It doesn’t come close.

“Oh.”

Her cheeks flush pink—actually flush—and I think it’sthe first time I’ve seen her blush. It’s fucking mesmerizing. It draws even more attention to her sharp cheekbones, the curve of her jaw, and the way her lips part just slightly like she’s surprised I said it.

“Well… thank you,” she says, tucking a loose curl behind her ear. “I didn’t really have anything to wear for something like this, so I ordered the dress from some cheap, dodgy website. It’s not real satin, and the fit isn’t great, but I figured—hey, I’m just the nanny. I get a pass.”

Just the nanny… right. That’s what she is, and I’d forgotten it for a moment.

“Well,” I murmur, stepping in again. “You look like far more than the nanny tonight.”

She lifts an eyebrow, still a little flustered. “Oh yeah? And what exactly do I look like?”

Mine.

The thought hits hard and fast, possessive and primal, and I step back before I do something even dumber than saying it out loud.

The car ride is only twenty minutes, but it feels like a lifetime.

Lucia grabs my hand, claiming it like it’s the most natural thing in the world. It warms my chest in a way I wasn’t expecting—seeing her less wary, more open. I’m not sure if she’s changed because of Alice or if I’ve softened because of her too. But I suspect it’s a little bit of both. And I have to admit… I love that.

Alessio jabbers excitedly beside her, flipping between pirate accents and elaborate plans to steal imaginary treasure. Alice is seated beside me, too close and yet notclose enough, her perfume subtle and sweet, threading itself into the air and pulling something tight in my chest.

Our thighs brush with every bump in the road, and I should move.I should, but I don’t. Neither does she. And the silence between us buzzes with something neither of us acknowledges.

Lucia leans into me, her little body warm and trusting, and I feel her small hand squeeze two of my fingers. Alice watches from the corner of her eye, a softness there I don’t have words for.

I catch her watching. She looks away.

It’s quiet for just a second.

Then Alessio kicks the back of the driver’s seat with a wild whoop. “Captain Forzi, prepare for docking!”

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