Page 77 of Of Lies and Shadows

TheNanny Killjoy.

And I hate it because I put it there. Because I know what she really meant.

Remindherselfwho I am.

“I wasn’t trying to start a war,” I mutter.

“No,” she says without looking at me. “I think it just comes naturally to you.”

Lucia shifts in her arms, sniffling, her little face turning toward me. “He said mermaids aren’t real,” she whispers, lip trembling. “So I called him a booboo head and ran away, but he pushed me, and I fell.”

Is it a crime to plot the murder of a five-year-old?

“Did you get hurt?” I ask, already scanning her for bruises.

She nods solemnly and points to her knee. “Right here. But Cece used her mermaid magic,” she adds, like it’s obvious. “So it’s all good now.”

I look at Francesca. She meets my eyes for just a moment, and the ice in them softens just a little.

Maybe I can’t undo what I’ve done. But I can try not to make it worse.

“What do you want to do, sweetheart?” Francesca asks gently.

Lucia wipes her nose with the back of her hand and looks up at her. “Can I go play with Alessio? He protected me.”

That’s my boy.

I bite back the smile, keeping my expression flat so I don’t make things worse. No need to stroke Alessio’s ego any more than it already is, or Francesca’s temper, for that matter.

But Francesca throws me a look anyway. One of those subtle, loaded glances. She knows I approve. She sighs, shaking her head like I’m impossible.

“Sure,” she says, crouching beside Lucia and brushing a loose curl from her face. “You and your brave pirate can go play. I’ll tidy up here and be right with you.”

Lucia perks up immediately, planting a kiss on Francesca’s cheek before skipping off. I watch her go, chest tightening just a little.

She’s resilient, like her.

I clear my throat, suddenly unsure how to move my feet. “Do you have a minute?”

Francesca straightens, her hand frozen mid-wipe acrossthe counter. Her eyes meet mine, guarded. “Sure.”

I nod toward the hallway. “In the office.”

She gives a small nod and follows me without a word. I lead the way, every step feeling heavier than it should. Inside, I close the door quietly behind us. For a second, we just stand there.

I walk to my desk and open the drawer, pulling out the folder I’ve been holding onto for days. It’s not thick, just a few pages, but what it represents is heavy as hell. More than paper. It’s trust. A gesture I hope she’ll understand.

I set it in front of her with deliberate care.

She glances down, then back up at me. “What is this?”

“Legal paperwork,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady.

She opens it and flicks through a few pages, her brows knitting tighter with each one. Then she stops, her fingers still on the edge of the paper. “I don’t understand,” she murmurs. “I thought you already named me their guardian… if something happened to you.”

“I did.” I nod. “But I want to take it a step further. You already love them like they’re yours. Let’s make it official. Adopt them.”

Her movements slow. She closes the folder carefully and lays it back on the desk like it might break.

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