Page 125 of Locked in Wonderland

“Which are?”

“Sex and power.”

From everything I’d seen, that sounded about right. “And your leaving affects that?”

“The sex, no. But the power, yes.” He slipped his hands into his pockets. “Kellan likes knowing everything that’s happening in the family business. He just doesn’t like doing the work required to know it. Queenie and Henry looked to me instead, and he resented that. Not enough to earn the position himself, but enough that it ate away at him. Now he doesn’t have to compete with me.”

“So he’s gone?”

“He’s gone.”

Something loosened in my chest. “And they’ll let us get on the boat?”

The tiniest of shrugs. “We’ll find out soon enough.”

They did let us on the boat, Nico breezing through security with barely a word exchanged, with me in tow. The crossing to Wonderland had buzzed with excitement. This trip felt entirely different. Most people looked exhausted. I supposed nonstop partying would do that to a person. At least it meant I blended in.

We stayed on deck while the last few passengers boarded, both of us watching the main exit in silence. Nico might have dealt with Kellan, but Queenie and Henry could still decide we weren’t going anywhere.

When the boat finally pulled away from shore without anyone stopping us, Nico took my hand and led me below deck. I struggled with the warm feelings it evoked before giving in to them. Of course, I had feelings for him. We might have had a somewhat unconventional start, to put it mildly, but he’d proved himself repeatedly.

He led me into a small bathroom that, judging by how empty it was, belonged to the staff rather than the passengers. After locking the door, he turned toward me.

I closed the distance to kiss him, happy to express my gratitude in a language I knew he spoke fluently.

He held me back with a hand against my chest. “You might want to take a look at yourself in the mirror first.”

I did. What stared back at me was worse than I’d imagined. Blood had dried inside my nostrils and streaked across my face in rusty smears. A dark purpling bruise stretched from my left eye to my forehead, and a jagged cut covered most of my cheek. I looked like I’d gone twelve rounds in a boxing ring and lost every one of them.

No wonder he’d stopped me. I wouldn’t have wanted to kiss me either.

Nico had already filled the sink with warm water. I didn’t understand why until he backed me gently against the wall and approached with a damp paper towel.

I reached for it. “I can do it.”

He ignored my hand. “Hold still.”

I didn’t have much choice, his hand already gripping my chin while he carefully wiped away the dried blood.

“I can do it,” I repeated, though with considerably less conviction, as the paper towel passed over the cut, making it sting.

His face hovered inches from mine. It reminded me just how unfairly handsome he was. I’d noticed that from the first moment I’d met him, even if I’d refused to admit it because of Warren.

“If I could have stopped him from hitting you, I would’ve,” he said.

“I know.”

He paused, searching my face. “Do you?”

I met his gaze. “I do now.”

He returned to cleaning my face, the water in the sink turning steadily pinker each time he rinsed the paper towel. He was gentler than I expected.

“I can’t believe you let me walk through Wonderland like this,” I said. “You could’ve at least given me a handkerchief or something.”

“It served a purpose.” He dabbed at my cheek with practiced care. “It made you look more like my captive and less attractive. I didn’t want Kellan remembering what you looked like before.”

“Are you trying to say you like the way I look?” I said flirtatiously. “You can say it. There’s only the two of us here, and I won’t tell anyone.”