He looks around the room, confusion settling on his features. “What happened? Why are you on the floor?” Nico shoots to his feet. “Did he—”
“Nico, I’m fine,” I rush to say as I stand up. I rest my hands on his cheeks and force him to look at me. “I’m good. I promise.”
Nico leans into my palm. “I was dreaming, wasn’t I?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m sorry.” He pulls away from me, looking ashamed.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about,” I assure him. “We all have nightmares sometimes.”
“I don’t. Or at least, not in a long time.”
“It’s understandable that today would trigger them.”
“Is it?” he counters, heat in his tone. “I’ve spent years making sure that my childhood never caught up with me, yet here we are. Nicholi’s out there somewhere, probably fucking closer than we realize, and I’m in here having a nightmare like a fucking pussy.”
“Pity party much?” I tease. He only glares at me so I link my hand with his and drag him down the hall. “We’re going to bed. Things will look better in the morning.”
“There’s something wrong with this picture,” he mutters.
“What?”
I close the bedroom door once we’re both inside and then steer him to the bed and shove him down.
“You are never the chipper one.”
“You’re right, I’m not,” I agree. “So get some sleep so we can go back to our respective roles. Being upbeat is fucking exhausting.”
Finally, Nico smiles. “Yes, ma’am.”
He scoots to the opposite side of the mattress and burrows under the covers. I climb in beside him and when he rolls toward me and throws his arm over my stomach, I don’t move.
“Peppermint?”
“Yeah?”
“You called me cuore mio.”
“Did I?” I grin into the dark.
“You did.”
“My bad. It won’t happen again.”
“It will.”
“Go to sleep, Nico.”
“Peppermint?”
“What?” I groan.
“You’re not wearing any pants.” Nico yawns and shifts his arm a little higher. “And I can feel your nipples.”
My grin widens, but I harden my tone.
“Go. To. Sleep.”