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I sat bolt upright, ninety-nine percent sure I’d locked the damn thing. I hadn’t wanted to see anyone, least of all him.

“You can’t be in here,” I snapped, ignoring the energy crackling through the room.

The masked man took a step inside. “You invited me.” He took another step. “There’s no getting rid of me.” The door slipped closed. “What’s wrong?”

I huffed, tucking my legs against my chest, the Kindle squished against my boobs. “Nothing.”

Saint Nick crossed the room. I shrank back, but he didn’t come for me. He didn’t even touch me as he sat on the edge of the bed, although his knee did bump against the side of the armchair. Those midnight eyes focused on me through the slit in the ski mask.

“Talk.”

I shook my head. “I don’t have anything to say.”

Leaning forward, he offered me his hands. He didn’t force me or grab at mine. He waited.

And after a moment of hesitation, I slid mine into his.

Ink peeped around his right wrist, but his long-sleeved tee hid the design. There was a tan line around the fourth finger of his right hand. It could be a fraternity ring, but it was probably a status symbol in his criminal organization. Some flashy, ugly mafia token. Otherwise, he had long, thick digits, clean cut nails, with faint scars decorating his fingers and the backs of his hands.

Such strong hands.

They looked nice holding mine.

“You’re not someone who does things casually,” he observed.

My gaze snapped to his. How did he know?

“I know everything about you, Rosetta,” he continued, answering my unspoken thought. “I would never take advantage of that. You want to know this is real, so I’ll give you whatever commitment you need.”

“It’s just…the timing really sucks,” I protested. “I can’t be sneaking around with some guy.”

Immediately, I winced. That came out harsher than I’d meant it. But…it didn’t faze him.

His thumbs rubbed across my knuckles. “Let me take some of the burden off your plate.”

“Why? You don’t even know me,” I snapped and jerked my hands away. “You might know things. But you don’t know me!”

He held tight. “You’re scared.”

“That’s not true,” I huffed indigently.

He chuckled softly. “It is. Because I am too.”

My words turned breathless. “You are?”

He nodded once. “Why do you think I have the mask on?”

I snorted. “Because you’re kinky.”

A smile laced his words. “Yes, well, that’s partly true. It’s been fun. But I’m worried that if you know the truth about what I am, you’ll judge me based on that. I want a chance with you. This is the only way for us to get to know one another properly.”

That made a lot of sense. If he came over during regular hours, he wouldn’t find Rose. He would see a stressed-out mother who wouldn’t give him the time of day. Here, in the dead of night, we could just be us.

“Don’t run away from this before you give us a chance,” he urged softly.

I took several more breaths as I considered his proposal. “But it’s not about me. I have responsibilities—”

“As do I,” he said, cutting me off. “I wasn’t looking for anything, Rose. But when your grandmother asked me to help her with the elves, our paths crossed. I’m counting it as a stroke of fate that I met you.”