Nico
I carefully arranged the dishes across Alaric's dining table before placing the bottle of wine I brought beside the plates along with two crystal wine glasses.
Beneath the warm lighting of the penthouse, the food looked good enough to belong in one of Monaco's expensive restaurants instead of something I cooked because of a ridiculous bet.
The rich scent of garlic butter, rosemary, and parmesan still lingered throughout the apartment while the Monaco skyline glowed softly beyond the massive windows overlooking the city.
Once I finished setting the table properly, I removed the apron and tossed it neatly over one of the kitchen stools before leaving the dining area in search of Alaric's bedroom.
I eventually found it near the left side of the hallway, the door already slightly open as though he had been too exhausted to close it completely before collapsing onto the bed again.
The moment I stepped quietly inside, my entire body slowed.
He was still asleep.
