Page 115 of The Serpent's Bride
I covered my laugh quickly while Sienna gasped in delight. By the time we arrived, I realized something was very wrong. The parking lot was empty. Completely empty.
I turned slowly toward Leo. “What did you do?”
“Nothing.” He shrugged.
“You’re lying again.”
He calmly opened my car door. “I made a quick phone call so we could have some privacy.”
The second we walked through the entrance gates, my suspicions were confirmed. No crowds. No screaming children. No lines. Just nervous-looking employees scattered everywhere pretending not to stare at Leo like he might murder them if the giraffes disappointed him.
“Oh my God,” I whispered. “You shut down the entire zoo?”
Leo looked genuinely confused why this surprised me. “I wanted privacy.”
“You cannot close an entire zoo for a six-year-old,” I hissed.
“Apparently I can.” He smirked. “Because I did just that.”
Sienna grabbed both our hands before I could continue arguing. “LOOK!”
She practically dragged us toward the giraffes, bouncing excitedly between us while Leo allowed himself to be manhandled by a child one-tenth his size. I stared at him the entire time.
At the way he slowed his stride automatically for her shorter legs. The way he listened seriously to every ridiculous thing she said. The way he bought her plush animals without hesitation every single time she stared at one too long.
Worst of all? He looked happy. Not pretending. Actually happy. It unsettled me more than violence ever had.
The zoo staff practically tripped over themselves catering to us. We fed giraffes leafy greens from a private platform overlooking the enclosure while Sienna squealed every time one of the enormous animals leaned down toward her. Leo stood behind her the entire time, one large hand steady against her back so she wouldn’t tumble over in excitement.
At one point, Sienna shoved lettuce toward him dramatically. “You do it!”
“I’m not feeding a horse with a longer neck,” Leo grunted.
“It’s not a horse!”
“Suspiciously similar,” Sergio spoke up from behind us. Some things never changed, and Leo always kept him close for protection.
I laughed so suddenly I nearly startled myself. Leo’s eyes flicked toward me at the sound. His expression softened in a way that made my pulse stumble embarrassingly hard.
Later, he bought us oversized paper cups overflowing with warm cinnamon sugar churros. Sienna ended up with powdered sugar all over her cheeks and somehow managed to getchocolate syrup on Leo’s black coat. I froze when it happened. Sienna froze too. The entire world seemed to stop breathing.
Then Leo calmly looked down at the stain before deadpanning, “I suppose being clean is inappropriate in front of children.”
Sienna burst into horrified giggles while relief nearly made my knees weak. Even I laughed. And God help me, Leo looked pleased by it.
By afternoon, Sienna had somehow acquired enough gifts to fill an entire toy store. Plush animals. A zoo sweatshirt three sizes too big. Candies she absolutely did not need. A ridiculous sparkly toy tiara Leo pretended to hate while still buying right away.
“You spoil her,” I told him quietly while Sienna ran ahead toward the aquarium tunnels.
Leo watched her with an unreadable expression. “Nobody spoiled me.”
Something about the way he said it made my chest ache. The final stop of the day was the reptile house. Sienna stopped dead outside the entrance.
“Nope.” She shook her head vehemently. Her tiny hand tightened around mine. “Not that one.”
Leo crouched beside her calmly. “Still scared of snakes?”
“A little.” She squirmed uncomfortably.
