He stiffened. That was exactly what it did. Then he forced himself to relax. Monalisa had been brutally honest with him, laying her whole life out for him to judge. There was no reason he couldn’t share a little with her. Even if it meant revealing one of his most closely held secrets. “It does go into the hillside.”

She glanced over her shoulder. “For real?”

He nodded, then grabbed his towel to wipe the rest of the sweat off.

“Wow, that’s cool. So is it like a fallout shelter?” She grinned at him. “I want to be on your zombie apocalypse survival team.”

He laughed as he pulled his shirt on. “No, it is a vault. It’s for…” How much was he willing to tell her? If he wanted a future with her, everything. “I keep my hoard in there.”

Her face screwed up into a question. “Your hoard?”

“I am a dragon. We have hoards.”

“You mean like treasure?”

“Exactly like that.” He expected her eyes to light up or a big smile to come across her face. Clearly, he still had a lot to learn about Monalisa.

Because she frowned. “Oh.”

“You think that is a bad thing?”

She shrugged. “My father has a hoard. Not saying you’re anything like him, not at all, because you’re obviously not. It’s just…I don’t know. Great wealth has a way of making people do things they might not otherwise.” She gave him a brief smile. “Of course, for all I know, you could have a random stamp collection and an old Studebaker in there. Treasure is in the eye of the beholder, right?”

“No stamps. Or cars. Also, nothing that will change who I am. I promise. A dragon’s hoard is for times of need, to enable them to take care of those they love and need to protect. It is something we fiercely protect as well, but things will never outweigh the value of a person. Not for a dragon.”

Her smile returned. “That’s nice to hear. My father certainly doesn’t feel that way, but then, his hoard is pretty massive.”

“Mine is…” Showing her would be easier than explaining. He limped over and put his hand on the bio scanner. The laser read his print, then cogs turned and the locks clicked. When the last one sounded, he grabbed the handle and pulled the enormous door open.

The lights inside flickered on automatically.

Her mouth rounded in amazement. She blinked twice, then finally pointed at the space in front of her. “Now that is a hoard.”

Monalisa understood instantly what it meant that Van had shared this with her. He trusted her. It was a staggering revelation after all they’d been through. For him to put that sort of faith in her made her feel a little unworthy. And very, very lucky. “I won’t tell a soul about this. I promise.”

He nodded like he’d already known that. “You want to go in?”

More than she wanted to put a very expensive dinner on her father’s credit card. “Can I? I won’t touch anything.”

He laughed. “It is no fun if you don’t touch.” He tipped his head toward the vault. “Come. I will show you my favorite pieces.”

He held his hand out for her to go ahead of him. She walked in and took a look around. It was exactly what you’d imagine a dragon’s hoard might be. Piles of gold coins, chests full of bejeweled trinkets, shelves laden with gold and silver objects, crystal bowls overflowing with precious gems. Everywhere she looked, things sparkled back at her in the low light.

She did a slow turn, taking it all in. “How can you pick favorites?”

“They are the ones that have meaning beyond their value.” He walked to a glass case and stopped in front of it. “Like these.”

She joined him for a better look. “Fabergé eggs.” Three of them, each more spectacular than the next. “Of course you’d pick those. They’re Russian, like you.”

His eyes stayed on the treasures. “Yes, but these were also my mother’s.”

The significance of that hit her hard. He’d clearly had such a different childhood than she had. She looped her arm through his. “You must miss her very much.”

“I do. She was a remarkable woman.” He bent his head toward her. “Much like you.”

She let out a soft, quick laugh. “I’m not remarkable.”

“But you are. The burden you bear…many would have crumbled long before now. Or turned to the side of darkness. It would be easier, would it not?”

She thought about that. “Yes. If I was a team player and just happily went along with my father’s plans, he’d be thrilled. He might have even given me that stupid coin by now. But I can’t do that. I can’t even pretend. He’s so awful.”

“We will find a way to make you free. That is my promise to you.”

She smiled at him. “Thank you. I hope that can happen. I don’t know how much more of life under his thumb I can take.”

“It will happen. You will see.” He tugged her forward. “Come, I will show you the crown jewels of a kingdom that no longer exists.”

She followed him, but part of her was lost in the thought of what could be. If she actually got her freedom, she could do anything, go anywhere, be anything. Nocturne Falls would figure into all of those possibilities.

“This sapphire is nearly fifty carats and—”

“I want to move here.” She stared at him. “When I get free, I want to move to Nocturne Falls.”