Page 22 of Bully Wolf’s Nanny (Silvermist Wolves #1)

“And you still haven’t heard from Nicolas?” Amelia asked, licking the ice cream from her spoon.

Daisy’s head fell down to the table and she let out a groan. “No.”

“I’ve gotta admit, that’s kind of surprising.” Amelia’s finger tapped an angry staccato against the cheap plastic of the diner table. “I would have thought he’d race back, all angry and protective over you. Isn’t that what most shifter alphas do?”

“It’s not…that’s not…shifters only get like that with their people. It’s not just sex. There has to be genuine emotion.”

Amelia snorted. “Even if he wasn’t a shifter, after what that bitch said to you, I’m amazed he hasn’t said anything even as your employer. It’s fucking rude.”

Daisy sighed, lifting her head to look at her friend.

The previous night Felix had asked if there was anyone she wanted him to call, and Amelia was the only person she could think of.

Her friend, her sweet amazing incredible friend, had booked a cab then and there for the morning.

She had arrived and enveloped Daisy in a massive hug, and after dropping Thea off at school, they had brought Gracie along with them to the local diner for ice cream and a chat.

Francesca was still sulking in her room back at the house.

“Give him a break, he’s got a lot going on. The last thing he needs is me being needy. I’m a professional. So what if Francesca said some mean stuff? She was just angry. She didn’t mean it.”

“She’s a fucking bitch.”

“Amelia!”

“No, I’m sorry Daisy, but even you can’t possibly sit there and justify her actions to me. You were just trying to help her, and she insulted you in front of everyone! I mean, who does that?”

“She had just had a drink thrown on her—"

“Then she should have yelled at the person who threw the drink! Not at you. And as for Nicolas, any decent person would have sent a bunch of flowers by now, and he’s not even sent you a measly text. You deserve better, Daisy, you really do.”

“I know,” Daisy sighed, wiping some melted ice cream from the side of Gracie’s joyous little face, “I know! That’s why I’ve got to get out of here. I mean, Thea loves it, but we don’t have to move far! I just want to get out of that house and away from…away from him .”

“Then quit.”

“I can’t just quit!”

“Why not? Because you slept with him?”

“No! That has nothing to do with it, I just…I can’t just abandon Gracie like that. I need to know she’s going to be okay.”

“Not with that harpy as a mother.”

“Amelia,” Daisy chided softly, although even she couldn’t help but agree.

Just last week, she had had to stop Francesca from feeding Gracie strawberries because she was allergic, and she had been so sure she’d warned Francesca of that before.

She could never imagine forgetting something so important like that.

Amelia leaned back, her gaze hard as she stared out the window at the passers-by. “And you’re sure this Felix told him what happened?”

“Of course he did!”’

“Were you there?”

“Well, no…but he said he’d call once I’d left. I believe him.”

“Why?”

“Because Felix is…good. Honest. He wouldn’t lie to me.”

“No offense, Daisy, but you can be really naive sometimes,” Amelia said, leaning forward with narrowed eyes.

“What is there to be naive about?”

“Well, it’s as you say. Nicolas is busy in New York with a massively important business deal. If you were his best friend, would you tell him some news that would no doubt make him drop everything and run to Silvermist in a blind rage?”

“He wouldn’t drop everything—"

“ Or would you try and sort it out yourself?”

Daisy chewed her lip, mulling over Amelia’s words. True, even if Nicolas didn’t come back, if he’d heard what Francesca did, how she acted, she would have expected him to at least have messaged by now.

But it had been radio silence.

And then there was Felix and Rick’s half-conversation about e-mails and plans in motion. She still didn’t understand fully what they had been talking about, but…it definitely seemed like they were plotting something. Something to do with Francesca.

She shook her head. No, no she couldn’t go there. She wouldn’t let herself hope.

“It doesn’t matter,” Daisy said. “Yes, Francesca’s words were hurtful. But I’ve had worse. Nicolas himself was ten times worse to me at school—" Her eyes widened as she realized her mistake, but it was too late. Amelia’s eyes had gone as wide as saucers, her mouth falling open in shock.

“Wait a minute, Nicolas was the guy who bullied you at school? The one who you ended up…oh my God!!! ”

“Please keep your voice down,” Daisy begged, whipping her head around to make sure nobody was listening, “shifters have superior hearing—"

“Oh my actual fucking God, Daisy!”

“Please, shhh,” Daisy grasped Amelia’s hands, squeezing them tight, “please, please, please! You can’t tell anyone!”

“He’s Thea’s father ?”

“Amelia, I am begging you, if you have any love for me whatsoever, you’ll please be quiet —"

“Oh, it all makes so much sense now,” Amelia interrupted, “why you’re so torn up over him! Why you agonized over sleeping with him! It wasn’t because he’s your boss, it’s because the two of you—"

Daisy couldn’t stop herself. She reached forward, clapping her hand over Amelia’s mouth. Gracie gurgled in delight, laughing uproariously at their actions.

“Yes, okay? Yes, it’s him. No, he doesn’t know. No, I’m not going to tell him. And neither are you!”

Amelia shoved Daisy’s hands away, her face the very picture of incredulity. “Daisy, you can’t be serious! You have to tell him!”

“No, I really don’t.”

“Yes, you really do! What are you going to do when he finds out, when someone else tells him?”

“Nobody’s going to tell him!”

“Then he’ll work it out! It’s only going to get more obvious!”

“Which is precisely why I have to leave.”

Amelia groaned, raking her fingers through her hair, shaking her head slightly as she searched for whatever words she thought might change Daisy’s mind. But it was no use. Daisy loved Amelia like a sister, she really did. But nothing Amelia could say would make her change her decision.

With a sharp exhale through her nose, Amelia nodded once, stabbing her spoon back into her ice cream with slightly more force than was necessary.

“For the record, I think you’re making a mistake. I think you should tell him about Thea.”

“If he reacts badly,” Daisy said, her voice miserable, “he might try and take her from me. And what hope would I have? He has billions, not to mention a whole pack behind him. I would lose her.”

Amelia’s eyes softened, and she reached forward to take Daisy’s hand.

“I can see why you’re scared. I would be, too.

But this kind of secret doesn’t stay buried, and I don’t think Nicolas will just let you go.

Better you tell him on your terms. And if it goes wrong, you can always come to me.

Nobody’s getting to you or Thea in my house. Not even a bloody werewolf.”

Daisy laughed, but it turned into a sob, and Amelia sighed and reached forward to wipe away her tears.

“We’re not werewolves,” Daisy said through a sniffle, “that’s a reductive stereotype pedaled by—"

“D-list screenwriters for crappy Netflix shows. Yes, I know. Now come on, I’ve got to get back to work, but let’s finish this ice cream first, okay?”

“Okay,” Daisy offered her a watery smile. “Thank you so much for coming to visit me. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”

“It’s absolutely fine,” Amelia smiled, “and I mean it. My door is always open. No matter what.”

***

That evening, the girls had eaten their dinner with limited fuss, much to Daisy's delight. If there was any day she could use their cooperation, it was definitely today.

“That was delicious, Mommy,” announced Thea, bouncing slightly in her seat, dark hair pulled back into a ponytail, “can I go out and play with the others now? We’re building a fort in the woods!”

“Will Felix be there?”

“Yeah! He’s going to teach us how to make a rope-swing!”

“Then yes you may, after you finish your dessert.”

“Can’t she go now?” Francesca asked as she waltzed into the kitchen, heading straight for the wine cooler.

Daisy’s teeth shut with a sharp click.

“No, that’s okay,” Thea said, her gaze cautious as she looked between them. “I’d like dessert, please.”

Daisy smiled at her daughter, who offered her a nervous one back.

Thea was never at ease when Francesca was around.

She was always pointing out how muddy Thea was, how messy, how noisy.

Daisy tried her best to keep them separate, but it was just another reason why she needed to get out of the house.

She refused to let Thea grow up around a woman who would constantly tear her down.

“Fine,” Francesca said, as if it were her place to dictate what Thea could and couldn’t do.

Not for the first time, Daisy’s wolf growled at the affront to her child.

“I made cobbler,” said Daisy, fetching two bowls. “Gracie’s just having the fruit puree I made to go into it. She’s still too small for—"

“Whatever,” Francesca waved her hand and sipped on her chardonnay, although her eyes tracked Daisy’s movements like a hawk. Daisy swallowed under the scrutiny, not missing the slight twitch upwards of Francesca’s mouth as she got the cobbler and fruit puree out of the fridge.

It was as if the previous evening had never happened.

By the time Daisy got back from seeing Amelia, Francesca was floating about the house in one of her designer dresses, issuing orders to the gardeners like some queen on a throne.

She barely acknowledged Daisy’s presence except for a slight narrowing of her eyes, and Daisy was grateful.

She didn’t want to talk about what had happened.

She certainly didn’t expect any kind of apology.

“Here you go,” Daisy placed the bowl of cobbler in front of Thea and ruffled her hair, before sitting down by Gracie’s highchair to feed her spoonfuls of the homemade puree.

Gracie banged her hands against the tray in delight, opening her mouth wide enough that Daisy could see the baby teeth just starting to peek through the gums.

“Family recipe, is it?” Francesca asked lightly, and Daisy turned to her in surprise.

“No, not really. Just something I’ve been making since I was younger. It’s lovely by itself, or to go into cobblers or on top of ice cream or—"

“Yes, yes,” Francesca snapped, “I’m sure it’s delicious.”

“I…I can get you some if you’d like?” Daisy asked hesitantly, feeding Gracie another spoonful.

Francesca rolled her eyes. “Do I look like I eat cobbler?”

“No,” Daisy said, blushing and looking away.

Gracie was making a funny face, scrunching her little nose, her arms waving about.

“Say, what’s in the recipe?” Francesca asked, examining her nails.

“Um, well anything can go into it, raspberries, blueberries…”

Gracie let out a shrieking wail, her face turning red. Daisy reared back, her mind going blank with shock. Gracie heaved, vomit coating her front, her eyes watering. She gasped in a few breaths before wailing again, the sound thick and constricted.

“Gracie!” Francesca cried, racing towards her daughter, shoving Daisy out the way. “Strawberries! You put strawberries in the puree!”

Daisy’s mind went blank, her throat closing up.

No. No she hadn’t, she wouldn’t! Gracie was allergic to strawberries! If there were strawberries in the puree, that would mean…

“We have to call an ambulance,” Daisy choked out, staggering to her feet. “I’ll call an ambulance!”

“Mommy,” Thea said, her voice small, “Mommy, my tummy hurts!”

Daisy whipped towards her daughter to find her face screwed up in pain, her hands cradling her stomach.

Because Thea was also allergic to strawberries.