Page 7 of Kingpin's Nanny

“Are you looking for a part-time position?” I ask, the words dripping with sarcasm. I’m being a bosshole, but I cannot have her not here. Ineedher close. “This is your monthly salary, Miss Harlow.” I turn my computer screen for her and poke my finger at the transfer acknowledgement that funds have arrived in her account.

“Oh!” Shock ripples over her. “That’s really generous. Thank you!”

Ha. I’ve won.

Her gratitude is evident, and I’ve bought the proximity of a woman I can’t have and who will torture my every waking hour.Well done, Lucas.

“But I just—” She smiles prettily, but sounds desperate to be away from me. Already. Fuck.

“You can have Christmas Day,” I snarl. That’s half a year from now. I’ll figure out some reason to keep her with me by then.

“Okay.” She steels herself, her spine straightening and her shoulders going back as she thinks about her options. It’s averylarge salary, well worth giving up her free time for. And she doesn’t have anywhere to go. “And Christmas Eve.”

I grit my teeth but give a terse nod. I admire her courage, even if I don’t like the result.

“Come and meet your new charge.” Rising from my seat, I cross the room and open the door for her. Nervously, she goes through, and I indicate the entrance to the lounge. She gets there a second before me.

I gravitate towards Bella, like she’s the opposite side of a magnet. We both reach for the handle at the same moment, and our hands touch.

I freeze. That momentary contact is a shock. Our gazes tangle and time slows down. I stare at this woman who is closer in age to my niece than she is to me, and I wonder what Bella Harlow would do if I propositioned her. She says she needs a new job immediately. What if I offered her marriage to me, and a credit card with Mrs Knight written on it and a limit larger than the national debt of most countries. Would she say yes, and let me feast on her pussy until she came on my face?

I withdraw my hand and flex it, attempting to get rid of the sensation of her skin. I cannot do this. However much I need her, my niece’s nanny is not for me.

“Mr Knight.”

“Lucas.” My voice is hoarse, and fuck, I shouldn’t have said that. “Ivy calls me Uncle Lucas.”

“I might not call you uncle,” she replies with a bright, teasing smile. After I was a complete prick to her, she’s still sweet and warm.

I don’t return it, keeping my features flat, with no hint of the turmoil inside me.

“Thank you for the trial period. I’ll take really good care of Ivy, I promise.”

“She needs to like you.” That’s the professional approach, right?

“The most important thing,” Bella agrees cheerfully. “If she enjoys cheesy jokes and bedtime stories, I think we’ll get along.”

This girl is a ray of sunshine. Ivy will worship her, albeit differently from the way I do.

I make a vague grunt in reply.

As we enter the lounge where I left Ivy, I’m careful to keep my distance.

Ivy looks up. She’s not colouring anymore, and instead is on the sofa with her toys.

“Uncle Lucas.” Her grey eyes, just like my sister’s and mine, slide between Bella and me, then stick on Bella, widening with interest.

No wonder. Bella is exactly the person a little girl wants as a mother figure. Beautiful. Long swishy hair. Clear skin and sparkling blue eyes.

“Hi!” Bella seems to know how to deal with this situation better than I do. “I’m Bella. I’ve heard so much about you, and I’m excited for us to meet. What are you playing?”

Ivy comes over all shy, ducking her head and peeking up at Bella.

“Unicorns,” she manages to say.

“Would you mind if I played with you?” Bella asks, kneeling so she’s on the floor next to the sofa, a bit below Ivy.

I have the perfect excuse to watch Bella for a while. I’m checking that she’s a good fit for Ivy—as though that’s in doubt.