Page 20 of The Nanny and the Don

“Need me for what? The kids? I asked if you got me fired because you needed a nanny and you didn’t even have the decency to be honest. Tell me the truth, because I know touching you wasn’t enough of a reason for me to lose my job.

Brendan tried to tell me that’s just the way you are, but I’m not buying it.

You had only been there twice. We only spoke briefly when you asked if that place was the end of the line for me or if I had other aspirations.

I told you I was in school. Was that the reason you wanted me fired?

Because I was only planning to be there temporarily.

Was I not giving you enough play? You left me a thousand-dollar tip both nights.

Tell me something, because I didn’t think I did anything wrong.

If you hate me so much, why did you bring me here to be the kids’ nanny?

Tell me that and be honest with me. Why did you get me fired? Why the hell am I here?” I quizzed.

He moved, closing the space between us until he was standing close enough for me to feel his body heat.

In that moment, I was certain that this was exactly the moment that I would die.

He reached out and just when I thought he would choke the life out of me, he cupped my face in his hands.

I was physically shaking as he glared down at me with the same intense stare that terrified me and wet my panties all at once.

“I’m aware that there are a thousand other nannies in the city, but I want you.

I don’t mean to intimidate you by staring, which is why I try so hard to keep my distance from you.

You’re so fucking pretty that I can barely stand to look at you.

I’m not doing anything because I hate you, beautiful.

Everything I do is because I think I love you.

I think I loved you the first time I saw you,” he confessed.

He said that, then crashed his lips into mine like a wave of passion and frustration wound into one thing.

I clawed at the back of his head, deepening our kiss as his tongue swept across mine.

My knees were weak as I held onto him for dear life.

This thing between us was tense and tender, fiery and all-consuming.

My hatred for him had gradually morphed into a puzzling whirlwind of emotions.

Suddenly his hands were on my shoulders, and he was pushing me away.

He stumbled back as if he was the one who had been shoved.

“I’m . . . that was a mistake,” he said, turning to walk away.

“Wait,” I called behind him, but there was no use.

“Good night, Devlan,” he said, never even bothering to look back.

Tears sprang up in my eyes as I made a dash for the stairs.

I didn’t stop running until I made it to the top.

My head was spinning as I stripped out of my clothes and dove into the bed.

Everything around here felt like a roller coaster ride.

All I ever wanted in life was stability. Why was that so hard to obtain?

By the forty-eighth hour of Mr. Gray hiding out in his bedroom and office, I was so angry that I went right up and pounded on his office door.

He didn’t get to kiss me then hide away like I was some kind of inconvenience or unwanted guest. I didn’t ask to be here.

Three weeks of being here with him had me going insane.

He was in complete control, but he acted like he was being forced to keep me here.

One minute he was cold and distant, then the next he was saying that he appreciated me for being here like I had a choice.

I didn’t know what kind of game he was playing, but I was tired of it.

If he was going to kill me when he found Brendan, then there was nothing for me to be afraid of now.

There was no use in delaying the inevitable, because this was torture.

The kids were asleep, and both Miguel and Sicily were gone for the day. No one else seemed to notice how he didn’t bother to show his face for two whole days. He didn’t get to kidnap me, give me all these mixed signals, and then just bail like nothing was going on between us.

I felt crazy for wanting some kind of validation that I wasn’t imagining things.

The man was no coward. I had no idea why he chose to hide out rather than to be honest with me and himself about whatever was going through that thick skull of his.

He was so infuriating. At the same time, something in me kind of missed him.

The door of his office swung open, and I swear whatever I had to say died on my lips when my eyes fell to his bare chest glistening with sweat. He must have been working out because he had a towel slung over his shoulder. He took a deep breath and stretched his eyes before his lips parted.

“How can I help you, Devlan?” he asked, waiting impatiently for me to speak.

Hearing his voice reminded me to take my eyes off his chest and put them on his face. That didn’t make it any better. The unexpected softness in his eyes unnerved me.

“Why are you hiding?” I asked him.

“I’m not hi?—”

“Don’t patronize me, Mr. Gray. Those kids miss you.

Don’t let whatever is going on in that big head of yours keep you from bonding with those sweet kids.

They didn’t do anything. They’re not the reason you run away from your feelings instead of manning up and facing them.

Don’t let your guilt from holding me hostage here keep you from facing us.

The least you could do is face me!” I fussed.

He kept his eyes on me but didn’t respond before I stormed into the kitchen to grab the bowl of fruit I planned to take upstairs with me.

There were plenty of drinks upstairs, but other than that I hadn’t thought to take food up or ask Sicily to get anything in particular for me to keep up there.

So far, anything I asked for came just as quickly as I could write it down on her shopping list notepad.

When I made it to the counter, I popped a piece of cantaloupe in my mouth.

It pissed me off that my eyes stung with tears.

What the hell was wrong with me? There was no reason for me to cry about my kidnapper ignoring me.

That should have been a good thing, but it didn’t feel like it.

I had so many questions and feelings to unpack.

Him avoiding me didn’t make it any better. What was that kiss about?

I yelped when a pair of huge hands snaked around my body.

I almost melted through the floor when he leaned down and pressed his lips into my neck.

Grabbing my hand off the counter, he pulled it behind me and ran it down the length of the rock-hard mass between his legs.

He growled into my ear instantly ruining my panties.

“You see what you do to me?” he asked in that cold, raspy voice.

“Hm? I can barely stand looking at you without losing my mind. I tried to do both of us a favor by staying away from you, but I can still feel you all over this damn house. Your energy is all over this place, and it’s so addicting that I feel like I can’t breathe with or without it.

I’ve been working out for two hours in there trying to burn enough energy to fall asleep without hearing you sing.

You make me crazy, Devlan. Is that what you want to hear? ” he grunted.

“Mmhm,” I confessed.

“I . . . am . . . trying . . . not . . . to . . . fuck . . . you, Devlan.” The way he enunciated each word set my body on fire.

I wanted so bad everything he was trying to resist. I wasn’t sure how to say that without sounding like a desperate whore.

The man had kidnapped me for God’s sakes.

Why the hell was I so attracted to him? “Do you understand that?” he asked me.

“Yes.” I nodded slowly.

“That’s the only thing I can think about when I’m close to you, and I know it’s not right. Tell me what you want from me, Devlan. I want you to be happy. Tell me what I have to do to please you.”

“Let me go,” I whispered.

Pressing his face against mine, he inhaled deeply before responding. “Anything but that.”

My body was on fire as he moved his hand down my stomach and shoved it into my panties. He didn’t stop until his fingers were slipping into my wetness and sweeping across my sensitive flesh.

“Do I do this to you?” he asked.

“Yes,” I hissed.

“Why do I make you so wet, Devlan?” he questioned.

“I don’t know,” I muttered.

“You do know. Tell me why I make you so wet, princess.”

“Because you’re mean and scary, and for some reason, I like you anyway.”

“How do you think I feel about that?” he asked, adding a little pressure as he made circles on my clit.

“Conflicted,” I whimpered, bracing myself by putting my hand on the counter.

“You’re driving me so fucking crazy. I’m doing everything I know to do to resist you, but no matter what I only want you more and more.”

He drug his hand back up my stomach before rubbing the dampness from my essence across my neck. I hissed when he ran his hot tongue against my neck and licked it off.

“I’ve wanted to taste your pussy since the first time we locked eyes,” he confessed.

“There’s so much shit I want to do to you.

I know better though. Having you here when you don’t want to be is bad enough.

Go upstairs, Devlan. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, lingering behind me for a second before backing up and walking away.

“I don’t want to,” I confessed, not sure if I meant that or not.

“Go, Devlan. I’m not doing this to you. Have a good night,” he said, walking away.

Yet again, he didn’t bother to try to take me upstairs. For the past few nights, he hadn’t taken me upstairs, but each time I checked the door it was locked. Apparently, he could lock the doors remotely.

“No,” I said, my voice trembling as I spoke.