Page 27 of Undeniably Corrupt (Boston’s Irresistible Billionaires #7)

I ’m staring at three monitors of code while I try to write a new software program that will cut corners for me when my work phone buzzes against my glass desk.

The caller ID reads Monroe Building Daycare, which throws me.

Liora has her work phone forwarded to mine since she’s at her clinical, and Champagne is down on the fifth floor today dealing with a marketing issue.

For a split second, I consider not answering. What business would I have with the daycare? But then I remember Liora dropped Hazel off there before her clinical this morning. Shit.

“Vander Moore,” I answer.

“Oh, Mr. Moore. I’m sorry. I was trying to reach Liora James.”

“Yes, she’s my assistant and is out of the office right now. Her calls are forwarded to me.”

“I’m sorry to bother you, sir. This is Bethany from the building daycare. I’m calling about Hazel James.”

I sit up straighter, a flash of alarm racing through me. “Is something wrong?”

“She has a fever of 101.2 along with a runny nose and a slight cough. The daycare policy states she needs to be picked up within an hour. We’ve tried reaching Liora, but?—”

“Liora’s at a clinical rotation today. And often when she’s there, she doesn’t hear or see her phone.”

I check the time: 8:47. Liora won’t be done until noon at the earliest.

“Um. Okay. But we need someone to come and pick Hazel up. Is there a father or someone else we should try? She doesn’t have anyone listed as an emergency contact.”

Of course she doesn’t.

I haven’t seen or talked to Liora since Thursday when I bought her clothes and then smelled my fucking bodywash on her skin.

For every step I take toward her, I’ve been forcing myself to take two back, and that’s what I’ve done.

All weekend, I kept my distance even if I did occasionally watch them at the house on my security cameras.

I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose.

“Mr. Moore?”

I realize I’ve been silent too long. “I’ll be down in ten minutes.”

“Um…”

“It’s okay. Liora and Hazel are mine and live with me.”

I end the call and stare at the lines of code I was writing. I can do this at home as easily as I can do it here, which I guess is a good thing because I’m about to pick up Liora’s sick kid and take her home. This should be interesting.

With a sigh, I close the windows and engage my custom lock screen.

CEO by day, hacker by... also day in this case.

Just not the type of hacker anyone expects, though Liora certainly figured it out.

I send a quick message to Champagne letting her know I’m going to be working from home for the rest of the day, pack up my stuff, and head downstairs.

I’ve only been to the daycare once during the building tour five years ago when I bought the place and moved us from our other location.

The daycare is a bright, overstimulating explosion of primary colors and cartoon animals painted on walls.

A security door requires people to be buzzed in, and I press the button and look into the camera.

“Mr. Moore.” A young woman approaches me. “I’m Bethany. We spoke on the phone. Thank you for coming so quickly. I hope you know this isn’t standard procedure for us.”

“It’s fine. I promise you. I can sign whatever you need me to sign. Where’s Hazel?” I ask, scanning the room. There are five rooms off the main registration area, but no kids are out here.

“She’s right over here. We’ve kept her isolated since we noticed the fever. Her backpack is with her. Her temperature has fluctuated between 101 and 102. No vomiting or diarrhea, but her nose seems to be pretty runny, and she’s started coughing.”

I nod but already plan to call Stone and Liora the moment I leave here, though I don’t want to upset Liora. She already missed a day of clinical after she was attacked, and I know she can’t miss more.

“Hazel,” Bethany calls softly as another worker brings her out of a room. “Look who’s here to take you home.”

No one knows Liora or Hazel live with me, but I’ve officially let that cat out of the bag.

Not the best thing to have done, but what choice did I have?

If Bethany thinks it’s odd that I’m picking Hazel up and referred to her and Liora as mine, she isn’t letting on.

Hazel looks up, her normally bright blue eyes dull, and her cheeks flushed bright red with fever.

Recognition flickers across her face, followed immediately by uncertainty and disappointment.

In the week she’s lived in my house, our interactions have been minimal at best.

“Mr. Vander?” Her voice is small and scratchy, and she pronounces words by putting Ws as almost every other letter.

“Hey, kiddo,” I say, approaching her with my best rendition of a warm, comforting smile. “Your mom is at the hospital helping people, so I’m going to take you home.”

Her lower lip trembles. “I want Mommy.”

“I know.” I want your mommy, too . Sigh. I push that away and kneel so I’m her height. “She’ll come home as soon as she can, okay?”

Hazel clutches her worn stuffed rabbit to her chest. It’s missing an eye and most of one ear. The thing should have been replaced ages ago, but she loves it.

“Can I pick you up?”

She eyes me, clearly still unsure about me, and who can blame her? Finally she nods, and I lift her into my arms and hold her against my chest. And wow, does she feel warm.

“Thanks,” I say to Bethany as she hands me Hazel’s pink Princess Peach backpack, and I head toward the exit holding Hazel.

I rode my bike in today, but Liora drove the Porsche I got her and then took the T over to MGH.

Thankfully, I have an extra set of keys for it with me.

“I’m going to call Mommy from the car,” I explain.

“Your body is hot, and unlike nearly everyone else in my life, I’m not a doctor and have no idea what to do to help you feel better. ”

The walk to the private elevator bank is mercifully brief, and Hazel rests her head against my shoulder. My hand automatically comes up to hold her, my palm flat against her back where I can feel her rapid heartbeat.

I remember when Rory was this size, and if I can’t get in touch with Stone or Liora, I’m definitely calling Owen. I’m good at hanging out with kids. I even like them. But sick kids are off my radar, and this one barely knows me.

I reach the car and get her buckled into her car seat. The car starts up with a soft purr, and I call Liora, not surprised when her phone rings twice and goes to voicemail. Hazel whimpers when she hears it .

“It’s okay, kiddo. I’ll take good care of you until your mommy comes home.”

With a sniffly sigh that seems too world-weary for someone barely past her second birthday, Hazel looks out the window and leaves me to it.

It hits me rather bluntly just how hard Liora has had it.

How long she’s been doing this on her own with little to no resources.

She may be a sexy pain in my ass, but any reservations I had about her working for me and moving into my house are gone.

As I pull out of the garage, Stone picks up. “This better be good. We’ve got two traumas about to roll in.”

“Hey. I have Liora’s?—”

He groans. “Dude, for real? Your obsession with this woman?—”

“One, you’re in zero place to judge obsession, and two, I have her daughter , Hazel, with me, and you’re on speakerphone.”

“Oh. Why? What’s up?”

“I need a sick kid consultation.”

“Give me the bullet.”

“Two-and-a-half-year-old with a fever between 101 and 102, who seems to have a stuffy nose and a slight cough.”

There’s a pause. “Any shortness of breath or lethargy? Is she up to date on her vaccines? Is she eating and drinking okay?”

“Not that I can tell, and how on earth would I know that? I’m going to say yes to being up to date on vaccines since she’s Liora’s, but I have no clue about the eating and drinking stuff since I just picked her up.”

“Look at you, Daddy Vander,” Stone teases, and I can hear the smirk in his voice. “Playing house is just so cute and domestic for you.”

“Can you help or not?” I snap, instantly regretting my tone when Hazel flinches in the back seat.

“Any other symptoms? Rash? Vomiting? Diarrhea? ”

“No. It seems to be just this, and she’s barely coughed.”

Except as I say that, naturally, she starts to cough.

“It’s a little wet, but nothing bad,” Stone notes. “It’s probably viral, but it could be a million things—a cold, the flu, or early stages of something else like an ear infection or strep throat. Without seeing her, I can’t say for sure. Has she had any medication today?”

“No. Not that I know of. They just had me come down and pick her up.”

“Did you call your girlfriend—I mean her mother?”

Fucker.

“She’s working. I called her, but she didn’t pick up. I’ll text her and let her know what the deal is and that I’m taking Hazel home.”

“Home. I love that.”

“Stop being a di—jerk,” I finish, dragging a hand across my bristly jaw as we come to a stoplight. “It’s not like that, and you know it.”

“Actually, I don’t. Not even a little. I think it’s exactly like that.

In fact, I hope it is. We all do. You just haven’t faced it yet.

I’m only messing with you because I want you to wake up and see this for what it is and what it should be.

” Before I can rebuke any of that, he continues with, “Keep her hydrated with things like water, juice, or Pedialyte, but avoid dairy for now. If Liora’s okay with it, she can have children’s ibuprofen and acetaminophen.

Give her ten to fifteen milligrams per kilogram. ”

“What the what now?”

“The dosing is on the box. Just read the box. Alternate them if the fever stays up. Call me if she develops any new symptoms or if the fever goes above 103.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it, unless you want to bring her here to the ER and have her wait. It’s a full house today, and she’s non-emergent. ”