Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 95049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
I nod in understanding.
“I’m just glad you were here,” Dani says, reaching over and squeezing my shoulder. “Lorenzo has cameras around the main area, but he might not have thought to check them.”
“What?” I glance around. “There are cameras in the house?”
“Of course,” Peyton says. “We all have them. In the living room, kitchen, hallways. Not in the bedrooms or bathrooms, but there are cameras outside, surrounding the entrances. You can never be too safe. Dominick has a security team that oversees our property, but only Dominick has access to the ones inside our home.”
“Matteo has live access to ours,” Dani adds. “And I’m sure Lorenzo does as well. If I know my brother, he’s already pulled up the footage and sent it to the agency to make sure she’ll never nanny again.”
“As he should,” Nicole adds. “I’m not a mom, but even I know that what she did was uncalled for. When I was little, I touched the hot stove, and my mother smacked my hand away to ensure I wouldn’t hurt myself. But what that bitch did … smacking a baby’s hand because he wanted to feed himself, is unacceptable.”
Everyone nods in agreement.
Since Leo is passed out, I hand him over to Dani, who assures me that once he wakes up, she’ll feed him, and I reluctantly give him a soft kiss on the crown of his head and let him go.
“Want to do the measurements?” I ask Bri once Dani is gone.
“That would be great. I’m excited to see what you come up with. And before you argue, I will be paying you.”
“I won’t argue,” I say with an awkward laugh. “I need the money.”
“Speaking of which,” Peyton adds, “I just texted Dominick, and he said you can come by this afternoon for an interview. It’s at Hotel Blu. It’s an underground casino, so you’ll go to the front desk and ask for Franco. He’s the casino manager. If he thinks you’re a good fit, you’re hired. And since it’s locked down, you’ll be safe.”
“Oh my God, thank you!” I give Peyton a hug. “I really appreciate it.”
If I can get this job, it will mean padding my bank account for next semester. I only have two semesters to go, and then I’ll be a college graduate—another step in the right direction for my future.
14
Lorenzo
“I’m sorry, Mr. Russo. I can assure you that Mrs. Frederick has been removed from our agency, but unfortunately, we don’t have another nanny who fits your criteria. We are severely short-staffed, and nannies are in high demand.”
I sigh into the phone. “Okay, just let me know once one becomes available again, please.”
I hang up and stare down at my laptop screen. It’s frozen in place where Vanessa grabbed Leo from his high chair and told off the shitty nanny.
When I watched it and saw her smack my son’s hand, I damn near saw red. But then watching Vanessa defend my son, the way she held him, ensuring he was protected, had me feeling shit I had no right to feel.
I glance down at my wedding band and roll it around my finger. If the circumstances were different, if Vanessa wasn’t fifteen years my junior, if she hadn’t drugged me … I could see myself with her. And that’s why when she offered to nanny for Leo, I said no. Because I can’t let her infiltrate herself into our life any more than she already has.
Her living in my home, us being married—it’s temporary. And Leo has already grown attached to her.
I saw it in the way he clung to her. She told me everything was fine, but the truth is, when I watched a playback of the video, he didn’t want my sister. He wanted Vanessa. And I can’t blame him. She’s beautiful and sweet and soft, and she might not be ready to be a mom, but she’s so damn nurturing. If I were him, I’d cling to her too.
“Fuck.” I click out of the video and run my fingers through my hair in frustration.
I’ve been trying like hell to avoid Vanessa, but the woman is everywhere.
“Mr. Russo,” my assistant says, popping her head into my office. “Matteo Antonov is here to see you.”
“Send him in, please.”
Matteo strolls through the doorway and drops into the visitor seat.
“You look like shit,” he says, never one to mince words.
“Thanks.”
He chuckles. “Dani told me what happened with the nanny.”
“Yeah. I sent a recording of it to the agency and had her fired.”
“Good.”
My phone dings with an alert, letting me know that someone is either entering or leaving my condo, and since my sister and her friends all left a while ago, I click on it to make sure Vanessa is okay. I catch her out in the hall with a guard, heading to the elevator.