Nanny for the Alien Lord by Tammy Walsh

Belle

I leaned forward,suddenly feeling light-headed.

It was a good thing my manager, Mr. Sel, asked me to take a seat before our meeting happened as I would have passed out on the floor otherwise.

Within ten seconds, he shattered my world.

“You’re not extending my contract?” I said, not sure if I heard him right.

“We’ve had a recent… development. I’m afraid, at this time, we’re unable to extend your contract or sponsor your visa. I want you to know it’s through no fault of your own.”

No fault of my own?

But it was my fault.

It’d been my idea to come to Zev, to uproot our lives and create a new life.

It was supposed to be a land of opportunity.

Our opportunity.

A way for me to support my sister.

My sister…

Abbie…

How was she going to cope without me if I got deported?

I always knew it was possible my contract might not be renewed but I never thought it would really happen.

I leaned forward and pressed my palms on his desk.

“Please, Mr. Sel, there must be some way I can keep my job.”

I hated the ring of desperation in my voice.

But that was what I was.

Desperate.

“I’m afraid there’s no way—” he began.

“I really need this job. I’ll do anything you ask. Anything.”

I didn’t mean for it to come out the way it sounded.

Mr. Sel was a kind older Yixx with one horn curled over like a puppy’s ear.

He looked me over but rather than following up with my offer and thrusting my breasts out, I curled around them protectively.

I couldn’t sell my body like that, no matter how desperate I became.

Mr. Sel sighed and shook his head, not even for a second contemplating what might have passed through many males’ minds.

He peered out the window at the children playing in the garden, a faraway and distant look coming over him.

“Did I do something wrong?” I said pathetically. “If I did, I’m sure I can improve. Just give me a second chance.”

The manager shook his head.

“It’s nothing you did, Belle. You’re an excellent employee. As good as any we’ve ever had. Unfortunately, you’re the last person we recruited, and it simply wouldn’t be fair to let one of the other carers go who’ve been here longer. You will be given a full month’s wages for the lateness of the decision. It was only made very recently.”

My contract ended today.

After this, I would officially be unemployed.

Unemployed.

It was a first for me.

I’d always worked and never thought I would associate myself with a word like that.

Unemployed

And yet, here I was.

Without work.

My fingers clutched tightly on the wooden armrests, my fingertips turning white.

How was I supposed to tell Abbie about losing my job?

We were barely getting by as it was.

And so much work needed to be done to the house.

That pipe in the wall was going to burst any second.

“Is there a part-time position available?” I said. “It’ll be much easier for me to find another part-time job than a full-time one.”

Mr. Sel shook his head.

“I’m afraid not. Your position has already been filled. And many others before long.”

Wait.

I’d been replaced?

I thought I’d done nothing wrong…?

I could tell from the manager’s twisted expression that he didn’t agree with this decision but that it’d been taken out of his hands.

“Mr. Sel, may I ask, who’s been chosen to replace me?” I said.

“Not who,” he said. “But what.”

Huh?

His eyes slid from mine over to the corner of his office.

A sheet lay spread over a flat object that I hadn’t seen when I first entered.

I don’t remember getting to my feet or crossing the room to the object.

I don’t recall reaching up to tug the sheet from it either.

But I would never forget the grinning face peering down at me once its shawl had been fully removed.

The smile was unflinching, metal, a mimic of human expressions that had, to my eyes, a scary and threatening visage.

I stumbled back, unable to take my eyes from it.

“I… I’m being replaced by a robot?” I gasped.

“Not just any robot,” Mr. Sel said, lacking any enthusiasm for the idea. “The latest nanny bot from Choer Robotics.”

My stomach fell between my toes to the center of the planet.

There, bracing the robot cutout’s throat like a bow, was the Choer Robotics company logo.

The next thing I knew,I was sitting in the park down the street, my lunchbox perched on my knees, unopened.

I wondered how I had gotten to this point, how my dreams of working on Wall Street had evaporated the moment the car crash happened.

The truck that slammed into us not only derailed our car from the road but my life.

I knew I’d have to be the one to take care of my sister as she required constant care and attention.

In a flash of giant headlights, my world had been turned upside down.

Ever since, we had failed to catch a break.

The job at this kindergarten was comfortable and convenient but barely helped us meet our living requirements.

Now, we would rack up ever higher debts until I found another job to replace this one.

And that was if I could get them to sponsor my visa.

All because society was moving on and robots were replacing workers.

Thanks to the Choer Robotics company.

Thanks to Tauas.

I’d chosen a quiet, out-of-the-way corner of the park to sit, for one simple purpose.

My face fell into my hands and I cried.

I wept for the life I’d ended up with, for the dreams and opportunities I thought would always be waiting for me.

Mostly, I wept for letting my sister down.

She deserved so much better.

A cax barked and its owner pulled on its lead.

I straightened up and wiped my eyes, taking a few deep breaths to calm myself down.

It’s okay, I told myself.

I’d find a new job—a better one!—and show everyone what I was made of!

Except, it wasn’t the manager’s fault and my co-workers were nothing but supportive.

I had nothing to prove to anyone.

Except myself.

I had to pull myself together and make the most of a bad situation.

I had a month’s wages to keep me going and maybe I could talk Mr. Sel into sponsoring my visa for the same length of time.

He owed me that much, didn’t he?

I stood up, feeling a new sense of purpose.

I’d hit rock bottom and there was no way now except up.

Now more than ever I wished Abbie hadn’t bought that damn New Year’s Ball ticket.

We needed the money to pay for food and bills.

And then I wouldn’t have had to meet and kiss (Eugh!) Mr. CEO of Choer Robotics.

I felt sick to my stomach.

Buzz buzz.

My communicator was ringing.

I prayed it wasn’t Abbie.

Upon hearing her voice, I’d break down instantly.

I was relieved to find it wasn’t her but an unknown number.

I answered and tucked a length of hair behind my ear.

I answered the call.

“Hello?”

“Is that Belle?”

The voice was familiar but I couldn’t quite place it.

“Speaking.”

There was a sigh of relief on the other end of the line.

I hope he’s not a pervert, I thought. Probably was with how my luck was going lately.

“You had a meeting with your manager today. Did he extend your contract?”

“No, he didn’t.”

“Phew! That’s a relief!”

He was relieved about my misfortune?

My anger flared.

“Who is this?”

“Sorry, I should have introduced myself earlier. This is Tauas. Tauas Choer.”

For the second time that day, I almost collapsed to the floor.

Tauas Choer.

How had he found me?

I said, “Look, now is not a good time—”

“I have a proposition I want to discuss with you. Are you free this evening?”

No, I’m definitely not free to talk to you, asshole!

Then I would snap the phone shut and maybe toss it in the hedge for good measure.

That’s what I wanted to say and do.

But my desperate situation had shaken me from my impulsiveness.

“What sort of proposition?” I hedged.

“One I think you’ll be very interested in. Shall we meet at Pikmana restaurant? On O’rlix Street? I can be there by six o’clock.”

Pikmana.

The upscale restaurant where it was estimated half the engagement proposals happened in the city.

But I hardly knew Tauas.

I wished I knew him even less.

He wasn’t about to propose to me…

Was he?

Butterflies battered me from the inside and I crushed them beneath the heel of reality.

I didn’t want any part of his games.

He’d already cost me my job.

What more did he want to take from me?

My sanity?

But I had nothing to lose by meeting him.

I shut my eyes and shook my head, disbelieving what I was about to let myself in for.

I replied in a voice that wasn’t my own:

“Okay.”

I shut the communicator off and sat back down on the low wall.

It was fine being angry at the fool but what would it achieve?

I had to do what was best for Abbie.

What would I do to keep her safe and well?

I felt sick to my stomach at my answer.

What wouldn’t I do?

The Pikmana restaurantwas even more high-end than I thought.

The Maître D ran an eye over me as I approached him.

His top lip curled into a sneer and he was only half successful in covering it up.

What did I care?

I’d never come to this restaurant again.

I told him I was there to meet with Tauas Choer.

The Maître D led me through the dark interior.

At each table, a pair of young lovers, holding each other’s hands.

Every few minutes, a wedding proposition was made and the females gasped and nodded with tears in their eyes.

It should have been uplifting.

I found it depressing.

Tauas sat at a corner table.

He dabbed at his lips with a napkin and rose to his feet as I approached.

He had the gall to look a million dollars.

How dare you after the day I’ve had.

The sinking sensation in my stomach could have sunk the Titanic.

He motioned for me to take the seat opposite him.

He didn’t sit again until I had.

“You’re a very hard person to find,” he said around a grin.

Evidently not hard enough, I thought.

The Maître D slipped a discreet notebook from his pocket and waited to take our order.

“Would you care for a drink, Madam? We have a delicious red wine from the peaks of your Italian Earth mountains.”

“Water’s fine,” I said, handing the menu to him.

The Maître D pursed his lips and took it from me.

“I shall return to take your food order in but a moment,” he said, turning on his heel.

Now, I was left alone with him.

Tauas Choer.

I peered at him across the table, surprised despite myself at seeing him again.

I was reminded of the kiss we shared at the New Year’s ball, the shock of learning who he was, and my immediate scurry to escape him and his world.

Despite my best attempts, he still managed to ruin my life.

“It’s nice to see you again,” he said.

“Yeah?”

If he wanted me to say the same thing back to him, he was in for a very long wait.

“What would you like to eat?” he asked.

“I’m not hungry.”

My stomach growled audibly.

I hadn’t eaten anything all day.

I was far too nervous about what might happen during this meeting.

“I’ve had a very, very long day. I want to go home, rest, put my feet up, and speak with my sister. Then I want to fall into a deep sleep and forget this day ever happened.”

His eyes searched mine and passed over my expression before nodding.

“I guess it’s been a tough day for you. So, I’ll get straight to the point. Last night—”

I leaned back and folded my arms over my chest.

I should have known it would be about last night.

He probably saw me as easy and that with his immense wealth, he could buy me.

Well, I might be in a tricky situation having lost my job—thanks to him!—but I wasn’t about to give in so easily.

“Last night was a mistake,” I interrupted.

He stopped midsentence and searched my expression once more.

He seemed genuinely disappointed by my response.

“I wasn’t going to talk about our… meeting last night. I wanted to make you an offer.”

“What?”

I swore, if it was the lewd proposition I expected him to make, I would get up and march out of there right now.

“After I returned home last night, my nanny, Daynnis, told me her mother had been rushed to hospital. She’s going to be away from her duties for the next two weeks. I remembered you had a meeting with your manager today about extending your contract and you didn’t think your chances were good. I was wondering if you would be interested in watching over my daughter until she returns.”

Okay, so that wasn’t what I was expecting.

I unfolded my arms.

“You’re offering me a job?”

“A temporary position. I figured if your contract didn’t get extended, you might consider working for me.”

I couldn’t believe it.

I lost one job—thanks to him—and now he was offering me another?

The balls on this guy!

I wanted to throw it back in his face, maybe with a mouthful of spit while I was at it, and march from the restaurant, feeling superior to the fool.

But then my cooler head prevailed.

Abbie.

Sure, it was only temporary, but it could tide me and my sister over and give me enough time to find a new permanent position.

Still, there was a spark in my chest that wasn’t welcome.

It was linked to the memory of that kiss we shared and what might lay beyond it…

No!

I wouldn’t get involved with him.

I couldn’t.

Irefuse!

“This is just for the nanny position, correct?” I said. “No other… duties?”

He took a sip from his drink.

“Like cleaning? Cooking? Daynnis used to do that but if you don’t want to, that’s fine. I have a big launch for our new range of service bots coming up and this whole thing couldn’t have happened at a worse time.”

“Why me? There must be lots of nannies out there.”

“I called them. None of them have the time.”

The tide was turning.

He was as desperate as I was to get this position.

Then it would cost him.

“For a temporary position like this, the fee would have to be higher than usual.”

He leaned back and smiled, realizing I had accepted the offer and now we were in the negotiation phase.

“I wouldn’t expect anything else. How much do you want?”

I considered my usual rate, doubled it, and then doubled it again.

I told him the number.

“Sounds reasonable,” he said.

I blinked, shocked he’d accepted it so easily.

Dammit!

I needed to add more.

“And, uh, you’ll pay all travel costs.”

“Sure.”

“And it should be cash in hand. No tax.”

“No problem.”

“And I’ll need you to sponsor my visa for the two weeks.”

“How about I sponsor you for a month? Just in case Daynnis is away longer than expected.”

“Fine. But if I find a permanent position within the next two weeks, I’m under no obligation to stay on longer.”

Tauas took a sip from his drink.

“Fair enough. I’ll finish work and be home by six every day. If you can arrive by eight in the morning, I would be much obliged.”

They were normal working hours for me.

He smiled over at me and I couldn’t bring myself to look back at him.

His eyes gleamed brightly and his horns were thick and strong.

He was gorgeous.

I recalled the feel of his hard body against mine as we danced and the hungry passion in his kiss.

The butterflies in my stomach grew in volume.

The Maître D came over to take an order.

“Are you ready to order?”

Tauas’s eyes lasered in on me and pinned me in place.

“A meal to seal the deal?”

My stomach grumbled loudly.

Yes, please!

And a nightcap to top it off!

I zipped up onto my feet, knocking the table and spilling Tauas’s drink.

His eyes never left mine.

I wanted to make it clear from the outset this was purely a business relationship, nothing more.

“Not for me, thanks. Are we done here?”

He got to his feet and nodded.

I felt his eyes on my back as I rushed from the restaurant.

And I wondered what it would feel like for him to spear me relentlessly from behind while he did it.

Oh, boy.

I was in trouble.