Captive Vow by Willow Fox
3
Moreno
I park the SUV out front of the house and wait for Paige to park behind me.
“Ready?” It’s not really a question. I escort her inside, the front door locked, and the security system armed. I disarm it upon entering. There’s also a guard on duty at the main entrance to the foyer.
Leone isn’t usually on duty at the front entrance. Most of the time, we don’t require a guard to watch the door since we have a guard gate at the main entrance.
But today is different.
Bringing a stranger into the compound requires extra precautions. Leone has been assigned to watch over the new nanny when she’s unaccompanied by Don Ricci or me.
Paige is quiet and follows with soft footsteps. Her heels click against the wooden floorboards as she follows me through the foyer and around the hallway to the playroom downstairs.
“You decided to wear that to an interview for a nanny position?” I glance at Paige. By the time we’re done, she’s likely to have ruined her nice clothes.
Her brow furrows and she fixes her jacket and skirt.
I undoubtedly insulted her, but she has worked with kids before. She owned a preschool. Paige should have expected to wear something a bit more practical.
“You have a lovely home.” She ignores my remark.
“Thank you.” I don’t correct her to tell her it’s not my home. Dante has afforded me the privilege of living under his roof. It is an honor, and because he has eight bedrooms, there’s no issue regarding space.
Besides, Luca and Nova are practically inseparable, minus the time that Luca is in kindergarten.
I head into the playroom and discover Luca painting on the canvas and Nova enjoying a tea party with her stuffed animals.
Dante’s attention is on his phone, his back to the wall, leaning against it. “Oh good, you’re here with the new nanny.” He barely glances up. “Nikki had a doctor’s appointment. I need to check on a shipment coming in. Do you have this?”
“Yes, Boss.”
Dante jets out of the playroom.
It’s always business. I’m honestly shocked he didn’t have Leone or Rhys watch Nova and Luca, although the last time Rhys was asked to sit in, the walls were covered in permanent marker.
“Hi, Moreno,” Luca says. His back is to me as he continues to paint a picture of our home.
I clear my throat. “Nova, we have a visitor.”
She glances up from her tea party and bats her bright blue eyes. She has her mother’s baby blues and strawberry blonde hair. Some days I wonder if she’s even mine, but I know she is. Serene had only been with one man, ever.
“Nova, come over here.”
She hesitates, like always.
“Nova,” I say again. I am trying to remain calm. I need this to work with the new nanny. I can’t keep an eye on Nova and continue my role as Dante’s second in command.
Being an underboss to the don of the family is no easy task. It’s not a nine-to-five job. Whatever Dante needs, I do for him.
Wordlessly, Nova pushes back the chair. It squeaks against the floorboards before it topples over behind her.
She may be mute, but her actions are nothing of the sort.
Nova stands, but she doesn’t listen. She never listens to me.
With a heavy sigh, I stalk over and grab Nova’s arm, bringing her toward Paige.
“Paige, this is my daughter, Nova.”
“Hi, Nova,” Paige says, and immediately she bends down to Nova’s level. “I like your stuffed animal collection.”
Nova gnaws on her bottom lip and glances over her shoulder at her stuffed animals.
“Would it be okay for you to show me your friends?” Paige asks my daughter.
Nova glances from the nanny to me.
“Go ahead, you can show her your toys,” I say.
Folding my arms across my chest, I watch their interaction.
Paige is soft spoken with Nova and smiles warmly. She’s trying to ease my daughter’s fears. I get that.
But it’s not going to work.
Nova requires a firm hand and a strong, authoritative figure. Coddling her is the last thing to help the situation. She doesn’t listen, her mind constantly in a state of daydreaming and wandering.
“Which friend is your favorite?” Paige asks.
Nova doesn’t answer.
“She can’t answer you.” I remind Paige.
Her eyes tighten, and she smiles warmly at Nova. “I’ll be right back.”
Nova’s eyes are wide, and she drops to the floor to sit with her stuffed animals, her legs folded beneath her.
“May I have a word with you, alone?” Paige asks.
There’s a fire behind her gaze.
She’s going to bring trouble.