Captive Vow by Willow Fox
4
Paige
“May I have a word with you alone, Sir?” I ask.
“Of course. Why don’t we step out into the hallway?” Moreno leads me out of the playroom, but we’re still in view of Luca and Nova.
His attention appears to be on them more than it is on me.
“If you’re hiring me to care for your daughter, then I expect you to listen to my expertise as a caregiver,” I say. I know I’m toeing the line. His stupid contract pointed out that he was in charge, and sure, he’s the boss, I get that, but I’m not okay with the way he handles his daughter.
I rattle on before he can interrupt me or toss me out the front door.
“You cannot talk to your child in such a manner. Yes, she may not speak, but she can still communicate, and you should be encouraging it in any form.”
“Excuse me?” Moreno scoffs. “You’re telling me how to raise my daughter?” He steps closer, coming into my personal space.
He forces me to take a step back. His attention is no longer on the children in the room, but entirely on me.
The heat of his stare sends a shiver down my spine.
“You think you know what’s best for Nova?” Moreno asks. “Because I can assure you that whatever you think you know, you’re mistaken.”
His nostrils flare, and I open my mouth but quickly shut it when Luca bursts out screaming at the top of his lungs.
Moreno tears into the playroom and pulls the gun from his holster on his hip.
I didn’t even know he had a gun on him. “You’re scaring him!” I scold Moreno and rush past him to check on Luca.
Nova’s eyes are wide and filled with terror, but she’s unmoving, and it seems the only danger is Moreno.
“Mommy!” Luca screams even louder than before. “I want mommy!”
I turn on my heel and point at Moreno. “You need to put that away and step out of here.” I gesture toward his gun.
I don’t like weapons. I never have. Being around them scares me, but it definitely seems like Luca wins the fear award right now.
Why the hell did Moreno draw his gun? What did he possibly think could have happened that required a weapon in the playroom?
The house is heavily guarded, with gates, guards, and a security system. It is a little overkill.
Moreno heads out of the playroom, and I’m back down on my hands and knees at Luca’s level.
“Hey, Luca, I’m Paige,” I say, trying to calm him down. “Do you want to show me your painting?” I don’t know what originally scared him, but bringing that up now seems a terrible idea.
Nova stands and joins Luca and me beside the canvas.
Luca sniffles and wipes his face with his paint-stained hands, leaving a streak of blue across his cheek.
“I was painting my house,” he says. His eyes are red and splotchy, but the tears have slowed.
I smile, genuinely pleased with his painting. “You did a fantastic job,” I say.
Nova glances up at me. A faint smile tugs at the corners of her lips. Almost like she’s trying not to smile. “Do you like to paint too?” I ask her.
She shrugs her shoulders, not giving me a clear answer.
I bet she does like to paint.
“Sorry I’m late,” a woman wearing a bright yellow sundress steers into the playroom. “Luca, were you good for the new nanny?” the woman asks as she saunters right over to the little boy. “I’m Nikki,” she introduces.
“Hi, I’m Paige,” I say and hold out my hand to introduce myself properly. She seems warm, friendly, and completely out of place after meeting Moreno and Dante. “You must be Luca’s mom,” I guess.
Nikki smiles and nods. “That I am. Are you ready to hit the trails, Luca? Sorry, you got stuck watching this little tiger. I promise it won’t be a regular occurrence.”
“It was no problem at all,” I say. I don’t elaborate that I haven’t even been here an hour, and Dante had been watching him before I showed up.
“Let me know if you need anything, have any questions, or whatever,” Nikki says. “I’ve got a pretty packed schedule, but I’m happy to help when I have a free minute.”
“Thanks.”
Nikki escorts Luca out of the playroom. “Come on, Luca. Let’s get you washed up. You have paint on your cheek and in your hair. Then we’ll go hiking on the trails.”
“Okay, Mama.” He latches onto her hand and follows her out of the playroom.
It’s just Nova and me. I smile warmly and point at her tea party. “Can I play with you and your friends?”
My cell phone buzzes, and I pull it out of my purse to glance at the text message. It’s from Moreno.
I glance back at the empty doorframe. He’s nowhere in sight. Why didn’t he just come talk to me instead of texting me?
The job is yours. Don’t screw this up. Nova is counting on you. We both are.