Semua Bab The Don’s Mysterious Nanny : Bab 11 - Bab 20

Focus, Vanessa. Focus.I repeated the words like a mantra as I walked through the penthouse corridors, but my mind kept wandering to places it shouldn't go. To the warmth in Alessandro's eyes when he looked at his daughter. To the way his voice softened when he spoke her name.To the dangerous pull I felt every time he was near.This wasn't why I was here.I had a job to do. A mission that had brought me into this lion's den disguised as grief and circumstance. But with each passing day, the lines blurred more. The person I was supposed to be and the person I was becoming tangled together until I couldn't tell where one ended and the other began.I checked my watch. Alessandro would be in his office for another hour, handling what Mrs. Ciro had carefully referred to as "business calls." The household staff had learned to make themselves scarce during these times.Perfect.I'd left Aria napping in her crib, the baby monitor clipped to my belt. She'd sleep for at least another thirty m

The door clicked shut behind Alessandro, and I finally let myself breathe. I hope he don't see through me trying to seduce him. That was too close. Way too close. I pressed my back against the wall, my heart hammering against my ribs like a caged bird. The way he'd looked at me, those green eyes searching my face for lies... He suspected something. I could feel it in the air between us, thick and dangerous. But he was also vulnerable. Grieving. And grief made people do stupid things. Like trust the wrong person. I looked down at Aria in my arms, her tiny fist curled around my finger. She was so perfect, so innocent. A beautiful little girl who had no idea her world was built on blood and violence. "I'm going to protect you," I whispered against her soft hair. "Whatever happens, I won't let anything hurt you." The words felt like a promise. A vow I wasn't sure I could keep. But I had to try. I carried Aria to her nursery, the sound of my footsteps muffled by the thick carpet.

I pressed my back against the door, my heart hammering so hard I was sure they could hear it through the walls.*"Search every room,"* Alessandro's voice had carried down the hallway like a death sentence.My hands shook as I listened to their footsteps moving through the penthouse. Systematic. Professional.These weren't just bodyguards. These were soldiers.I counted the sounds. Three sets of boots. Maybe four. Getting closer to my room with each passing minute.*Think, Vanessa. Think.*My equipment was hidden, but not well enough to survive a professional search. The laptop with encrypted files. The communication devices. The backup weapons.All of it would scream federal agent.The footsteps stopped outside my door."Which rooms are off-limits?" I heard one of them ask.Alessandro's voice was closer now. "Aria's nursery. I don't want her disturbed."*Please don't let them search my room. Please.*"What about the nanny's room?"The silence stretched like a razor blade against my th

I stared at the ceiling, my body still humming from the taste of her lips.*What the hell was I thinking?*The rules I'd made after Isabella's death were sacred. Unbreakable. No emotional attachments. No weakness. No woman would ever hold that kind of power over me again.I'd even told Vanessa directly not to get attracted to me. Made it clear that whatever this was between us couldn't happen.But the moment she'd leaned into my touch, every rule I'd built around my heart had crumbled.*She's your employee, Alessandro. Nothing more.*I rolled over, punching the pillow with more force than necessary. The cold silk sheets did nothing to cool the fire burning in my veins.The way she moved through my house, her curves swaying with each step. The way she held Aria with such gentle care. The way her dark eyes seemed to see straight through every wall I'd built.It was just an attraction. Physical need. Nothing more.Once I had her, once I satisfied this hunger, it would pass. It always did

The elevator dinged, and I knew my time was up. I checked my gun one last time, then slipped it into the waistband of my pants. Whatever happened next, I wouldn't go down without a fight. The doors opened, and Salvatore Moretti stepped out. He looked exactly as I remembered him. Silver hair slicked back, expensive suit, cold eyes that missed nothing. Behind him stood two men built like brick walls, their hands resting casually on their weapons. "Alessandro." His voice was smooth, cultured. "You look well." "Salvatore." I didn't move from my position by the door. "I think we need to have a conversation." "We just did. On the phone." "That was just a warm-up." He stepped closer, and I could smell his cologne. Something expensive and cloying that made my stomach turn. "I'm not here to cause trouble," he said, spreading his hands in a gesture of peace. "I just want to talk." "Then talk." "May we come in?" "No." His smile never wavered, but something cold flas