Page 7 of Demon Daddy's Nanny

"He did." I move to the work table, pulling out fresh dough. "But I'm not very good at following orders."

A startled laugh escapes her, quickly muffled behind her hand. But some of the tension eases from her shoulders as she watches me shape the dough.

"Here." I gesture her closer. "Put your hands like this. Gentle pressure, don't force it."

She copies my movements, her graceful fingers pressing tentatively into the soft dough. For a moment, she looks like any other fourteen-year-old girl, focused and curious, the weight of expectations temporarily lifted from her shoulders.

It kills me to see her like this. And I know her father will be furious when he realizes she's here so I'll need to send her home soon.

But this xaphan…she might have just stolen my heart.

4

RIDWAN

The bell chimes as I push open the bakery door, and the scent of fresh bread hits me like a physical force. Warmth floods my wings, and I fold them tight against my back. I shouldn't be here. Eva made her position clear when I offered her the companion position for Annalise. She turned me down - and I don’t need someone else in the house that I can’t control.

A few humans and xaphan bustle around behind the counter, their heads bowed in deference as I enter. None of them are Eva. My fingers drum against my thigh as I scan the shop, irritation prickling beneath my skin.

What am I doing here? This is beneath me. It’s something I’ve thought the whole walk over and yet, I’m still here. Still coming to see if she’ll reconsider.

The back door swings open and Eva emerges, balancing a cloth bag against her hip. Her chestnut hair has come loose from its tie, wisping around her face in the heat from the ovens. A smudge of flour marks her cheek. She freezes when she spots me, her amber eyes widening.

"My lord." She doesn’t bow to me like the others, and there's defiance in the set of her jaw. "I wasn't expecting you."

"Clearly." The word comes out sharper than intended. Something about her disheveled appearance unsettles me - makes my hands itch to brush that flour from her skin. I’ve rarely found anyone attractive, and I hate to admit how drawn I am to this human. I clench them at my sides instead.

"I assumed after our conversation the other day..." She trails off, shifting the bag higher on her hip. The movement draws my attention to the curve of her waist, and I force my gaze back to her face.

"You assumed correctly. I merely..." The excuse dies in my throat. What can I say? That I came to see if she'd changed her mind? That some inexplicable pull drew me here against my better judgment?

"I have orders to fill." Eva's voice is soft but firm. She moves past me, close enough that I catch the scent of vanilla and cinnamon clinging to her skin. My wings twitch with the urge to curl forward, to trap that sweetness against me.

I step back, disgusted with myself. She's human. Nothing more than a baker. My daughter needs a proper companion, not some common worker who already refused the position.

"Come with me." The words escape before I can stop them. Eva's eyes narrow, and I add, "To discuss the position. Properly."

She studies me for a long moment, then nods. "Let me change first."

Half an hour later, we walk through the golden archways of my estate, her steps matching mine despite my longer stride. The whole way, I told her what I expect - which is mostly just for her to keep Annalise occupied. In exchange, she wants unlimited access to my kitchens, which I’ve granted. As for her position at the bakery….I can handle that. I just need her to agree.

I watch her as she walks into the estate. Most humans shrink when they enter, overwhelmed by the towering ceilings and gleaming metalwork. But Eva's gaze sweeps over the intricatemurals, the floating orbs of light, taking in every detail with quiet calculation.

"Your home is..." She pauses, choosing her words carefully. "Different than I expected."

"How so?"

"Less ostentatious." A hint of a smile plays at her lips. "Though still completely impractical."

My wings bristle at her boldness. "You find fault with xaphan architecture?"

"I find fault with stairs that float without railings when children live here." She gestures to the crystalline steps spiraling up to the second floor. "And windows that reach the ceiling but have no way to clean them."

"Magic handles such concerns."

"And when the magic fails?"

I stop, turning to face her. Most humans would flinch at my height, at the way my wings cast shadows over them. But Eva meets my gaze steadily, that same quiet assessment in her amber eyes.

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