Page 29 of The Nanny and the Don
Deep down, I knew that she wasn’t in on Brendan’s theft, but that didn’t make me want to let her go any more. I had been wrong before. Plus, I liked having her around. It was like she opened the curtains and windows and let the sun in all of a sudden. I breathed better with her around. I even slept better.
My ability to actually sleep had a lot to do with me watching her and listening to her sing as she walked around upstairs getting ready for bed herself. Either way, I was resting. I woke up feeling refreshed and not like I had been steamrolled like I had for so many years.
Devlan had only been here a week, and my house felt warmer, more homey than it had ever felt. I needed her to want to stay. I just didn’t know how to convey that message at this point. I drank the second shot of bourbon before putting the glass down on my desk and creeping out of my office to check on Devlan and the kids.
She was giving the kids a bath, so it was my perfect chance to sneak upstairs. I’d been building something for a few days, and it was finally ready. I had to make sure that the coast was clear, so I walked to the bathroom to check on them.
She was singing. I could hear my princess singing up close and personal. I leaned against the doorframe and listened while she sang to Evie and washed her hair. I had never wanted kids. I take that back. I wanted kids with my fiancée that I’d just learned was pregnant when I had a wreck that nearly cost me my life. The message that she couldn’t do this, along with the last thing you need right now is a baby, ended the dream of marriage and fatherhood all in one. So, I had no idea why I was thinking about that now of all things.
My feet were glued to the floor as Devlan finished Evie’s bath and helped her out of the tub. Devlan wrapped Evie’s tiny body in the hooded bathrobe that she’d gotten me to buy before sitting her on the counter. Devlan jumped, startled at the sight of me leaning against the door frame. Knitting her brows together, she walked over to stand in front of me.
“I’m almost done with them. I’ll be ready to go upstairs after I finish her hair. King is already falling asleep.”
“Thank you,” I said, reaching out and brushing her hair out of her face.
Once our eyes connected, it was hard for me to pry my eyes off her. Devlan was perfect. I touched the side of her face, tempted to kiss her. It didn’t help that she seemed to melt under my touch. That could have been wishful thinking. I was justgrateful that she didn’t pull away. I had been dying to touch her for days. Now I couldn’t help myself.
“You don’t have to thank me. It’s not like I have a choice about being here. I might as well make the best of it.”
“I wish you did though,” I confessed.
“Wish I did what?” she asked, frowning in confusion.
“Have a choice,” I said, dropping my hand.
I was tripping. I had no idea where that declaration came from, but I had to reel it in.
“Well, let me go,” she countered.
“You know I can’t do that.”
“Why can’t you?”
“Take your time getting her ready for bed. I have something to take care of. I’ll check on you again when I’m done,” I said, finally pushing off the door and turning to leave while I still had the ability to tear myself away from her.
I went to my office to retrieve what I wanted to move and hurriedly took it upstairs and set it up. King’s piercing screams had me abandoning my mission prematurely and running back downstairs. I sprinted to the kids’ room and stopped when I made it to the door. Yet again, I was in awe of Devlan. She cradled both King and Evie in her lap, rocking him against her chest as she sang.
“You’re OK, buddy. I’m right here,” she said once she was done.
I decided not to intrude since she seemed to have everything under control. Evie was already knocked out, so Devlan laid her in the bed as she continued to soothe King by singing and rubbing his head. It felt so good to have the kids cling to her the way they did in the face of being taken away from their mom.
I had yet to check on Angela or hear from her for that matter. I wasn’t sure what was going on with her or even why she was arrested. I had more pressing issues to worry about. At the sametime, I couldn’t help but worry about my sister. Devlan laid King down in the bed and stood to leave the room. She looked surprised when she saw me standing in the doorway.
“You should wear a crown,” I stated as she walked over to me.
“Why?” she asked, chuckling softly.
“Because you came in here and made yourself the queen of this house, no matter the circumstances that brought you here. You have literally saved my life and made this unfamiliar territory tolerable. I know I didn’t bring you here on the best terms, but I would be a fool not to tell you how much I appreciate everything you do for the kids. You’re like a prettier, chocolate-covered Mary Poppins,” I said, finding myself chuckling.
I wasn’t a chuckling kind of nigga but something about being in Devlan’s presence made me all jovial and shit. I loved and hated it all the same.
“I don’t know what to say,” she muttered.
“You don’t have to say anything. I just wish things were different,” I said, dropping my head but keeping my eyes on her.
It was too late to take it back now. She was here and had been for a whole week. I was pretty sure that you couldn’t un-kidnap someone.
“Can I sleep with you, Ms. Devy? My mommy always let me sleep with her when I have a bad dream,” King requested.
