Page 34 of The Billionaire and the Nanny

“What’s… umm… what happened? To make you change your mind, that is. It’s okay for you to change your mind,” he clarified. “I just want to know if I did something wrong.”

I shook my head and blinked back the tears that sprang to my eyes.

“No! It’s not your fault at all, Leo. I just realized how it would look to the others if they found out we were sleeping together. We can’t let anyone know we’re doing it, and I don’t think I’d like sneaking into your bed behind everyone’s backs like a dirty little secret. I’m so sorry,” I whispered.

A muscle jumped in Leo’s jaw as he stared down at me.

“Are you very upset?” I asked.

“No,” he hastened to reply. “You’re right. I guess we weren’t thinking straight, that’s all.”

He sighed deeply.

“It’s okay. There’s no harm done. But I think you should go to bed now.”

I ran up the stairs after one last look at his stern face. I was such an idiot, I thought. Leo was right. I had been playing with fire, and it served me right to get burned. I locked myself in my bedroom and threw myself onto the bed.

I had brought this on myself. If I had stayed out of Leo’s way, I wouldn’t be crying into my pillow right now. None of this would have happened if I’d just stayed in my room after Leo and Fee left. But I was so furious and wound up about the nasty things he’d said to me that I knew I’d stay awake all night if I didn’t find a way to take my mind off the ugly scene in my room.

I tried watching TV, but my eyes kept wandering to the spot where Leo had stood as he made those insane accusations against me, and I found myself getting angry all over again. That’s when I decided to venture out of my room and headed to the den in the hope of finding some entertainment. I’d found Leo, instead, and paid for my mistake in spades.

It wasn’t his fault, though. He had been the perfect gentleman, trying to keep me at arm’s length because he didn’t want to take advantage of me. I had railroaded him into ignoring those valid objections until the reality of what we were about to do finally sank into my lust-fogged brain. And still, he hadn’tbeen mad at me. He had let me go without protest. And far too easily, a part of my brain grumbled. I shushed it and got up to wash my face.

I was getting a chance to start over in life. If I had stayed with my brother, I would have been nothing but a pawn in his dirty games, with no hope of breaking out of that trap. Leo had plucked me out of that miserable life, and a new one lay before me if I could only focus on the right thing.

I was done with men for now. All I wanted to do was build a new life. One filled with empowerment and self-respect. Unfortunately, this empowered new woman was completely broke. I wasn’t an Upper East Side girl anymore. I was a working girl. I had no access to my bank accounts and savings, and I knew that my brother was waiting for me to make a move to regain access to my money. If I did, he’d track me down and I knew he wouldn’t even blink at hurting the Donovans to get to me. I’d rather be poor for the rest of my life than do anything to put Leo’s family at risk.

I opened the massive built-in wardrobe and stared at the few clothes hanging in there in dismay. If I had my way, I’d never wear that green dress again. I wanted to burn it but broke, working girls couldn’t afford to burn eight hundred-dollar dresses. Maybe I could sell it online and make some money, I thought, tapping a finger against my lip thoughtfully. First, I’d have to get it cleaned. Apart from the dress, all I had were the jeans and tee that I had worn today, and those belonged to Celine. I wondered whether I got paid every week or on the first of every month. Fee would know, I thought drowsily, as I shut the wardrobe and went back to bed.

The next morning, I resolved to speak to her about it as soon as I got the chance. Maddie and I joined the family for breakfast, and I avoided Leo’s wary gaze throughout the meal. He finished his breakfast and set his newspaper down with a snap.

“Aunt Fee, please provide Tia an advance on her weekly pay. She needs to buy herself some clothes,” he said, rising from the table and dropping a quick kiss on Maddie’s head.

I flushed uncomfortably, feeling like I was a charity case, but I had no choice. I could hardly go around in the same pair of jeans for the rest of the week. I just wished Leo had kept his big, bossy nose out of my business. He had no need to worry about my clothes or lack thereof, I thought sullenly.

“Of course,” replied Aunt Fee smoothly. “I’ll take care of it, Leo. Meanwhile, Tia, you can use my Saks app to buy whatever you like and have it billed to my account.”

My heart leapt at the generous offer, and visions of my favourite designer clothes flashed in front of my eyes, until I remembered that I didn’t have access to my Platinum Amex card anymore. I had to subsist on my weekly pay, which while generous enough could not sustain a luxe lifestyle. I needed practical and durable clothes. And they had to be cheap.

“Thank you for offering, Fee, but I think I’ll go and browse some sales when Maddie is in school. I’ll pick up some jeans and tees while I’m there,” I replied politely.

It was very generous of her to offer her personal account, and I didn’t want to throw her generosity in her face, but I refused to accept any more handouts from the Donovan family.

“That’s a pity, honey. I did love the green dress you wore when you first came here.”

“I don’t think a Versace is a good choice for a nanny,” I said with a smile. “Besides, I can’t afford to waste my money on expensive clothes. I need to start saving for an apartment.”

“Maybe you could check out that little vintage store in Greenwich Village? They always have the most gorgeous clothes, and they aren’t as expensive,” she suggested.

I murmured a suitable reply, but I knew the store she mentioned, and there was nothing inexpensive about it.

“I want to go shopping with you, Tia,” said Maddie. “Promise you won’t go without me.”

I smiled at her dear little face. It might be fun to take her to the vintage store and let her play dress up. After all, she couldn’t spend all her life in those shorts and tees.

“How about this? I’ll buy the boring stuff when you’re in school, but we can visit the vintage store after school.”

“I’d love that, and Daddy can come, too,” she said gleefully.

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