by Roxy Wilson
How the hell was she supposed to do that?
Devyn didn’t have a clue.
Chapter Two
One look into the dreamy eyes of the new nanny gave him such a jolt that for a few moments, he lost his train of thought. Having hired many nannies before, he never expected to feel quite like this with one. Sure, she was beautiful and a full-figured, curvy woman. Her sepia toned skin glowed while her straight nose and pointed chin suggested a strong personality. He liked everything about her.
This was an unusual situation.
Keran wanted to keep his distance because for him, it was important to establish a friendly but professional relationship with the woman who would be taking care of his child. It might be impossible however, to ignore her charm, wit, and intelligence. It’d only been a week since she got here, but already she had a great relationship with his son, the staff, and the chef who was known for his temper tantrums.
When he strolled outside, Keran saw them at the swimming pool. Okay. So, he shouldn’t go there. She was going to be in a flimsy swimsuit. For God’s sake, she was his son’s teacher. Despite all of these thoughts, he simply walked over there, lacking the will to stop.
She was in the pool with Justin.
“Hi. How are you guys doing?”
“Great, daddy. Look, Devyn can swim underwater all the way from one end to the other,” Justin shouted from the other end of the pool. “Show him, Devyn. Show him!”
She smiled and got out of the pool. The morning glory tone bikini that clung to every inch of her luscious, curvaceous body sent his heart reeling. He heard a distinct ringing in his ears. Sweat beaded over his forehead. He wanted to leap over and take her in his arms. His fingers itched to hold her, and his lips ached to taste her soft body. She dove in with perfect precision and he watched as she swam all the way to the other end of the pool. When she emerged, much like a beautiful mermaid, from the water, he resisted the urge to yank her out and claim her lips. His son was right there, and she was his employee.
What the hell was wrong with him?
“That was fantastic,” he said.
She wiped a hand over her face. “Thanks. We used to swim a lot in China. There was a pool at home, and the kids loved it.”
“Justin enjoys swimming. But he loves riding more.” Keran didn’t miss the grimace that passed over her face. “Still not used to the horses?” He had a whole stable full of horses and asked her to use it, but apparently, she was scared of them.
“Not quite,” she admitted. “I’m afraid I’m not setting a good example for Justin. He seems to think I should be braver.”
“I’m sure you just need the right teacher,” he said. An idea struck him and he acted on it before he could think things through fully. “Hey, I’m free tomorrow morning. Why don’t I help you?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
“Why not?”
“It’s not a good idea.”
Justin swam over.
Keran felt proud to see that his son swam as well as a professional swimmer.
“Yes, Devyn. It’s a good idea. Daddy taught me, too.”
Outnumbered, she looked around as if she expected some support from an unexpected corner. “No, really, please.”
Now that he’d said it, he didn’t want to take back his words. “We must do it. After all, you must set a good example for Justin.”
She glared at him, as if she knew he was manipulating her with her own words. “Okay. Fine. But let me tell you both that horses and I aren’t a good combination.”
Justin laughed as she swam to the other side.
When she got out of the pool, Keran tried his best to avert his eyes, so he wouldn’t ogle her glorious body but it was impossible to ignore her.
“Dad, I think she’s really scared.”
He bent down and touched his son’s cheek. “We’ll teach her not to be. Do you like her?”
The boy nodded his head enthusiastically. “Yes, very much. She plays a lot. Yesterday, she played soccer with us and she buttered up Timmy, the assistant to the chef.” Justin grinned. “I hope she stays for a long time.”
He straightened. “We must make sure she does.” His gaze lingered over her as she tied her multi-print sarong around her waist and took a seat. He wanted to go over and talk, but Keran was aware he might be in danger of giving away the attraction he felt for her. She didn’t think that way about him, so he must remain detached. It wouldn’t be proper or honorable to come on to her when she was doing her best to take care of his son, but the animal in him wanted her with a quiet desperation. He could feel the lust that curled inside him snap at the edges of his control. Keran turned away.
When he went inside the house, the butler was waiting for him. “Sir, Mr. Rogers is here to see you. I showed him to your study.”
“Thank you,” he said.
There was a lot on his mind these days but Keran realized that even the myriad duties he needed to attend to didn’t take his thoughts away from Devyn. She was stealing his peace of mind, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.
Rogers stood when Keran entered. He worked as Keran’s right hand man in business, and out of it. “There is trouble,” Rogers announced as soon as Keran closed the door.
“There’s always trouble.” Walking over to the window, he glanced outside, but luckily he couldn’t catch a glimpse of his son and his nanny. Keran turned his attention to the task at hand. “What is it?”
“I’ve checked on the reports of the new pack that has been hovering on the fringes of our territory, and it seems to be that they’re backed by the Connors.”
Keran rubbed a hand along his jaw. It was known only to a few that Keran and Rogers were wolf shape-shifters. They got their powers from their descendants. The existence of shape-shifters had been a secret kept for centuries. Keran was Alpha of his pack, a title he inherited after the death of his father. Someday, he hoped his son would become one, but of course, he would have to prove himself before that. “What the hell do they want now?”
The Connors and the Underwoods, as Keran’s pack was called, were at war for many decades. The trouble started seventy odd years ago when one of them killed the other in a fight. Since then, there’d been an umpteen number of fights and struggles for power. While Keran was interested in maintaining peace, the Connors wanted to take over this territory. Now, it seems they invited a rogue pack to join them in this battle.
“The usual. Your death. This territory, and unlimited power,” Rogers replied in an offhand manner.
The territory they ruled in Chicago extended all the way from the suburbs to downtown. Since the pack controlled this area, any shape-shifter that lived here had to pay respect and money to them for protection. Keran’s father was doing well in business and didn’t feel the need to collect the tax as it was called. Keran practiced in the same way. Any expense the pack incurred was made from a source of income he’d kept in a trust fund for the pack. If the Connors got this place, they would force everyone to pay the tax and they would take over the trust fund.
He couldn’t allow this to happen, but Keran wasn't without tricks of his own. He grew up witnessing this fight and understood the subtle nuances. “Put Zeke and Sheila to track the newcomers. Find out where they’re from, and what their strengths are. Also, see who they’re taking orders from. Have they already given their allegiance to the Connors? What are their links with other packs? I want names, and I want details,” he snapped.
“Okay,” Rogers said. He hesitated. “I have said it before, and I’ll say it again. You need to better protect yourself and Justin. These people are ruthless. They’ll try whatever measures they can to snatch you off the streets. If they succeed—”
“If they succeed, Bryan will claim himself as Alpha over my pack. I know the drill.” Bryan was the Alpha of the Connors. He’d already fought against Keran once and had been defeated. So now, since he knew he wouldn’t be able to publicly humiliate Keran, he re
sorted to cheap tricks. “It’s never going to happen. We’re strong. We’re united, and that’s all we need to keep our position. This is our territory and we’re not going to let it go.”
“It might be a good idea to send Justin to a boarding school until this rogue pack vanishes. I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
Keran ran a hand through his hair. The muscles in his shoulders rippled as he imagined someone putting a hand on his child. He would rip that person from limb to limb. “He’s safer with me. Simon is his bodyguard and he knows the threats. I hired a new nanny for him—sorry, teacher as he likes to call her.”
“Who is she? Did you run a full background check on her?”
“Of course,” he retorted in an impatient manner. “I wouldn’t trust my child in the care of someone who I didn’t have clearance for. She’s solid. Her credentials are impeccable. She was in China for three years before this, and I doubt she knows we’re wolves.”
“Let’s just keep it that way.”
With the mention of the curvaceous Devyn, he felt lust rush through his veins like liquid lava. Every cell in his body ached to touch her, but of course he couldn’t ever give vent to his passion. “Yeah, I will. Anything else?”
“I got some papers for you to sign. You can send them to the office later.” Rogers handed over the files. He also worked as Keran’s chief financial advisor. “Plus, we might need to go to Switzerland to get in touch with some of the banks regarding the new deals we’re signing.”
“Make a plan. Let me know.”
When Rogers left, Keran spent some time going over the files he’d brought him. His business was huge and demanded a lot of attention, but long ago Keran learned to drop only those balls he could afford to break. His son was the most important person in his life, and other than that, everything else took a back seat. By the time he was finished, it was time for dinner. He freshened up in the bathroom next to the study and strolled into the dining room.
The sight of Devyn dressed in a pale green dress made him halt.
Her hair had been tied on top of her head and a few tendrils escaped to lick her skin.
He wanted to run his tongue over her smooth, warm skin and feel her shiver under him. His hands clenched as he resisted the urge to walk over and run his fingers over her arms. If he didn’t do something about this soon, he would explode from all the pent up energy stored inside him. “Good evening.” Keran set his expression to friendly as he walked over and ruffled his son’s hair. He took his seat.
For normal, everyday dinners, they used the less formal dining room next to the kitchen. Yet, someone had lit a few candles on the table, and the atmosphere was cozy and warm.
Romantic, he thought. Keran dismissed the voice that spoke in his mind. No. He couldn’t afford to think like that. “How was your day?”
“We studied mathematics. Did you know Devyn can speak Chinese? She’s going to teach me.”
“And Spanish and French,” he reminded his son. “She can speak those too, so it might be more beneficial for you to continue your French and Spanish lessons.”
Justin made a face. He’d taken a dislike to French and was finding it hard to pick up the language.
“I have a book in French,” Devyn spoke up. “It’s a story about a boy who learns sword-fighting and goes on to become one of the world’s most famous fighters.”
Justin glanced at her as if he didn’t believe her. “Is it Shakespeare?”
She laughed.
Keran subdued the delicious shiver her sweet laugh had caused as he picked up a platter and served his son first. He then attended to her. He could choose to let the servants serve them, but he didn’t like all that formality.
“No, it’s not,” she answered. “It’s a book by one of the most popular French writers. It was one of my favorites when I was your age.”
Justin picked up his fork. “Maybe I can try to read it. I bet it’s much better than Shakespeare.”
“Hey, don’t put down the classics,” Keran chided.
Justin grinned but didn’t say anything.
Keran was impressed that with such ease, Devyn had convinced his son to give French another try. She was far more intelligent than he gave her credit for, and there was no doubt she understood and related to children. He was already having a hard time ignoring her. Now, since he could see the bond she’d built with his son, he found it impossible to not look at her. There was a time when he imagined he would find someone who would fit in well into his family, but lately he’d given up on those dreams. He didn’t have the time or the inclination to pursue women, but Devyn—she was another matter altogether.
If he weren’t careful, he would end up getting much closer to her than he planned, and the consequences of such a thing were bound to be bad. He was, after all, a wolf and there weren’t many women who were comfortable with that notion. When she found out, she was bound to hate him, just like his wife.
Keran simply couldn’t afford to go down that road again. No, he couldn’t. Whatever happened, he intended to keep his distance from her. This goal was important, and he would achieve it, regardless of the cost to his personal sanity.
Chapter Three
The man was fast becoming a threat to her peace of mind. As Devyn surveyed the horse eyeing her, she was more aware of the man who stood by her side.
Keran held the reins of the horse.
Justin stood on the other side of her.
She was outflanked and outnumbered. It was time to do this. Devyn took a deep breath. “Maybe we can try it tomorrow.”
“Don’t be silly. We’ll do it once. Just get on the horse, put your feet in the stirrups, and I will walk you around the pen, just once. You can get off then.”
“Horses scare me,” she insisted.
Justin snickered.
She heard it, but she’d long ago abandoned all dignity. As long as she got away from this place, Devyn didn’t care about anything else. She was willing to lie, beg, and perhaps even plead insanity to get away but it looked as if they were both determined. She glanced at Justin but got no support from him. Devyn then stared at the horse. She raised a hand gently, tentatively. When the big animal didn’t even as much as twitch an ear, she put her fingers on its flank. When the horse neighed, she yelled and jumped back.
Sherpa, the horse, turned its head around and gazed at her a tad bit reproachfully.
“Sorry about that,” she told him.
Keran cleared his throat.
She looked over at him.
He managed to suppress his smile.
How could she have forgotten that he was right there witnessing her misery?
“It’s not going to bite or kick. Do you want me to put you on it?” he asked.
If she had his arms around her, there were many other thoughts that would pop into her mind. Maybe that would be a good diversion from the agony she was undergoing right now. No. She couldn’t handle that. “I’ll do it,” she assured him.
Justin giggled.
She ignored him and concentrated on the big beast that was swishing its tail. “Okay, I can do this. I can do this.” Shuffling forward, Devyn put her hand on the horse’s flank.
This time, the animal cooperated by not even making a sound.
Feeling a little more confident, she put her foot in the stirrup and then boosted herself up. Now that she was seated on the animal, Devyn clung to the saddle with all her might.
“Do you want to hold the reins?” Keran asked.
She wanted to leap off and run into the house, but she merely shook her head.
As if he understood her plight, Keran moved forward holding the reins and the horse plodded along.
While she gripped the saddle, Devyn took deep, steadying breaths. Okay. So it wasn’t as bad as she’d thought. It was enjoyable really. Maybe she shouldn’t have made such a big deal about it. She looked around and enjoyed the view from that height.
“Do you want to go another round?” Keran asked.
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She gazed into his eyes. “Okay.”
He took her on another round and half way through handed her the reins. “I’ll be right here.”
She took the reins and felt quite like a rider until they came around to Justin.
He applauded. “Well done, Devyn. Not bad for your first try.”
“Thank you.”
When she tried to get off, Devyn got confused. How did he make it look so easy when Keran showed her? She swung her leg and sat. She should just jump off.
Then Keran’s hand settled on her waist and he effortlessly took her off.
Her gaze locked with his and her lips parted. When he lowered her to the ground, her breasts brushed against his chest. She stared at his lips. Oh! How she wanted to kiss him. She ached with the need to do so, but Justin stood right there.
“You did well,” he said as he stepped away.
“Thanks.” She glanced at Justin and took his hand in hers. “I’m glad you forced me to try.”
“Forced is a strong word,” he replied.
“Well, you did,” she insisted. “But I’m happy you did.”
“So, we can do it again tomorrow?” Keran suggested.
She glared at him. “I think I’ve proven my point.”
“The point was to learn to ride. All you did was to get used to the horse.”
She didn’t think she could do it. Devyn didn’t want to. It wasn’t fair she had to go through it, but she gritted her teeth. “Fine.”
“That’s the spirit,” Keran said in a dry voice as they walked to the house. “Are you scared of horses or animals in general?”
Damn him! Couldn’t he leave her alone?
Justin stared at her. “You can’t possibly be scared of cats?”
“A little bit,” she admitted. “I never had animals growing up. My mother was allergic to all sorts of things. If there was a cat in the yard, she sneezed.”