by Dia Cole
I looked over at the gorgeous man only to find his attention glued to the nearly naked dark-haired woman spinning around the pole in the center of the stage.
He blinked in surprise and then looked down at me. “This isn’t a steak restaurant, is it?”
I chewed my lip. “Not exactly.”
He lifted a brow. “And you’re not exactly working here as a waitress, are you?”
My face heated as I shook my head. “Not exactly.” A pit grew in my stomach as I sensed my chance at a fresh start evaporating.
“I see,” he said, his impassive expression telling me nothing.
Impulsively, I grabbed his arm. “I’m sorry I fibbed, it’s just that people don’t give dancers a chance. Is there any way you could not tell Nathan about this? I promise that I’ll be an incredible nanny to your niece.”
Tyberius frowned. He started to say something when a bleach-blond cocktail waitress interrupted him.
“There you are,” Donna exclaimed. “Don’t you look like money, honey?” She reached over and gave me a one-armed hug, balancing her tray of empty drinks in her other hand. She’d been my mom’s best friend and always acted like an aunt — a distant aunt who’d never lend you money but was always asking favors. “I was hoping to see you before your set. Could you watch Gavin for me tomorrow afternoon? Max and I have lunch plans and our sitter fell through.” She gave me an expectant look.
It was the third time this month she’d asked me to watch her young son, but Donna was like family so… “Sure.”
“You’re a lifesaver.” She kissed my cheek leaving behind a sticky trail of her hot pink lipstick.
Scrubbing off my cheek, I glanced over at Tyberius, but he’d vanished. Where did he go? I twisted around and nearly crashed into my boss.
“Hey, doll. Thanks for coming in early.” Max, a beefy middle-aged man, reached around me and grabbed a napkin from Donna’s tray. As he wiped a sheen of sweat off his bald head, he said, “One of the new girls called in sick. Says she has that new flu going around.”
“What flu?” Other than following the news of the Strip Club Killer I hadn’t exactly been staying up on current events.
“The canine flu, honey. It’s all anyone’s been talking about,” Donna interjected. “Apparently, it’s killing a lot of people in Asia and Europe.” She shuddered and the glasses on her tray clinked together.
Great. One more thing to keep me up at night.
Max gave me a penetrating look. “I’m going to need you to work the early sets all next week.”
“That won’t be possible. Havana is taking a new position,” Tyberius said, seeming to materialize out of the shadows.
Donna and Max let out startled gasps while I gazed up at the gorgeous man.
He winked at me.
Oh, thank God. Tyberius was going to keep my secret.
“Havana, what’s this guy talking about?” Max demanded.
Here goes nothing. I sucked in a steadying breath. “I’m sorry for the short notice, but tonight is my last night.”
Max and Donna looked at me with matching expressions of shock on their face.
“What do you mean?”
“I got that nannying job I was telling you guys about.”
Max stared at me as if I was speaking another language.
I sighed, realizing that neither he nor his wife had been listening when I’d told them about the interview. The sad truth was that if I wasn’t doing them a favor, they didn’t have much time for me.
“Who would hire you to look after kids?” Donna asked, with a genuine look of confusion on her face.
“Thanks,” I said sarcastically. Never mind the fact that she’d just a minute ago asked me to watch her only child.
“I-I just meant, you’re a dancer…” Donna’s voice trailed off.
“Havana emerged as the top candidate in our interview process,” Tyberius interjected.
I gave him a grateful look.
Max muttered a curse and crumpled up the napkin. “You can’t do this to me right now. I need you on that stage.”
“But it’s not safe to be a dancer in this town anymore.” I needed him to understand why I was leaving. He and Donna were the closest thing I had to family.
He grimaced. “Don’t be scared by that so-called serial killer. The media is making more of it than there is. I’m sure those girls just got in with a bad crowd. Besides, I’ve hired two new bouncers. No one will start shit with them around.”
“Max,” I said softly. “Don’t you want a better life for me?”
Max’s face turned red. “Just get changed and get on that stage. Amber’s set is about to end.”
“I gotta get these glasses to the bar.” Donna kept her gaze averted as she walked away.
Disappointment rushed through me. It was ridiculous, but I’d hoped that they’d both be happy for me. Getting out of this life wasn’t easy.
Tyberius cleared his throat and stared down at my boss. “Havana won’t be dancing tonight.” His voice rang with a vibrating tone that rose over the sound of the music. “And you will wish her well on her new endeavor.”
Max’s eyes glazed over. “Havana won’t be dancing tonight,” he echoed. Then he turned to me. “I won’t need you tonight after all. Good luck with your new job, doll.”
I looked in confusion between Tyberius and Max. Did Tyberius just do some kind of crazy Jedi mind trick?
As if reading my thoughts, Tyberius smiled at me. “Seeing as though you aren’t needed here after all, how about I walk you back to your car?”
Dimples. Oh my God. The guy had dimples. Dazed, I took his arm and let him lead me out of the club.
Outside night had fallen and the parking lot was starting to fill. As we walked past a rowdy crowd of men my age, I wondered what Max was going to do without me filling in tonight. Part of me felt bad about leaving, but the rest of me was relieved as hell to be done with the club. No more stripping for rude, drunk men. It was time for a new beginning. On Monday, I’d start my new job and life. It was the fresh start I needed and it could lead to even bigger and better things. As long as I can keep my hands off my charge’s sexy father and uncle…
I looked over at Tyberius who’d stopped at my car. The fact that he knew which vehicle was mine should’ve rattled me, but for some reason it didn’t. Being with him made me feel safe and protected in a way I couldn’t explain. “Will I be seeing you again?”
“Oh, I think so,” he said, his jeweled gaze holding me captive. After I’d unlocked the door, he opened it for me. “I’m looking forward to seeing you turn Nathan’s life upside down.”
I turned to ask him what he meant by that, but he’d vanished again.
4
Nathan
The sound of the doorbell stopped me from my relentless pacing.
It’s her. And she was late.
With a mixture of anticipation and dread, I moved toward my study door. Even with the super hearing afforded me by my species, I had to strain to hear Mrs. Pierce welcome Vana into the house and lead her down the hallway to the playroom.
Thirsty for the sight of the dark-haired siren, I rushed over to the two-way mirror. Over the weekend, I’d managed to convince myself that I’d overestimated her beauty. As she walked through the playroom door in a short red skirt and tight black top, I realized I’d been mistaken. She was even more stunning than I’d remembered.
Vana spied Mira coloring at the table and crouched down next to her.
Mira grinned and shook the foam antennas on the ladybug headband she was wearing at Vana. “Hi, my dad said you’re my new nanny.”
“I am,” Vana said with an answering grin.
“I’m glad.” Mira bounded off her seat and hugged Vana so hard the beautiful female fell backward.
Instead of being annoyed by Mira’s exuberance, Vana merely laughed. “I’m excited too, love bug.”
My mouth went dry as Vana struggled to right herself and her already indecently short ski
rt rode up her toned bare thighs.
A sudden urge to rush into the playroom and touch the alluring female gripped me.
No. I can’t. With a groan, I wrenched myself away from the glass and forced myself to sit down at my desk. I opened my laptop and made revisions to the proposed treaty with the Moon Valley Lykos faction. I’d been working for months to negotiate terms with their Alpha—no easy task.
Tensions between our factions were sky-high after Tasha had tortured and killed a rogue Moon Hunter that had ventured too close to Winterhaven, our home. It’d taken every bit of diplomatic skill I possessed to avoid an outright war with the much larger faction. War would result in the loss of countless lives that we as a species couldn’t afford. There were so few of us as it was.
We Lykos had been genetically engineered by the military nearly a hundred years ago to be the perfect animal hybrid soldiers. But when our wolf natures led us to follow and protect our female Alphas over our military commanders, we’d been deemed unsuitable for combat. The army had shelved the Lykos project and tried to eradicate their creations. Thankfully, enough of us had escaped to establish hidden factions all over the world. However, conditions were not ideal with five males for every female. Before our high council outlawed Lykos-human offspring, unclaimed males had frequently interbred with human women. The not insignificant Atavus population was the direct result of that.
Years ago, I’d been one of the council members who’d lobbied ardently against interbreeding with humans. My position being that it diluted the bloodlines and put the secrecy of our species at risk. However, now that I was a father, my feelings had changed. In fact, I was disgusted that I’d worked to deny others the miracle of having young. Who cared if their Lykos-human offspring had no power and couldn’t shift into wolves?
I looked down at the silver cuffs on my wrists. Hell, it isn’t as if I can shift anymore. The loss of my wolf was a heavy burden, but I’d bear it and more if it kept Mira safe.
My gaze was drawn back to the glass. In the playroom, Vana was reading Mira her favorite story. Having read the raggedy book to my daughter each night, I could recite the pages by heart. As I watched Mira cuddle into Vana’s arms, my chest tightened. Against my better judgment, I flicked the switch that turned on the audio so I could hear them.
Vana turned the last page and said, “and the lost little ladybug found her mama and never wandered away again. The end.”
“Do you have a mama?” Mira asked, looking up at Vana.
Vana blinked as if surprised by the question. “I did, but she…she passed away.”
“What does passed away mean?”
Vana looked ill at ease as if realizing she’d just stumbled into one of those conversations no adult wanted to have with a child.
Intrigued by how she would handle it, I twisted my chair around and focused my attention on the two females.
Vana cleared her throat. “It means she’s gone away forever.”
Mira nodded. “Oh. My mama passed away too. I never even met her.”
I tensed. Other than a few questions here and there, Mira had never asked about her mother. Have I done more harm than good in keeping the truth from her?
“I’m sorry,” Vana said stroking a lock of Mira’s hair. “No one should be without their mama.”
I shook my head. Little does she know. Mira’s safety depended on her not seeing her mother.
“Maybe you can be my mama?” Mira asked Vana with an impish grin.
For a split second Vana seemed to stare straight at me through the glass.
She can’t see me. Can she? I inwardly cringed, waiting for the censure in her gaze. Much to my surprise, a look of longing crossed the beautiful female’s face.
“Crazier things have happened,” Vana muttered. Then shaking her head as if to clear it, she said, “Do you have any Play-Doh?”
“Oh, yes!” squealed the little girl who led Vana over to the cabinets where her art supplies were stored.
As I watched them play for the next hour and a half, Vana’s words kept running through my mind. Crazier things have happened.
What did that mean? Is she interested in pursuing a relationship with me? Not that it was possible. She was off-limits. Even if I wasn’t a prisoner of the silver I wore, it was never a good idea to get involved with staff. Especially staff your child seemed to adore.
In the playroom, Mira was trying to scare Vana with a Play-Doh snake she’d made.
Vana threw her head back and let out a throaty laugh. Her dark eyes danced with mirth while her graceful throat was bared to me. Her submissive move triggered my inner wolf.
As the urge to rush into the playroom and cover her throat with my mouth overwhelmed me, I gripped the armrests of my chair. Damn it. I’m so screwed. It was only her first day and I couldn’t concentrate on anything but how much I wanted her.
This wasn’t going to work. There was only one solution. I’m going to have to spend my days elsewhere.
Disappointment settled over me. Working as the Winterhaven Faction ambassador meant that a lot of my time was spent traveling. Having my meals with Mira and putting her down for bed when I was in town were the highlights of my days.
As if reading my mind, Mira announced, “I’m hungry. Is it lunch yet?”
Vana looked up from closing the containers of Play-Doh. “I’m not sure. Mrs. Pierce said she’d come get us when it was lunchtime.”
“But I’m hungry.” Mira stomped her foot. When Vana didn’t react, Mira infused her voice with Alpha power. “Bring me lunch now!”
Damnation. There she goes again using compulsion. I studied Vana for any signs that she was being influenced.
The beautiful dark-haired female rubbed the sides of her temple. “Please lower your voice, Mira. It’s giving me a headache.”
“Sorry,” Mira said, still pouting.
Thank the fates Vana didn’t seem affected by Mira’s attempt at compulsion. Vana was just what Mira needed. Hopefully, my daughter would eventually stop trying to mind-control people. I chuckled thinking of how Mira attempted to compel me into letting her stay up late last night. As if. No one could compel me. Not even Tasha.
Frowning, I looked down at the silver cuffs on my wrists. The vicious she-wolf had still figured out how to control me in the end.
Back in the playroom, Vana was pointing at a plate on the top of the bookcase. “Look, Mrs. Pierce left us some fruit. Why don’t we have some snack to tide us over?”
“I want grapes,” Mira declared, running over to the plate.
A handful of grapes later, my daughter was happily showing Vana the rooms in her dollhouse.
Vana is really good with her, I concluded as I watched them play throughout the morning. Despite her lack of education or experience, she managed Mira better than any of the highly trained nannies that had come before her.
All the more reason to stay away from her, I reminded myself. The last thing I needed to do was scare her off or make her uncomfortable with my unnatural interest. And yet, I couldn’t tear my eyes from her. Already her mannerisms—the way she flung her long hair back when she laughed and chewed her lip when unsure of something—were becoming familiar to me. I wanted to know more about her. What kind of food does she like? Is she seeing anyone? Does she like being spanked during sex?
That thought had me shifting in my chair. Shit. I bet she does. My mind replayed the moment I’d backed her into my desk and the split second her expression had changed from apprehensive to excited. The way her eyes had darkened and the scent of her desire had been so hot. Fuck. If not for my silver cuffs, I could’ve taken her right then and there…
“Lunchtime!” Mrs. Pierce called out, tearing me from my fantasy.
I looked over to see that the housekeeper had opened the door into the playroom.
“Finally!” Mira huffed, throwing down the dolls she was playing with. “Come on, Vana, we’re going to eat with Daddy.”
Vana stood. “He’ll be at lunch?” She
looked over at Mrs. Pierce for confirmation.
Mrs. Pierce shrugged. “Mr. Steele often has lunch with Mira when he’s in town. He’s home today, so I’d expect to see him.”
“Oh.” Vana’s questioning gaze turned to the two-way mirror.
A guilty feeling stole over me before I could shake it. It’s my house and I can do what I damn well please.
“Come along. I’ll show you to the dining room,” Mrs. Pierce said with a wave. “Mr. Steele indicated you were to eat your meals with Mira.”
“I can find my way,” Vana said. “Give me a minute to clean this up.”
“As you wish.” Mrs. Pierce took Mira’s hand and led her out of the room.
After scooping up the dolls and putting them in their bin. Vana grabbed her purse and sauntered over to the mirror.
Tensing, I watched as she puckered her lips and slowly applied a bright red coat of lipstick to her mouth. I’d never thought the act of putting on makeup was sexy, but seeing Vana do it changed my mind.
She dropped the lipstick into her bag and then adjusted her bra.
My breathing went ragged at the sight of her lifting her breasts and realigning them in that tight shirt she was wearing.
The silver cuffs I wore ensured my cock’s lack of response, but my blood still heated and my heart raced. I leaned forward in my chair wanting more than the teasing glimpse of her cleavage. What color are her nipples? Pale peach? Ruby red like her lips?
Smoothing her hand over her skirt, Vana gave the mirror a coy smile. “Looking forward to seeing you at lunch, Mr. Steele.” Then she turned on her heel and sashayed out of the room.
Damnation. She’d just played me. Overcome with a mixture of surprise and outrage, I looked down at my fisted hands. I knew what I should’ve done—tell Mrs. Pierce that henceforth I’d be taking lunch in my study. It was the right thing to do. The only sane thing to do.
Screw that. I wasn’t going to hide like a cowardly Omega. This was my house and that impertinent female needed to learn a lesson in respect. Lucky for her, I was just the Alpha male to teach her.
5