But the only reason that any of this happens to be breaking news now is because I’m supposed to be in a loving and monogamous relationship with Audrey, the young working class woman who has managed to capture the heart of one of America’s finest bachelors – me.
"How? How could you do this to Audrey and Teagan, Rylan? How could you be so stupid?" The old woman audibly sighs in defeat and frustration. “I just don’t understand.”
I try to open my mouth to tell her that I’ll quickly handle the problem when I notice a bright flashing light temporarily blinding my eyes. The sudden glow and glare that shines right in my face causes my eyes to instantly wince in response, the single flash subsequently followed by a few more of them. But through the tight squint of my closed stare, I start to realize that the bright lights are coming from the abnormally large crowd of people who are standing outside the doors. It’s the paparazzi, and they’re looking particularly starved more so than usual for a hot scoop and story.
"I'll have to call you back, grandma. I have to deal with some media vultures right now. We’ll talk later once I fix all of this."
The old woman takes a lingering pause of silence to bitterly sigh through the line one more time before she eventually hangs up on me without saying anything else. Though it’s no surprise that the moment my phone call with my grandmother ends, a new call from Crane begins to ring in from my cell phone. He’s always right on time when shit hits the fan – and always there to help clean up the mess for me.
"Crane, just how bad is the situation right now?" I ask as I move away from the prying eyes and the cameras waiting for me outside.
"We are currently working on minimizing the damage as quickly as possible, sir. It’s probably best for you to come home in the meantime and wait out the media frenzy. The less you are seen in public, the better,” the butler responds.
“Yeah, I plan on heading home right now. I’m guessing they’ll be waiting for me there too, so make sure Teagan doesn’t get caught or seen by the paparazzi. I don’t want them to scare her like last time.”
My stomach tightens up into a large knot as I hurry over to the parking lot to get home. The thought of a group of grown adults relentlessly shoving their cameras into Teagan’s face fills me with extreme worry and unease. In fact, I’m much more worried about her condition than my own right now. It doesn’t help that I can vividly remember the last time something like this happened to Teagan and how traumatized she was from the experience of being cornered and surrounded by a bunch of strangers. She didn’t want to sleep alone in her room for weeks after that, and I didn’t hesitate for a second to get each one of those bastards fired for hurting her.
As long as Teagan is protected and kept away from the media circus, I really don’t care what sort of rumors or bad publicity is floating around me.
However, the lack of an immediate answer and word of acknowledgment from Crane in regards to my simple request leaves a strange feeling behind in my chest. It’s unlike him to stay this quiet under such dire circumstances. He usually quells my concerns with a swift albeit confident reply, but all I can feel from his silence right now is pure doubt and uncertainty. Something just doesn’t feel right.
The sound of my voice shakes as I say his name: “Crane?”
A soft sigh breathes into the phone receiver. “Unfortunately, sir, Teagan and Miss Scott currently happen to be out at the moment. I haven’t been able to get a hold of them since the news broke out. But I have every available body looking for them right now to bring them home and to make sure they are safe."
Shit.
I quietly scoff and shake my head in disbelief while stopping right in the midst of my tracks. The truth that Crane has been reluctant to tell me about makes my heart sink straight down to my stomach. There's a queasy sensation swelling up within my chest from the nervous energy which tightly grips me. It feels like something has been lodged deep inside my throat, something that won't disappear no matter how hard I swallow. It's that creeping feeling of fear and doubt that naturally raises the tiny hairs on the back of my neck -- and it just won't stop following me.
“Do you have any idea where they could have went?” I say.
“The last thing I heard from Miss Scott was her telling me that she was going to stop by the mall with Teagan to look at some camping equipment. But I don't think you need to worry too much. The young miss is in good hands."
"Yeah, I guess she is. Just keep me updated, okay?"
"Will do, sir. Please be careful on your way back."
A heavy and burdensome sensation continues to persist in my chest as the phone call between us comes to an end. I close my eyes in response to the lingering discomfort and let out a lengthy sigh. Even though Crane is absolutely right about Teagan's safety being guaranteed because of Audrey's presence, I still feel a bit unsettled by the thought of Audrey being harassed by the paparazzi. She's never been in a hectic and chaotic situation like this before, not to mention being practically right at the center of it because of me.
I can only hope and pray that Audrey knows how to handle it by herself because it definitely won't be easy to endure all of the harsh accusations that are bound to come her way. She's just as big of a target right now as I am -- maybe even a bigger one.
***
My mind is struggling to constantly keep up with the latest updates on the 'breaking story' behind my infidelity when somebody knocks against the door. I look up and find Crane stepping through the opened doorway with a tense expression on his face.
"They're here," the butler announces.
I quickly jump out of my seat to glance out of the window where I see a black car slowly approaching the crowded gates. It's Teagan and Audrey, and they're both finally home from their brief stop to the mall. But just as I notice and recognize the vehicle pulling up to the estate, so do the paparazzi who waste no time flocking toward the car in hopes of getting a few pictures and words in. The massive pack of silhouettes swarm the entire vehicle and make it difficult for the car to drive up safely, the loud and constant honking of the car horn warning the media vultures to get the hell out of the way.
Yet even though I know that Crane has a tendency to strongly disapprove of any actions that will foolishly put me in harm's way, I still follow my natural instincts and storm out of the door. There's hardly any time to form concrete thoughts in my head as I feel my legs swiftly carrying me down the stairs and to the front door. I can hear the butler's footsteps following closely behind me with each step that I take, but he never chooses to stop me despite how close he gets to me. Not even when I walk right out of the doors and step straight into the lion's den where everyone is already waiting for me.
“Miss Scott, are you currently aware of the claims that have been made by Rylan Bennett’s secret lover? And if so, do you think that it is possible that there are other women who have not spoken up yet?”
“Miss Scott! How do you feel knowing that Rylan Bennett has these allegations against him right now?”
“Audrey Scott, people are dying to know if the relationship between you and Rylan Bennett is real or fake. Do you have any sort of comment to say or add on that?”
Although the demanding voices coming from the crowd of people are loud and almost impossible to distinguish from at times, I can hear the faint and hesitant sound of Audrey's voice rise up and speak out against them: “I-I have no comment for anybody at this time. Please move out of my way so I can get home.”
It's no surprise to see the clamoring voices blatantly ignore the young nanny's desperate plea and continue to surround her while overwhelming her with endless questions. After all, that's just the kind of people the paparazzi are -- ruthless cowards who will do anything to get a scoop and story even if it means intimidating a woman with a scared young child in her arms. But I clench my fist as I walk up to the large gates which gradually open up for me, the only barrier and barricade separating me from the bloodthirsty and restless paparazz
i rapidly disappearing before my very eyes. The only way to protect my family is by putting the bright, red target on myself, and that's exactly what I'm going to do right now.
Just like clockwork, the frenzied mob immediately turns their attention toward me as I start to move forward into the eye of the storm. They all shove their cameras and their microphones into my face and simultaneously speak to me, their deafening and distorted voices all blending into one vague, demonic sound. I can barely make out any of their faces as I push through the crowd of strangers to look for Teagan and Audrey who are still stuck in the middle of the mayhem. Yet no matter how many unfamiliar faces I ignore and pass through in the claustrophobic cluster of bodies, they are simply nowhere to be seen. The whole world feels like it's moving in slow motion until I hear the one voice which breaks me out of the hazy fog by directly calling out to me: “Daddy!”
My heart instantly tightens from the abrupt sound of Teagan's voice. I take a pause and begin to look for her face within the rabid crowd which continues to try and get a word or comment out of me. But the little voice calls my name again, my legs naturally moving toward the direction of her frantic call. Hearing that desperate voice of hers just flips a switch on inside of me. It feels like every single inch and fiber of my being is simply driven and motivated by the paternal instinct that dwells within me -- the fatherly instinct to protect and defend my daughter from any harm that comes her way.
I quickly squeeze through the tight pack of people while my head swings left and right to find the young girl who is earnestly calling for me. The small voice grows louder and louder with each step that I take into the crowd, and it isn't long until I eventually spot Teagan perched up high in Audrey's arms. Her innocent blue eyes fill up with glee and tears as soon as she notices me. A warm and tingling feeling of relief rushes over me as I reach out and take the young child straight into my arms for a hug.
Thank god she's safe.
Unfortunately, the heartwarming moment and reunion between me and Teagan doesn't last very long before the paparazzi start flashing their cameras and shoving their microphones at us.
“Rylan Bennett! Can we have some thoughts or comments on your side of the story? Is there any truth or basis to this mystery woman’s words?”
“Mr. Bennett, some individuals have been speculating that your relationship with Audrey Scott is simply a front for your actual relationship with this unnamed woman. What are your thoughts on that?”
“Mr. Bennett, is it true that Audrey Scott is nothing more than a woman that you hired to deceive the public from the truth?”
My head spins from the bombard of nonstop questions that are being thrown at me from every possible angle. I can hardly even hear myself think in the overwhelming noise that surrounds me, much less process any of the nonsense that anyone is saying to me. The only thing that I can really focus on in the middle of the hysteria is the anguished look on Audrey's face as she silently stares back at me. A flicker of pain and discomfort appears within her brown eyes each time her name happens to be mentioned in a negative manner and light by the paparazzi.
Gold digger, sugar baby, and money-grubbing leech are just some of the cruel and ruthless implications that the reporters are insinuating about Audrey's character. It's obvious that the public is already convinced that our relationship is fake and that we have been playing them as fools since we came out to the world as an official couple. But the backlash in Audrey's situation is clearly much worse given the fact that she is a nobody in society with no power or influence to sway the public eye. Everything in her history and past is free fuel for the press who will use and twist anything in their favor to push their manufactured narrative whether or not there's any truth to it.
The person who gets hurt from all of this chaos and drama isn't actually me. It's Audrey.
A heavy sensation weighs down in my chest as I instinctively reach over to grab the nanny's cold hand where I tightly hold onto it. “At this time, I have no answers or comments to add to any of your questions. My official statement will be released later today. In the meantime, please leave my family out of this,” I firmly announce in an unwavering voice.
Before I can give the paparazzi a chance to respond to me with more misleading and follow up questions, I pull Audrey closer to me and guide the two of us back to safety through the large gates leading into the estate. The loud roar of the crowd continues to follow and trail behind us up until the gates begin to close right in front of them, the jumbled sound of their voices fading into the distance as we are all swiftly escorted back into the house. But even though we are finally out of the prying eyes of the public, I still can't completely shake off the unsettling feeling of being constantly watched by someone. Nowhere feels entirely safe right now -- not even being in the comforts of my own home.
I start to feel the exhaustion from maintaining my composure in public quickly catching up to me when I notice a slight tug against the hem of my shirt. My eyes drop down to the sight of the uneasy little girl who still seems extremely rattled by the experience.
“What’s happening, dad? Why are there so many people asking you questions today?” Teagan hesitantly asks while her brilliant blue eyes shift over to the young nanny. "And why are they always asking about Audrey?"
A delicate sigh gradually escapes me as I kneel down to the young child's level. I gently tuck her hair behind her ears and smile. “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. It’s all boring grown up and adult stuff that you wouldn't understand. Just try your best to ignore those people for now, okay?”
“O-okay.”
"Anyway, you must be tired after that. Why don't you and Crane go head and grab a snack or something? You can have anything you want."
Teagan's eyes instantly light up. "Anything?"
"Anything," I repeat.
The little girl lets out a tiny gasp of joy before she promptly drags Crane away by the hand toward the direction of the kitchen. I can't help but softly chuckle at how easily her emotions are swayed and moved by the thought of being able to eat whatever she wants without my permission. Yet my amusement is merely short-lived as I turn my attention back over to the brunette who hasn’t spoken a word since we stepped back into the house. She looks visibly distraught and upset over what happened judging from the way her lips remain in the permanent state of a frown.
However, as much as I want to make sure Audrey is fine after that frightening incident with the paparazzi, I find it a bit difficult to openly ask her any questions when she’s been acting rather strange these past few days. Her responses are brief and cold while her eyes actively avoid me like the plague. It’s painfully obvious that something is off with her when the guts, spunk, and attitude that are usually present in her personality are missing. I just didn’t expect her to start making things awkward between us after a one nightstand, but I can’t really blame her for acting this way when I’m the one who can’t stop myself from seeing her in a sexual manner either.
The sweet taste of her soft lips, the warm feeling of her curves pressed up against my body, and the fragile sound of her voice breathing right into my ear -- I just can’t get any of it out of my mind even if I tried. And I would be seriously lying to myself if I said that I wanted to willingly forget about that passionate night that we shared together. After all, the orgasmic pleasures that swept through me still vividly echo across my body whenever I recall the memories and details from that heated night. But in spite of my painful struggle to keep on maintaining a professional business relationship with Audrey after everything that has happened, I try my best to force the dirty thoughts and images out of my head long enough to approach the young woman with her current wellbeing in mind.
“Are you feeling all right, Audrey?” I carefully ask in a low voice.
The nanny slightly jumps up from the unexpected sound of my voice as she looks up at me with a startled look. “Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I’m just a bit surprised and shaken up over everything that happe
ned. I’ve never had so many people crowd around me with huge cameras like that while asking me a bunch of questions," she weakly laughs. "It was pretty crazy out there. I honestly didn't know what to do until you came out there to help us."
“Well, I’m just sorry that you had to be a part of something so terrifying in the first place,” I state with an apologetic shake of my head. “But you held your ground pretty well against those people while making sure Teagan was safe the whole time. Thank you for that.”
“Hey, it's all a part of the job. What kind of nanny would I be if I couldn't even do just that?" she notes with a playful smile.
My heart naturally squeezes from the sudden appearance of Audrey's lovely smiling expression. It's the first time in a long while since I've seen her radiant smile and the mere sight of it leaves me slightly captivated and speechless for a second. But I quickly shake off the warm and tender feelings in my chest that clearly have no place being in there. Now isn't quite the right time for me to acknowledge or indulge in my sexual attraction toward the young woman, especially since there is a much more pressing and urgent matter that I have to handle at the moment.
Yet the beam on Audrey's face steadily fades away until it fully disappears, her cheeky little grin replaced by a look of unease again. She looks straight into my eyes with the intention of saying something else, yet the words never appear to leave her lips. They simply remain hanging at the tip of her tongue where they can never be heard by anyone but herself. However, it's only after a few moments of awkward silence and staring that she finally decides to come out with whatever is bothering her and currently on her mind.
“So, is there any truth to what the media is saying about you? Is there really a woman in your life?” the brunette questions in a tentative tone and manner as she stiffly crosses her arms in front of her. Even though she looks a bit relieved to have finally spoken up, she actually seems even more nervous than she was before now that she has to wait for my answer.
Billionaire Daddy's Contract: A Single Dad and Nanny Romance Page 13