I took the pen from his hand and signed my name on the paper.
He yanked the pen out of my hand the second I had written my name and pulled away the contract almost like he was afraidI’d destroy it. “Monica is waiting to show you to your room and introduce you to your niece.”
I nodded and stood, turning for the door.
“Oh, Sasha?”
I turned back to look at him.
“Don’t make me regret this.”
I didn’t say a word. I just pushed out the door. I found myself breathless the moment I stepped into the hallway. My heart was racing as I’d just escaped a meeting with the devil. Goosebumps were prickling my skin, and a knot in my stomach that had yet to release itself.
Monica stepped around the corner, coming to a stumbling stop. “Oh, you’re finished?”
I nodded.
“And you signed the contract?” Worry clouded her face.
Again, I nodded, still a little too breathless for words.
“I’ll show you to your room. Right this way.” She breezed past me, moving further down the hallway and up the stairs. She opened the door on the second floor of the apartment and entered a room. “Welcome home, Sasha.”
I stepped into the room, and my mouth fell open as I took it in. It was big and gorgeous. I knew that it was something that Roman’s designer had done because there was no way he’d done this himself.
The floors were made of a dark hardwood that matched the hallway. The walls were white. The cathedral ceiling and skylights left my mouth agape in awe. The windows were floor-to-ceiling and overlooked the city skyline.
I was lucky enough to get a room with a balcony, and when I stepped up to the glass doors, I found the balcony extended quite far, with a tall glass enclosure. I winced, thinking I’d have a panic attack if I stepped out there. There was a lovely patio area with a small table, chairs, and some flowers.
Despite how pretty it was, there was no way in hell I’d open those doors and go outside. We were on the thirty-fifth floor. The fall would not be pleasant if a strong breeze blew through, even if the railing was nearly to my chest.
I turned away from the windows to explore the room further. There was an electric fireplace made of stone. A large flatscreen TV hung above it, and there was a couch with tables and lamps for my own, private living area. The large king-size bed was positioned against the front wall, featuring all-white and cream-colored linens that looked soft and inviting.
“You also have your own private bath and walk-in closet,” Monica said, beaming a wide smile. “Once Roman decided to have a live-in nanny for Sophia, he thought giving them their own suite would be best.”
I opened the closet and stepped inside. It looked like something out of a movie, with its built-in hanging racks, shelves, and drawers. I didn’t have nearly enough clothes to fill the space, but it was impressive nonetheless. The closet had a door in the back that led to the bathroom. The bathroom was fresh, clean, and up to date, which I appreciated. There were his-and-hers sinks with a massive mirror and vanity. A gigantic whirlpool bathtub stood in front of a large window overlooking the city, with a separate glass shower just next to it.
Monica stepped into the room and leaned against the door frame. “The window is tinted so you can only see out.”
“This is amazing.”
She smiled. “I thought you’d like it. I haven’t met anyone yet who hasn’t. Are you ready to meet Sophia?”
Her name made me stop dead in my tracks. I turned to face her with a nod of my head. I hadn’t seen my niece since my sister’s funeral. She was just a tiny baby then. I’d seen the photos that Roman had around the house, so I was already prepared forhow much she resembled my sister, but I wanted to see her with my own two eyes.
“Right this way.”
I followed Monica out of my room and down the hall. She knocked and then opened another door, leading me into a child’s bedroom. It was almost set up like mine, only it was more appropriate for a child. There was a bedroom area, but instead of a private sitting room, it was a playroom full of toys.
When she walked in through the archway, a woman and Sophia both looked up at us.
“Sophia, I’d like to introduce you to your new nanny. This is Sasha.”
Sophia’s blue eyes locked on mine, stealing the air from my lungs. I knew she looked like my sister, but there was something in her eyes that told me it was so much more than that. She felt like my sister, not physically, but spiritually. For years, I’d been looking for a way to feel close to her. I thought I’d feel her at the house she called home, but I didn’t. I thought her childhood bedroom would do the trick, but it was completely empty. My last effort was her headstone, but that didn’t work either. All those years I spent looking and coming up empty-handed, and all I needed to do was look into the eyes of her child.
I forced a smile onto my face as I tried to will away the tears forming in my eyes.
“Hi, Sophia. I’m Sasha. Can I play with you?”
