Page 24

She’s precious, and I can’t help but wonder what it would’ve been like—

A tightness spreads across my chest, my throat burning as my eyes mist over. Internally, I shake my head. I’m being ridiculous. I quickly blink away the tears, using the back of my hand to wipe across my eyes.

I’m just tired.

And hungry.

Which is making me overly emotional.

That’s all.

Standing slowly, I approach the crib and, as gently as I possibly can, I lower the little girl onto the mattress, carefully sliding my hands out from under her. She’s sound asleep with Squish pressed against her body, a tiny smile forming on her face as she dreams, causing a smile to appear on my own as I admire her.

“She’s perfect.” My hand reaches down, stroking back the girl’s hair away from her eyes.

Click.

“Back away from my daughter,” an icy, deep voice orders from behind me.

The familiar cold metal of a gun presses into the back of my head. An intense tremor rushes through my body, my heart racing with pure terror. My legs tremble so violently I barely manage to step away from the crib. A wave of dizziness washes over me, my body feeling too weak to stand.

“Turn around,” the voice commands.

I swallow hard, my throat going dry. Black dots line the edge of my vision as I turn, my eyes finding a blurry figure before me. A high-pitched ringing fills my ears, drowning out what the man says next, right before I free-fall into the darkness.

Chapter six

Alex

Fuck, it’s been a long day.

I drop Vin off at his house before heading for mine, my foot pressing harder on the accelerator. Francesca should’ve already put Clara to bed, but a small part of me hopes I make it home in time to kiss my little girl good night.

As I pull through the open gates of my estate, a blue sedan rolls toward me. It slows beside my SUV, and the driver’s window glides down.

“Good evening, sir.” Francesca smiles. “How was the service?”

I blink a few times, my gaze drifting from her to my house, then back to her. A tight knot forms in my stomach.

“Francesca?”

“Yes, sir?”

“If you’re here…” My voice turns cold. “Then who is with my daughter?”

Her brows pinch together. “The new nanny,” she states, as though the answer is obvious.

Everything inside me stills except for my heart, which races violently beneath my rib cage.

My molars grind together, my fingers clamping down on the steering wheel. “She doesn’t fucking start until tomorrow.”

My foot slams down on the accelerator and my SUV tears up the driveway before screeching to a stop in front of my house. I throw it into park, jump out, and yank my gun from its holster.

With swiftness, I slip through the front door, finding my home eerily quiet.

Taking the stairs two at a time, I head straight for Clara’s room. The door is partly open, and I step closer to glance inside, finding a woman leaning over the railing of the crib, staring down at my daughter.

Rage surges through me as I step inside, the woman still oblivious to my presence.