Page 12 of Devil Seeks Nanny

“The boys are looking into them now,” Leo says, referring to the soldiers who are assigned such tasks. Leo rubs his jaw, arching a brow. “Are we completely sure that this was arson?” He’s still skeptical about the fire being anything but an accident. He shrugs. “Sometimes a gas tank is just a gas tank. Maybe it really was just faulty electrical wires and that nanny of yours is looking for a better reason for her dad’s death.”

I raise an eyebrow at him, blowing another cloud of smoke out. “Her father being murdered is a better reason compared to faulty electrical?” I scoff with a shake of my head.

Leo purses his lips. “Sometimes you just want someone to blame.”

“Maybe,” I say, turning to look back out the window. I watch as cars drive by below, and pedestrians go about their day. “Either way, I’m not a hundred percent certain if it was an accident or not, so we’re going to keep looking until we have solid evidence if it was one or the other.”

Leo is silent for a moment. “And if we find out it wasn’t an accident?” he asks but his tone tells me he already knows my answer.

I don’t turn to face him. “Then you bring me the bastard who set the bakery on fire, and I’ll kill him myself.”

“If he was a member of a different mob, this could be the start of a war on our hands, Boss,” he muses, giving voice to a thought I hope doesn’t come true.

But if it does, then. . .

“If it is, we’ll take care of it,” I tell him.

“It could be anyone,” Leo says, and at this point, he’s just thinking out loud. “The Irish, Russians—hell, it could be one of the other Italian families.”

I give a single shake of my head. “They know better,” I say. Still, outright dismissing any of the Italian families that aren’t my own would be foolish. I doubt it was anyone from there, but all cards need to be on the table for us to get to the bottom of the fire.

My jaw tightens, turning to face my desk to stub out the cigarette in the ashtray. Leo keeps his gaze fixed on me. He’s been my second in command since I took over after my father passed. We’ve been close since we were kids, having grown up together because he is, after all, my cousin, only two years younger than me. He knows me better than most people.

“We’ll figure it out,” Leo says firmly, confidently. “There are cameras everywhere. We’re bound to catch something.”

Chapter 9

DIANA

“All done!” Monica and Matteo exclaim, pushing their workbooks toward me so I can look over their work. We did some reading and writing earlier today, and the last thing on the schedule was some math work for them to do—nothing too difficult, just some numbers and adding and subtracting.

“Let’s take a look,” I grin, pulling their workbooks.

Monica looks at me with big, dark green eyes. “Diana, can we play outside today?” she asks.

Matteo nods, jumping on her train of thought. “With water balloons! We can have a water fight.”

As I check over Monica’s work first, I ask, “Do you guys have water balloons?”

“Yeah, in the playroom,” Matteo answers, nodding even more enthusiastically, probably knowing that I’m all for it.

It’s hot outside, so the idea of a water fight with some balloons filled with cool water sounds good. It’ll be a nice way of getting the kids to be outside, run around, and get some physical activity. “Alright,” I nod, shooting them both a smile. “After I look over your work, we’ll get changed and go out.”

Monica and Matteo cheer excitedly, and upon my request, they begin cleaning up the pencils and erasers that are strewn about. The two of them—they’re really easy kids to work with. Extremely sweet and playful, and so far, they’ve listened to me without any complaints or tantrums. Sure, it’s only been a couple of days since I officially became their nanny, but the transition from Gloria leaving to me taking her place had been smoother than I had anticipated. I know Gloria—and Bruno—were both concerned about how the twins would take it.

They had been upset on Gloria’s last day; they’d cried and had given her sweet little gifts as thanks, which in turn had made Gloria tear up as well, understandably. The woman had been their nanny since they were born, so I can imagine how difficult it was for all of them for her to leave. She had told me that if she could stay, she would. But her health was taking a turn, and she wasn’t fit to run after two five-year-olds all day, so retirement was in the next step so she could look after herself now.

Truthfully, I hadn’t been too worried about winning over Monica and Matteo; I’ve had some kids that I have nannied for in the past where they weren’t too happy with me being there, but I’m basically the kid whisperer, and I had won those kids over quickly enough.

Ironic how a terrifying criminal like Bruno Cataldi would raise the sweetest kids.

I don’t allow my thoughts to linger too long on the twins’ father. That tall, dark-haired, and bronze-skinned man is a good seventeen years older than me. But, God, he’s incredibly good-looking for his age. His sharp jaw, dark eyes, and broad shoulders make him look huge under the suits and dress shirts he wears. The trimmed facial hair he sports only adds to his allure, and I have to shove thoughts about him out of my head before I start thinking of his mouth.

“Okay!” I say a little too loudly, shutting the workbooks and grinning at the kids. “You guys did really well today. So, let’s get changed and have that water fight, yeah?”

Monica and Matteo cheer happily before the three of us head upstairs so I can get them changed. I help Monica first, going into her room that has walls painted a pretty lavender color. Looking through her drawers, I find an adorable baby blue one-piece bathing suit and help her change into it, before going to Matteo’s room. He’s already pulling out green swim trunks, and once the two of them are changed, I realize I need to put on some clothes I wouldn’t mind getting wet.

“Okay, how about you two go find the balloons while I change really quick?” I suggest, and they nod before running out.

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