Page 15 of Nanny for the Bratva Daddies

I don’t wash myself until the water starts to lose its protective heat, and when I scrub my hair, so much blood and grime comes free that it’s exactly the prompt I need to leave the bath. Beyond the door, Daniil remains standing with his back to me and despite my earlier irritation, his presence is comforting.

It’s nice not to be alone.

Wrapping myself in the fluffiest robe I can reach, I secure it light so as not to aggravate my aching ribs and pad back through to my bedroom.

“Thank you.”

Daniil finally turns and his head tilts as if he’s looking me up and down. “No problem.”

He moves past me to drain the bath and I head straight for bed, unwilling to do anything but sleep. Exhaustion pulls heavily at my eyelids, and each blink feels slower than the last. The heat of the bath has put all my worries behind me, storing them until tomorrow. My limbs drag slightly, weighed down by tired weights and I crawl into bed, robe and all. Sleep is all I want.

Daniil drains the bath and turns out the light, but when I think he will leave, he instead crosses over to the leather chair in the far corner next to my dresser and sits down.

“What are you doing?”

Daniil, illuminated by the security lights outside, crosses one leg over the other. “Taking care of you.”

“How? Are you going to watch me sleep? Don’t you have something better to do?”

“Orders are orders,” Daniil replies. “You’re not going to be alone tonight.”

Frustration builds and the sudden urge to yell at him crawls up my throat. How can I cry myself to sleep with him there? My sluggish mind runs with excuses, trying to find a way to get him to leave but I know him well enough that he won’t. He follows his orders without complaint, and I don’t have the power to make him change that.

Fuck.

I grumble and abruptly roll over to show my irritation, then immediately regret it as the movement impacts my bruised ribs. Sickening pain sweeps through my torso and I grip my pillow, biting back a groan of pain.

“Are you alright?” Daniil asks.

“Shut up,” I snap tiredly. “I’m sleeping.”

The light clicks off and darkness falls, embracing me in its safe arms. And yet, Daniil’s presence shines like a beacon in the dark, soothing the irritation in my heart.

Not being alone is nice.

Sleep doesn’t come.

While exhaustion has me sinking deeply into the bed and closing my eyes, I remain awake. The wind dies down outside, bringing with it a new silence that’s almost smothering. Even the tick of my clock isn’t enough to break through and while I try to focus on the distant ticking to lure me to sleep, it fails. I can’t focus. I can’t sleep.

I’m so tired and yet my mind remains running.

I see Zasha. Always the same. Always in the middle of the road. Always covered in blood.

I lose track of how long I toss and turn. My frustration builds to the point that tears form in the corner of my eyes. All I want to do is sleep.

The bed dips and fabric rustles as I turn for the umpteenth time, and then suddenly, warmth hovers near me.

“Naomi.” Daniil’s low voice sends a shiver down my spine and I peer through the darkness, unable to locate him.

“What?” Despite my best attempts, I can’t keep the whine from my voice.

“Do you need help falling asleep?”

“No.” I sound like a petulant child at this point.

“Really? Three hours of tossing around like blankets in a machine is how you usually sleep?”

I scoff lightly. “No. I’m just…” Not being able to see him is as exciting as it is unsettling.

---