Page 57 of Off Limits (Alpha Billionaire)

“Who,” I interrupted. “Who was worth it. Yes, I’ll fill you in. But if Ethan got in, why are you calling?”

“Mr. Thompson from Frisco Investments has been calling nonstop demanding to know what you did,” Sarah said. “Something about jeopardizing a sound investment and pulling any future support. You know he absolutely refuses to speak with me, but he was happy enough to chew me out. From the sound of it, Carmichael of the Carmichael Proposal reached out directly, and there’s some kind of breach of contract going on and jeopardizing the deal? And something about suing you also. The best I could figure out is that Carmichael is also suing you?”

I groaned.

“Okay. I’ve got a few things to get situated here before I come into the office,” I started.

“Make it quick, please. I can’t keep telling people I don’t know when you’ll be in.” She sounded aggravated.

“People?”

“Yes, people. When can I tell them to expect you in the office so you can return their calls?”

I rubbed my hand over my face and put my feet on the floor.

“Okay, when they call back, or you call them to tell them when I’m available, please let them know that I am aware of the situation and that I would like the opportunity to properly explain and that I will have full disclosure within twenty-four hours. The best I can do right now is return their call, but I do need time to get situated.” I checked the time. I had a lot to do this morning, and I had to go rescue my mother and Clara from Max.

“I will start returning calls by one. I will be in before that. Yeah, this is a mess. I’ll deal with it.” I ended the call. It looked like I was in for a long day after an emotionally draining, long night.

I leaned over and kissed Jessica. It was going to be time to give her the medicine soon. I climbed out of bed and began the mental task list—give Jessica her antibiotics and pain meds. Rescue Max from Clara. Call an emergency nanny. I wasn’t dressed yet, and I already had too much to do.

26

JESSICA

“Where do you think you are going?” Dylan asked as I tried to get out of bed. He was fussing with a necktie.

I sat up and swung my feet off the mattress. With a grunt, I tried to reach for the walking boots the hospital sent me home with.

“If you’re going to work, I should get up and take care of Max,” I responded.

So far, I had spent the entire morning in bed while Dylan took care of me and everything else. It was time for me to get up and get my work done.

“Max has a nanny,” Dylan started.

“Yeah, me.”

Dylan shook his head and came to sit next to me. He reached up and brushed my hair back from my face.

Self-consciously, I press my hair back. I hadn’t had a chance to brush it yet, and it had to be a mess after last night. “Sorry, I need to brush it.”

“I’ll bring you a brush. Anything else you need?”

“To do my job,” I said.

“I told you not to worry about that. The agency sent over another nanny. She’s got Max under control. I told them to leave you alone.”

“Am I being fired?” I asked. I had messed up so badly in the past twenty-four hours, I couldn’t imagine that my job wasn’t on the line.

Dylan let out half a laugh. “That’s not a bad idea.”

“What?” Panic flooded my entire body.

“I should fire you as a nanny and upgrade you to a live-in girlfriend.” His eyes narrowed as he smoldered at me.

My body didn’t know how to react. My brain wanted to be shocked, jaw dropping, gasping, shocked. But my skin tingled and my pulse quickened. It made perfect sense that I somehow managed all of it. A gasp, a giggle, a full body blush, followed by the most profound happiness.

“You’re cute. I am so glad nothing bad happened to you.” Dylan’s expression turned from sexy to compassionate.

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