Page 48 of The Nanny Next Door

"Anything?" I asked Aaron, my voice barely above a whisper.

He shook his head, his expression grim. "Nothing yet. They're still looking into it."

Miles stopped pacing and sat down beside me, his knee bouncing with nervous energy. "This is taking too long. They should have found something by now."

I sighed, feeling the frustration bubbling up inside me. "I know. It feels like they're moving in slow motion. We should be out there, doing something."

Aaron placed a hand on my shoulder, his grip firm. "Fuck, I know. But for once, we’re not the ones with the power here. The cops are doing everything they can. We just have to wait."

Wait. It was the last thing I wanted to do. Every second that ticked by felt like an eternity, and the fear gnawed at me, making it hard to breathe. I thought about Lila, about her smile, her laughter, the way she lit up a room just by being in it. I thought of her lush body in my arms, the sweet sounds she made when the guys and I gave her the pleasure she deserved. The idea of losing her was unbearable.

I closed my eyes, trying to calm the storm inside me. I had always been a romantic, an idealist, dreaming of a perfect future that lately had grown and centered itself around Lila. But now, those dreams felt fragile, like they could shatter at any moment. Life was short, too short to waste on fantasies. I wanted to make those dreams a reality, to marry Lila, to build a life with her.

As soon as possible.

The thought was like a lifeline, giving me something to hold on to in the midst of the chaos. I envisioned a future with Lila, one that might not be perfect but would be real and full of love. Sharing her with Aaron and Miles was not something I had ever imagined, but it felt right. We were a team, united by our love for her and our determination to bring her back.

"We need to let her know," Miles said suddenly, breaking the silence. "We need to tell her how we feel."

It was as if he’d read my mind. I let out a breathless laugh, no humor in it. “Exactly what I was thinking, my friend.”

Aaron nodded slowly, his eyes softening slightly. "When we find her, she needs to know that we love her. That we're here for her. God knows, she’s been there for all of us all this time."

I felt a lump in my throat as I looked at the two of them. Despite our differences, despite the complicated dynamics of our unconventional relationship, we were united in this. Lila was the center of our world, and we would do anything to bring her back safely.

"And little Jamie," I added, my voice shaking. “He's just a baby. He must be so scared."

Aaron's expression tightened, the worry lines on his face deepening. "He’s been through so much already. I can’t imagine—” His voice broke, and Miles, the more experienced of the three of us with this kind of loss, clapped a supportive hand onto Aaron’s shoulder.

"We’ll find them both,” he declared. “We have to."

The door at the far end of the bland room opened and a detective walked in, his expression serious. This was the older man who had led the brief press conference about the kidnapping. He was weathered and experienced, a sergeant at least, though I had little understanding of American police ranks. He made his way over to us, and we all stood up, hope and fear warring within us.

"We've got a lead,” the detective said. “Someone on the subway recognized the man, had some information to share that might help. We're following up on it now. I know it’s not much, and there are details we can’t share yet, but I figured you men deserved some comfort. I can tell these two are, uh…" He started to blush, clearly trying to avoid the massive polyamorous elephant in the room. “Well, they’re important to you.”

An understatement if there ever was one. If Lila were here, she would let out one of her cute, nervous laughs. God, I missed her.

"Thank you," Aaron said, his voice steady. "Please, keep us updated."

The maybe-sergeant nodded brusquely and walked away, leaving us to digest the news. It was a small glimmer of hope, but it was enough to keep us going.

"We're going to find them," Miles said again, his voice filled with determination.

I nodded, feeling the same resolve. "And when we do, we're going to make sure Lila knows how much she means to us."

Aaron smiled slightly, a rare sight even under normal circumstances. "Hell, she’s wise beyond her years. I’d bet she already knows. But we'll make damn sure she never, ever doubts it."

35

AARON

Hours had passed, and we were still stuck at the goddamn police station. The lead they’d supposedly found must not have panned out. My head was throbbing with a stress-induced migraine, and my patience was wearing thin.

Every minute that passed without news gnawed at me, amplifying my frustration. It seemed like the officers were moving at a glacial pace, their lack of urgency an insult to the terror gripping my heart. The thought of Lila and Jamie being out there, possibly hurt or suffering, made my blood boil. They had to move faster, do their fucking jobs with at least half the urgency I used in my own work. They were supposed to protect and serve, for Christ's sake, and it felt like all they were doing was trying to suspend Miles, Felipe, and me in some sense of false hope.

I was fucking tired of it.

Felipe and Miles were sitting on either side of me, their tension just as palpable, though less aflame. We had been here for hours, waiting for any news about Lila and Jamie. My nephew and the woman I loved—the two people who had become more important to me than I had ever expected.

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