Page 62 of Nanny for the Bikers

Frustration surges through me as I meet Lila’s disbelieving gaze. The words spill out before I can stop them. “You don’t get it, do you? It’s not just me. Clay, Kip, and I - we’re all dating Ayla. We’re all in love with her.”

Lila’s eyes widen, her mouth falling open in shock. “What? No, that’s not possible. Ayla wouldn’t... she couldn’t...”

I clench my jaw, my patience wearing thin. “It’s the truth, Lila. We’re together, all of us. And it’s not some casual fling or job, as you so crudely put it. We care about her, deeply.”

Lila shakes her head, disbelief etched into every line of her face. “No, no, this isn’t right. You’re lying. You must be forcing her, using her somehow. Ayla would never agree to this.”

Red-hot anger flashes through me, and I take a step closer, my voice low and controlled. “How dare you accuse us of something so vile? We would never force ourselves on Ayla. Never. What we have is real, and it’s built on love, trust, and respect.”

Lila’s eyes narrow, her voice dripping with venom. “Love? Trust? Respect? Don’t make me laugh. You’re just using her, taking advantage of her kindness and vulnerability. You’re all sick, twisted bastards.”

My hands ball into fists at my sides, the urge to lash out nearly overwhelming. I take a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, Lila. You don’t know us, and you clearly don’t know your own sister as well as you think you do.”

Lila scoffs, her eyes glittering with malice. “I know enough. I know that this isn’t right, that Ayla deserves better than to be passed around like some kind of toy.”

The accusation hangs in the air between us, heavy and suffocating. I feel my control slipping, my anger threatening to boil over. How can she stand there and spew such vile lies? How can she question the depth of our feelings for Ayla when she barely knows her own sister?

I take a step closer, my voice low and dangerous. “Listen to me very carefully, Lila. What we have with Ayla is the most real, most genuine thing I’ve ever experienced. We would do anything for her, give anything to keep her safe and happy which is morethan what could be said for you. And if you can’t see that, if you can’t accept it, then that’s your problem, not ours.”

Lila opens her mouth to retort, but I cut her off with a sharp gesture. “I don’t want to hear any more of your poisonous words. I’m done with this conversation, and I’m done with you. When I come back, I expect you to be gone. Do you understand me?”

I turn away from her, my steps heavy as I stride towards the door. The weight of my words hangs in the air, the finality of my decision seeping into every corner of the room. I can feel Lila’s gaze burning into my back, her shock and disbelief palpable.

And with that, I push open the door and step out into the hallway, leaving Lila and her venom behind.

But beneath the turmoil, there is a sense of clarity, a certainty that I’ve never felt before. I love Ayla, and I have a feeling that Clay and Kip feel the same way.

33

AYLA

Ilean over the crib, gently laying Piper down on her back. The soft yellow blanket with embroidered daisies swaddles her tiny form. Piper’s eyelids flutter closed as I hum a lullaby, the same one Mom used to sing to me when I was little… back before Kyle had ever entered our lives.

Suddenly, the door bursts open with a bang. Lila storms in, her face flushed and eyes flashing with anger. “You’re a liar, Ayla!” she accuses, jabbing a finger at me.

I spin around, frowning in confusion at her outburst. My heartbeat quickens. “What are you talking about? Keep your voice down, I just got Piper to sleep...”

Lila doesn’t lower her voice. She takes a step closer, her long dark hair swishing around her shoulders. “Don’t play dumb with me. I know you’ve been keeping secrets and lying to me.”

My mind races, trying to figure out what she could be referring to. I search her face but her expression is hard, inscrutable. A knot forms in my stomach.

“Lila, I honestly have no idea what you mean. Can we please discuss this calmly, outside? I don’t want to wake the baby.” I keep my voice even, though tension coils in my muscles.

Her eyes narrow. “Fine. But you’ve got some serious explaining to do.” She spins on her heel and stalks out of the nursery.

I glance back at Piper, relieved to see she’s still sleeping peacefully, undisturbed by the commotion. Sighing, I follow Lila out into the hallway, quietly closing the door behind me. My mind whirs with possibilities of what she could be so upset about. I steel myself for the coming confrontation, knowing she won’t make this easy.

Lila whirls to face me as soon as I step into the hallway, her eyes flashing. “I know about you and Teller. And Clay and Kip too. You’ve been dating all three of them!”

The accusation slams into me like a physical blow. I stare at her, momentarily speechless, my mouth opening and closing uselessly. How could she possibly know? I’ve been so careful to keep my relationships with the brothers private.

“I...I don’t know what to say,” I stammer finally, my cheeks flushing hot with embarrassment and shock. “How did you find out?”

Lila crosses her arms, a smug, knowing look on her face. “Teller told me everything. He spilled the whole sordid story.”

How had that topic even come up? I sigh. It’s not like I’d ask them to lie for me. I wouldn’t do that to them.

I take a shaky breath, trying to gather my scrambled thoughts. “Lila, I’m so sorry for not telling you. I wanted to, I really did,but I just...I didn’t know how. I was embarrassed and confused and...”

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