Page 87 of Nanny for the Bikers

Her words send a chill down my spine, and my instincts flare to life. Something about this woman doesn’t sit right with me, and I find myself growing defensive. “And you are?” I question, crossing my arms over my chest, a physical barrier between us.

She regards me coolly, her eyes narrowing slightly as she takes in my defensive stance. “I’m an old friend,” she says, her lips curving into a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “I have some...unfinished business with the boys.”

Her cryptic response does nothing to ease my growing unease. If anything, it only heightens my suspicions. What kind of unfinished business could she possibly have with Clay, Kip, and Teller? And why show up now, of all times?

I open my mouth to press further, but something in her expression stops me. There’s a hardness in her gaze, a warning not to push too far. I get the distinct impression that this woman is not someone to be trifled with.

“They’re not here,” I say, my tone clipped and guarded. “But I can let them know you stopped by Miss...?”

The woman extends her perfectly manicured hand, a charming smile playing on her lips. “I’m Sydney, Harper’s mom.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I feel my confusion deepen. “Harper? Who’s that?” I ask, my voice sounding distant to my own ears.

Sydney’s expression shifts slightly, a flicker of something I can’t quite decipher crossing her face. “Harper is the baby I left on their doorstep,” she explains, her tone matter of fact, as if she’s discussing the weather and not the bombshell she just dropped on me.

My jaw drops, and I feel like the world is tilting beneath my feet. The implications of her words swirl in my mind, and I struggle to process the information. A baby? Left on the doorstep? And this woman, with her designer clothes and perfect hair, is the mother?

I take a step back, my hand gripping the doorframe for support. “You... you left her here?” I manage to choke out, my voice trembling with a mix of disbelief and rising anger.

Sydney nods, her expression unreadable. “I had my reasons,” she says, her tone cool and collected. “But that’s between me and the boys.”

The boys. Clay, Kip, and Teller. My boys. My heart clenches at the thought of them, and a fierce protectiveness surges through me. I don’t know what this woman wants, but I’ll be damned if I let her hurt them.

Disbelief crashes over me like a tidal wave, threatening to sweep me away in its current. “That can’t be right,” I whisper, my voice trembling as I stare at Sydney, desperately searching for any sign that this is all some twisted joke.

But her expression remains impassive, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips as she watches me grapple with the truth. “Oh, it’s right,” she says, her tone laced with a sickening sweetness.

My heart pounds in my chest, a frantic drumbeat that echoes in my ears. I open my mouth to speak, to demand answers, but the words stick in my throat, choking me with their weight.

Just then, the sound of footsteps catches my attention, and I turn to see Kip rounding the corner, his arms laden with bags. He freezes mid-step, his eyes widening as they land on Sydney. “Sydney?” he breathes, shock etched into every line of his face.

So she hadn’t been lying…she’s Piper’s real mom.

Sydney grins. “Nice to see you again, Kip.”

46

KIP

My heart pounds against my ribcage as I stare at Sydney standing on the doorstep, a mixture of shock and anger coursing through my veins. Her sudden appearance catches me completely off guard, and the fury immediately starts to overtake me.

I clench my jaw, trying to rein in the fury bubbling up inside me. How dare she show up here unannounced after abandoning her own child? The sheer audacity leaves me seething.

Sydney shifts her weight, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I can see the look on your face. You hate me.” She swallows. “But, Kip, please, just let me explain why I had to leave Harper-”

“Her name is Piper,” I snap, cutting her off mid-sentence. The sharp edge in my voice surprises even me. I usually try to keep things light, diffusing tension with a well-timed quip. But right now, staring into the face of the woman who hurt Piper so deeply, I can’t muster an ounce of my typical easygoing charm.

What had I ever seen in this woman?

Didn’t have to be a lot for me to sleep with her.

Indignation swells in my chest, pressing against my lungs and making it hard to breathe. My hands curl into fists at my sides as I struggle to contain the boiling resentment threatening to spill over.

She doesn’t get to waltz back into Piper’s life and act like she’s just some concerned mom. Not after the way she left. Without a word. Barely enough supplies to last the night.

Piper may not be old enough to understand, but I am. And whenever Piper found out the truth, she’d be heartbroken. I wouldn’t let Sydney cause any other damage.

Sydney’s eyes widen, her lips parting in surprise. “Piper?” she echoes softly, as if testing the unfamiliar name on her tongue. For a fleeting moment, I feel a flicker of satisfaction at catching her off guard.

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