Page 88 of Single Dad's Hot Nanny

Her smile dimmed. “She said not to be sad if I didn’t see her when I woke up. She might have to leave us for a little while to protect us from the monsters like in the story. I didn’t want her to go, but she said I could keep Patch to remember her, and we’ll be best friends forever. I promised I’ll be good when you get a new nanny.” She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t want one, but Mia told me to be nice.”

I scrubbed a hand over my face and let out a shaky breath as I rolled back my memory. Mia’s strange behavior and apparent anxiety started after our encounter with her ex. That bad feeling in my gut intensified. She didn’t abandon us. She was in trouble…

I felt as if I was about to unravel into a million pieces. Panic tried to get me in a chokehold as I stared at the chaos in Mia’s apartment. However, I couldn’t let the mind-numbing fear take control. I needed to keep a clear head. I’d come to Mia’s place after Poppy’s interesting story. I didn’t find Mia, but her door had been left open and the place was in utter disarray—furniture overturned, drawers pulled out…

My heart pounded as I considered two possibilities. The mess could be the result of a burglary or worse, a struggle. The thought of Mia being scared and hurt almost made me descend into the panic I was trying to avoid.

It took everything I had to keep my mind steady. “Think, Michael, think…” I muttered as I exited the apartment. What kind of trouble was Mia in? Her ex-boyfriend gave me a shady vibe. Had he done something to her? Just who were thesemonstersin Poppy’s bedtime story, and was it a good idea to get the cops involved? My first instinct was to call the police. However, wouldn’t Mia have done that if she could?

Hands on my hips, I stood in the hallway and looked skyward. The security camera down the hall was pointed right at me. “Of course…”

I took off to find the person in charge of the building.

It didn’t take too long because the landlord lived on the first floor. I glowered at the man, half hidden behind his door. He was a tiny man with graying hair and beady eyes. For some reason, he gave the same cagey energy that Mia’s ex did.

“What do you mean, I can’t see the footage?” I growled.

His eyes narrowed to slits. “Hey, man, you’re not a cop with a warrant. I don’t know who the hell you are, but you can’t justshow up and demand to see security footage.” He gave me a once over and scoffed. “You don’t even live here.”

“It’s an emergency,” I said.“Please.”

“No way,” he said.

As he prepared to close the door in my face, I slammed a palm against it. “Name your price…”

The man’s eyes sparkled with interest, and then his greedy gaze shifted to my Jaeger-LeCoultre watch. He smirked. I snorted inwardly. I knew he was the shady type.

Gritting my teeth, I peeled the watch off and held it up. “Security footage,now…”

He stepped aside, and I brushed past him. I’d find Mia if it was the last thing I did. I had a good thing with her and damn if I’d let her go without a fight. I was willing to break a few laws if I had to.

37

MIA

My knees quivered even though I was seated. No, my entire body shook like a flimsy tree limb against a strong wind. I might die tonight… I glanced around the seedy motel room in the worst part of town. The threadbare rug had ominous stains on it, and so did the sheets on the bed.

I might die in a filthy motel with questionable sheets…

“Oh God,” I groaned. For the hundredth time since I arrived here, I almost hurled up my guts. Taking a deep breath, I told myself this was the best thing to do. I’d be damned if I let my ex threaten me. I went over his head and contacted the man who had been tormenting me because he couldn’t find Logan. I glanced at the bag sitting on the torn arm chair. I was going to attempt to buy my freedom out of this mess. If I didn’t escape unscathed, so be it. I was tired of living in constant fear.

My terror of facing a dangerous man was nowhere near the intensity of the despair I felt about never seeing Poppy and Michael again. Misery twisted my gut into knots at the thought of never feeling Poppy’s tiny arms wrap around my waist as she giggled in delight. She was just the sweetest and funniest little girl, and her father… I sighed heavily. I should have told him Iloved him the other night. I knew I only had one more night in his arms, and I didn’t tell him. Regret gnawed at me.

I only realized I was crying when I felt the warm wetness slide down my cheek and my vision blurred. He was probably furious with me. I’d disappeared three days ago and left a stupid note with two short sentences. I just didn’t have the courage to look him in the eye and tell him I was leaving. He must hate me.

My chest heaved with the force of my sobs, and my heart felt as if it was shattering into pieces. I didn’t want him to hate me. He was my Mr. Right, the one person who made me feel safe and whole, and I had to give him up. I’d curse myself for stupidly falling into Logan’s trap for as long as I lived… which probably wasn’t for much longer. That thought made me sob harder.

I almost choked on the next one when someone banged on the door. I just about jumped out of my skin. Staring at it, my heart started to race, and sweat beaded on my forehead. My tormentor was here. I’d give him all I had and tell him that was it—either he left me alone or I went to the cops. It was the going to the cops part that would get me killed, I was sure of it.

Gulping, I stood up, wiped away my tears, and squared my shoulders. The pounding on the door was relentless. Each bang jolted my already frayed nerves. Wiping my sweaty palms on my thighs, I inched toward the door on quivering legs. Before I could talk myself out of it, I yanked it open.

Instead of the man with the tattoos, dead eyes, and cold smirk, I found myself staring into the most gorgeous green eyes ever. They were clouded with worry.

“Michael…” His name came out as a whisper of disbelief and utter confusion. His gaze swept over me fast. He then surveyed the room. I opened my mouth to say something else, but I didn’t know what. Before I could get another word out, his lips were on mine. Although my mind was a jumbled mess, I melted into him.

The kiss wasn’t gentle or slow. It was frantic and desperate, and it stole my breath. There was an edge of anger in the way Michael’s lips commanded mine, yet for the first time in days, I felt safe. When he pulled away, we were breathless. He cupped my face, and his thumbs moved over my tear-stained cheeks. My eyes fluttered closed, and I basked in the slight caress because a minute ago, I was convinced I’d never feel his touch again.

Our passionate moment evaporated in an instant. The concern in Michael’s vanished, and the orbs darkened with fury. “I have a mind to put you over my fucking knee, woman,” he growled—reallygrowled…like a pissed off animal.

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