Page 23 of The Billionaire and the Nanny: Part 2

He sits in the chaise opposite mine and folds his hands, looking out over the city. “Luck has nothing to do with it. Hard work, discipline, and a strong desire to stay distracted gave me all this.” He’s contemplative and somewhat open today. Even though I’m freezing my ass off, I think I’ll stay to see if he says anythingmore.

It’s the closest he’s gotten to me in the last week ever since our tryst in the living room. I’m tired of being kept in the dark. I think, at the very least, I should know a few things about him. And Olivia. “Zayden, if you don’t mind me asking…”

He angles one eyebrow atme.

I know. I know he doesn’t like talking about himself. But I have to know. “When will Olivia’s mom be out of…youknow…”

“Jail?” He chuckles then shakes his head. “Uhh…your guess is as good as mine, Bailey. Are you wondering how much longer you have withher?”

Olivia gurgles as though she understands the question. I hold her closer to ward off the chill. “Maybe. We spend every waking moment together, you know. The ladies—Vero, Helga, and the otherone…”

“Nance,” he offers.

“They don’t spend too much time with her either.”

“They’re under orders not to,” he explains.

“Why?”

Zayden sighs, sips from the wine glass. “It’ll be easier on everyone when she leaves, Bailey. The one who’ll take it the hardest will be you, but that’s because you have no choice, because…well, you’re her nanny.”

Fair enough.

“What about you? I mean, she’s your daughter. Not to throw it in your face, but doesn’t it bother you that you haven’t gotten to know her?” Maybe that’s going too far, but I can’t let my heart fall for a man who has no desire to love his daughter, and right now, I’m trying to decide if my heart has any say in mylife.

“It’s complicated,” he mutters. “Of course I want to know her. Correction. I would’ve wanted to know her had this been done the right way, had I fallen for her mother, but I barely know her mother, and all of this interrupted my way oflife.”

“So you can’t love her because she was a surprise?” I’m not sure I can accept that answer. “But she’s an adorable baby. I wish you could get to knowher.”

“I can’t love her, because…” His lips press together, as he thinks of the right thing to say. I’m relieved he doesn’t have an immediate answer. Maybe that’s an indication that he’s not sure how he feels. I can accept that. Even as he’s making excuses.

“Because?” I prompthim.

His jaw sets and then twitches before he finally answers. “I know I’ll loseher.”

This makes my eyebrows draw themselves into a knot. He knows he’ll lose her? What makes him think so? “Because you’re afraid her mother will take off with her once she gets out of prison?”

“Not so much that. There’s more. I can’t talk aboutit.”

Okay… I’m burning to know more about him. Normally, I’d politely bow out, but I’m curious about Zayden’s situation, and God help, but I actually care for him. I think there’s more to him than meets the eye, and I’d hate to think he’s holding back on being a great dad out of fear. “Then, can you tell me about her mother?”

More sighs and shakes of his head. I know I’m pushing the envelope. He’ll soon regret coming out here to talk to me. “I met her on a business trip over a year ago,” he says, standing and walking to the edge of the building, one hand on the protective railing. “She was a waitress, and I was a red-blooded man who’d hook up with any beautiful woman I wanted.”

My insides twist at his words. Does that includeme?

He glances back at me. “You want honesty?”

“Yes,” I say. I do, even if it hurts.

“I’m a wealthy man, Bailey, and my kind of money attracts women. The wrong sort, mostly. That’s just the way it is.” He swallows down half his drink. I love watching his lips, the way they smack together. His eyes, the way they gaze into the distance, sucking in what little light isleft.

Especially when he’s drop-dead gorgeous, sociable, and smart like Zayden is. I suppose I can’t blame him. “I get it. Go on…about Olivia’s mother.”

“So after work, she meets up with me, and I take her back to my hotel room. Sex was on the menu. No feelings whatsoever, by the way…” He gives me a pointed look, like I’m supposed to feel better because it was only physical. Or is he suggesting that with me, there were feelings?

He continues before I can analyzeit.

“Neither of us was cautious, and she assured me she was on oral contraception. Obviously, she wasn’t.”

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