Page 57 of Protecting My Nanny

I make them fight for every step, knocking over anything I can reach, screaming insults, kicking at their legs. My body slams into the walls as they haul me down a narrow staircase, my heart racing with panic. They drag me toward an open door—beyond it, a set of stairs that leads down into a dark cellar.

I scratch one of them across the face, drawing blood. He snarls and punches me hard in the ribs, and everything goes black.

When I wake, the world is cold and silent. I'm alone, chained to a pole in an empty, dimly lit room.

Chapter 25

Shane

"This isn't a library, Shane, and her records—if any exist—aren't a book," Mike explains over the phone, his tone half-serious. "You didn't talk to anyone at the precinct about this, did you?"

"No, I just talked to you," I say, pacing back and forth.

"Well, that's good. The last thing you need is people thinking you're some kind of stalker," Mike jokes, but his voice carries an edge of concern.

"Mike, this is serious," I plead. "I think she's in real danger."

"Shane, come on." Mike's tone softens slightly, and I can sense the skepticism. "She packed her things, she left a note, she even sent you a goodbye text. She's got secrets, yeah, but who doesn't? Doesn't mean she's in danger. You know how these go, though. Most times, there's another guy involved. I hate to be the one to say it, but I've been a cop a long time, and I've seen it before. This has all the makings of someone trying to move on. And you are a stalker in the making," he jokes.

"I'm not stalking her," I say sharply, my nerves on edge. I pause, trying to steady my breath. "Look, Mike. Something's not right. I just... I can't shake this feeling."

"Shane." Mike's voice takes on a more sincere tone. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be making light of this. I've been heartbroken too, and I get it. I know you've got trust issues after everything with Robert." He sighs deeply, and I can practically hear him rubbing his temples. "I mean, being stabbed in the back by a lifelong friend? That kind of thing doesn't heal easy. It leaves a scar that makes you question everyone's motives."

"This isn't about Robert," I interrupt, my frustration bubbling up. "I just want Nicole to be safe. That's all I care about. I don't need the details, Mike. I just need to know she's okay. If you can check around for me, please do. I won't bother you again if you don't find anything, just... make sure she's alright."

Mike sighs again, this time deeper, almost resigned. "Alright. I'll see what I can do, but don't expect a call back, okay? And if anyone asks, I told you to leave it alone and that it's best you move on with your life, which I actually think you should."

A wave of relief washes over me, though it's fleeting. "I knew I could count on you. Thanks, Mike."

"Yeah, yeah. Take care of yourself, Shane," he says before hanging up.

"I need to get out of here," I mutter to myself, the silence closing in. I grab my keys from the desk and head out the front door, hoping the open air will somehow make the emptiness less unbearable.

I try to focus on other things—to take in the city streets, the passing scenery, anything to distract myself—but it's useless. My eyes keep darting to the people walking by, scanning faces I don't recognize, searching for something familiar. I look for her—her green eyes, that leather jacket, those blue sneakers. But, of course, none of them are her.

I sink further into my seat, feeling the weight of my thoughts pulling me down.What if she really has moved on?The question gnaws at me, and I hate myself for even thinking it. I need to know the truth. And then, like a bad déjà vu, the sinking realization hits—someone I trusted, gone without a word, leaving me with nothing but questions and silence.

It's Robert all over again.

I pull into a diner parking lot, deciding I need to eat something, if only to shake this feeling. But as I sit there, engine idling, the memories come rushing back, uninvited. Robert's betrayal—sitting here, waiting for a phone call from a detective, I feel like I've been thrown back into that same dark place.

It's too familiar. The lies. The secrets. The feeling of being kept in the dark, blindsided by someone I thought I knew.

I turn off the car and lean back in the seat, the weight of it all pressing down on my chest. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and try to push the memories away. But the flashback hits me like a wave, transporting me back to the shared office I used to have with Robert. The memory is sharp, vivid—the day everything started to crumble.

I had just hung up the phone with another investor, their words echoing in my ears.We wish you luck in the future.Another client lost. Another nail in the coffin.

Our company wasn't doing well, and every call felt like a countdown to failure. The door swung open, and in strolled Robert, all confidence and swagger. That smile of his—the kind that made you believe everything was fine, even when the ship was sinking. It made me uneasy.

"Philly?" Robert asked, his tone almost too casual for the situation.

I nodded, still processing the call. "Philly," I confirmed. "We lost them."

Robert exhaled, a long, dramatic sigh. "That was a big one."

"Yeah," I said, feeling the weight of it.

But Robert didn't linger on the loss. He walked over and gave me a big smile as he dropped a file on the desk in front of me. "I've got something bigger," he said.

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