Page 73 of Protecting My Nanny

Shane cups my face in his hands, his voice soft but firm. "You're safe, Nicole. Look around—there are cops everywhere. They're here for him. He's not walking out of there without getting arrested."

His words are meant to comfort me, but I can't shake the feeling that Raffaele will find a way to slip through the cracks. He's always one step ahead. Always.

But then Shane points toward the front entrance. "Look," he says.

I turn and see Raffaele, handcuffed, being led into the back of a squad car. He looks defeated, but I know better than to relax just yet.

"You're safe," Shane says again, pulling me into his arms. I let myself melt into him, the weight of everything finally crashing down on me. "I love you so much," he whispers, his lips brushing my forehead. "More than you'll ever know. And from now on, you'll always be safe."

He kisses me, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I believe him.

The cold leather seat beneath me is a welcome change from the dungeon floor I'd grown accustomed to. I sit in the back of the squad car, my hands clasped tightly in my lap as I listen to Shane and Mike argue outside. Their voices are muffled, barely audible through the car's thick windows, but Shane's frustration is unmistakable. He's on edge, pacing back and forth as Mike leans against the hood of the car, arms crossed in defense. Despite the tension, I'm the calmest I've been in what feels like forever. For once, I know where I'm going and what's waiting for me when I get there. Even better, I know I won't be facing it alone.

Twenty hours later, after endless questioning, paperwork, and more waiting, we're finally released. Shane stays by my side the entire time, never once pressing me for answers or details. I'm grateful for his silence. He seems to understand that I'm not ready to talk, that I need time to process everything. He's careful with his words, offering little bits of normalcy to hold on to—he talks about Jaime and Marie, and the new nanny. But he never once asks me about what happened. Not yet.

As we drive back toward the estate, Shane glances over at me. "None of it matters right now," he says softly, his voice steady and reassuring. "Whatever you need, it's yours. If you want to get away, if you need space... anything."

I turn my head, watching him in the dim light of the car's dashboard. "I just need you," I say, feeling a faint smile tug at my lips for the first time in days. "Just promise to kiss me the moment we're out of this car, and I'll have everything I want."

Shane's eyes soften. He spots a gas station up the road and pulls in, parking the car in the first spot he finds. The engine cuts off, and without hesitation, he leans over the center console, his lips pressing gently against mine. The kiss is everything I've needed—soft, steady, a promise that whatever comes next, we'll face it together.

When we finally reach home, the house feels eerily quiet without Jaime's laughter filling the space. I take a long, hot shower, letting the water wash away the grime and the memories of everything that's happened. Shane orders my favorite takeout, determined to make me feel safe and comfortable again. But despite his best efforts, the house feels incomplete. I miss Jaime. I need to see him, to hug him, to remind myself that the nightmare is truly over.

After the shower, I dry off and sit on the edge of the bed, my mind still a wreck from everything. For the first time in weeks, I check my phone. Multiple missed calls. A number in Italy. My stomach tightens as I listen to the voicemail. I fall back on the bed, tears running down my face.

It's Giovanni, and he's okay.

Chapter 33

Shane

Two days have passed, and I finally get the go-ahead from Nicole to let Mike come by. We sit together on the couch in the lounge—Nicole, Mike, and I—settling into the moment as Nicole prepares to tell her story for the first time. I watch her carefully, my heart heavy with what I know is coming. She's calm now, composed, but I can feel the storm beneath her surface, threatening to break free.

As she begins to speak, laying out everything from her parents' ties to the mafia to her relationship with Raffaele, the debt, and the things she had to do to pay it off, my blood boils. Each detail she shares hits me harder than the last, especially when she gets to the part about her kidnapping—the fear, the manipulation, the isolation. My hands instinctively ball into fists, but Nicolesees it. She always does. She reaches over, her fingers gently brushing mine, a silent plea for calm.

I take a deep breath, willing myself to focus on her voice. She continues, steady but with a tremor beneath the surface, laying out the gut-wrenching truth in full.

At one point, Mike leans forward, his notebook in hand, but his tone soft. "I'm not here to pick apart your story, Nicole. Just to understand," he says gently. "This is your truth. No more of it needs to be plastered across a police report than what's necessary to keep you free."

Nicole nods, her gaze flicking to me briefly. She knows this isn't just about freedom. It's about closure—for her, for Giovanni, for both of us.

She explains Giovanni's part in all of this and how he confirmed he's worked things out with Pietro. Raffaele had sold him out to the Serpenti, all behind Pietro's back, in some twisted plan to get even with Nicole and, by extension, me. The weight of it all settles in even deeper. This wasn't just about debts or family ties—it was personal, and Raffaele had been obsessed with revenge.

As Nicole finishes speaking, I feel a mix of admiration and anger. She's been through hell, and yet here she is, laying everything bare. But even as Mike closes his notebook, I know this isn't truly over.

A few more days pass, and slowly, life starts to return to something resembling normal. Nicole's healing—little by little.I notice the small things: the way she's starting to smile more freely, how she laughs with Jaime. It's like she's finally letting herself breathe. That same week, we talk to Giovanni and get him a ticket.

Jaime and I spend time together at the airport, reading comics and waiting to pick up Giovanni. We stand by the large windows, watching planes take off. The noise and rush of the terminal feel almost comforting after everything we've been through. Then I hear her voice.

"Jaime," Nicole calls softly, her nerves evident.

I turn to see her walking over with Giovanni. He's tall with a kind face, his single duffle bag slung over his shoulder.

"Hey, you can call me Gio," he says, reaching out to shake Jaime's hand.

Jaime grins up at him. "Hi, Gio! We love Nicole so much. She's the best mom ever."

There's a pause. Jaime called her mom. The word hangs in the air between us, and I see Nicole's eyes well up with emotion. She glances at me, mouthing,I love you.

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