Page 35 of Nanny and the Beast

He’s standing over the kid’s sleeping forms like a dark guardian angel.

He slips a hand into his pocket and retrieves a small glass vial. It contains some clear blue liquid. I watch as Mr. Sinclair leans over James’s sleeping form and pours the blue liquid into his mouth.

What the hell?

James startles awake but calms down when he sees that it’s just his uncle.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Mr. Sinclair says. He hands the kid a glass of water. “Have some water and go back to sleep.”

The kid drinks the water and then lies back down in bed. He pulls the covers up to his chin and blinks at his uncle.

“Do you like the nanny?” Mr. Sinclair asks.

I suck in a breath. I didn’t expect him to talk about me.

James nods. “She’s nice. And she read me three books.”

“Only three?” Mr. Sinclair asks.

James blinks up at his uncle.

“Will you read me another one?” James asks in a quiet voice.

Mr. Sinclair selects a book from the wall-mounted bookshelf, but I’m still thinking about the glass vial he stashed in his back pocket.

“What are you doing, Miss Turner?” asks a stern voice.

My heart leaps out of my chest. I turn to see that it’s Helena. The light hits her face at a strange angle, casting eerie shadows across her features.

“Follow me.” Her piercing stare burns holes into my skin before she storms toward my bedroom.

I follow her, my pulse all over the place.

She looks absolutely livid. I wouldn’t be surprised if she fired me on the spot. The thought of losing this job makes tears spring to my eyes.

“Helena, I’m sorry?—”

“Quiet,” she says.

She drags me inside my bedroom and closes the door softly.

“You broke one of the rules,” she says, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I told you that you weren’t allowed to leave your room past ten o’clock at night.”

I glance at the ornate wall clock. It’s a few minutes past ten.

“I didn’t mean to,” I say. “I just heard a noise outside my room, and I...”

“And you decided to spy on the master of the house?” she finishes for me.

The coldness in her eyes catches me off guard. She’s been nothing but sweet to me since I got here. This is a side of her I haven’t seen yet.

“Am I going to lose my job?” My throat is thick with emotion, but I don’t let myself shed tears.

She blinks at me.

“No,” she says. “You’re not. But consider this a warning. The rules in this house exist for a reason.”

“Okay.” I nod.

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