Page 9 of Knot Letting Go

Lillianna gasped and let out a girlish squeal. She wiggled out of my arms, and I set her down. “Really? Yay! It’s going to be so much fun. We can do each other’s hair and makeup and dress up.”

“Yes, that will be fun. I also thought we could play games, go on picnics, and have beach days. There’s so much we can do.” Aubrielle ramped up Lillianna’s excitement even more. Damn, she was hot and so good with kids.

“I’ve never been on a picnic.” Lillianna’s eyes went wide and she bounced on her toes. “And we haven’t been to the beach in so long. Is Aunt Callista and Isabella going to come? Where are they?” She held up the dahlia. “She lost one of her flowers.”

“Calli and her mates are gone on their honeymoon, sweetheart. Remember her talking about going to Hawaii?” Though I wouldn’t consider it much of a honeymoon with a baby along, but no way would I have suggested to any of them to leave their daughter behind or I would have been missing a limb.

The excitement drained from Lillianna’s face and her shoulders drooped. “Oh. I remember.”

Shit. Right. Her abandonment issues. I was such an asshole uncle for forgetting that. As I was about to swoop in with something else to distract her, the Omega beauty beat me to it.

“Don’t worry.” Aubrielle bent down and motioned to the flower still in my niece’s hand. “Callista and Isabella will be back, and we have already talked about getting together every week. She said she was really going to miss you too and left a special flower with a note. Would you like to read it?”

The light came back to Lillianna’s eyes. “Every week?” Her smile grew big again. “Can you read it to me? I know some letters, but I know Italian words better.”

Aubrielle sat on the sofa with my niece and took her time reading the note to her. She got her to recognize some letters and a few words. I’d never seen anyone more suited to being a nanny.

I left the two of them for a moment so I could have a quick shower and get dressed. Well, it didn’t turn out to be too quick. Thinking of that blushing Omega living in the same house had me hard as a rock. I stroked my monster of a hard-on as I imagined sneaking down to her room at night and seeing her soaking in that tub. Her big breasts soapy and wet…

The problem was I could only think about it. If it was just a matter of breaking Kon’s rules, I wouldn’t give a fuck. But Aubrielle was here for Lillianna, and I didn’t want to screw that up for my niece. Lillianna needed a nurturer like her in her life. She needed her much more than I needed to get laid.

Fuck. I saw a lot of cold showers in my future.

CHAPTER FIVE – Aubrielle

The morning flew by as I got to know Lillianna better. She was such a smart and observant child, and I was lucky to be her nanny. We talked about what she liked to do and the ideas I had for her summer. She chattered on and on over lunch to her father and uncle about the fun we were going to have.

While they listened to her, many times I felt the brothers’ eyes on me. Konstantin and Quill were opposites, but I felt a pull to each of them. Konstantin in his immaculate tailored suit with his sensual mouth, so in control, and Quill in his black button up shirt and board shorts with his wild and sexy laugh.

My boss and his brother. My best friend’s brothers. I didn’t need to be thinking any of these things. Yet being around them made my stomach flutter and my heart beat faster.

After lunch, Konstantin took Lillianna out to shop for beach clothes and picnic dresses. I wanted to tell him that she could just wear shorts and t-shirts, but she was too excited. Quill was meeting friends in Seattle, and so I was left by myself to settle in.

There wasn’t much to it. I only had a single suitcase that I’d brought with me for Callista’s wedding weekend. It was easy to find linens and towels for my suite. I ordered my favorite toiletries to be delivered to the manor, and that left only one thing I had to do: call my dad.

I stared at my phone and took in several deep breaths, letting them out slowly.

Why I was so nervous about it, I didn’t know. Dad loved and supported me. Yes, he was overprotective, but that was only since he lost my mother. I thought perhaps he saw me as the last connection he had to her and wanted to hold on. Yet sometimes he squeezed too tight and I found it hard to breathe.

Tapping his name in my contact list, his phone rang. He picked up after the first ring.

“Hi Aubrie, sweetie. How’s my girl?”

“Hi Dad. I’m good. How are you?”

“Excited to see you. I’m having the housekeeper prepare your favorite, veggie lasagna for dinner. How was the wedding?”

I winced at the mention of a special meal being prepared and guilt made me queasy. I swallowed hard. “The wedding was beautiful. Everything went perfectly. Wait until you see the pictures.”

“I can’t wait.” I could hear the smile in my dad’s voice and that made my shoulders tense up even more. “What’s your ETA? I might pop out to get us some ice cream.”

I closed my eyes. He wasn’t making this any easier. “Well, I have some news. Some really good news, but it means I’m going to miss out on the lasagna and ice cream.”

Dad paused, waiting, but it took me a moment to say it. “What is it, sweetie?”

“I have a job. An excellent job as a nanny.” It suddenly came pouring out of my mouth like a tidal wave. “Callista introduced me to her eldest brother, and I’ll be nannying for his daughter, Lillianna. She’s the sweetest girl, and it’s exactly the type of work I was looking for. I get to stay here at Birk Manor, and I’ll be able to see Callista every week. All my food and board is covered, and the salary is more than generous. I’ll be able to finish my degree while Lillianna is in school. It’s perfect. More than I could have ever hoped for, but they needed me to start right away. So I won’t be coming home.”

“That’s wonderful, Aubrie.” Dad sounded genuinely happy, but also a little sad. “It’s too bad you couldn’t come back home first, but I understand. Are Callista’s brother and his mate nice folks?”

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