Page 90 of Captive Vow (Mafia Marriages 2)

Nova has already climbed into the booth with Paige, making herself right at home.

Why wouldn’t she? My kid adores the nanny.

Sawyer grabs a table by himself, his back to the wall so that he can watch us and the door.

“Mr. Ricci,” Ariella says curtly and offers a fake smile on my approach.

The color is slowly coming back into Paige’s cheeks. “Sir,” she addresses me. “We were just finishing.”

“Don’t rush on my account,” I say.

Am I the least bit pleased that she disobeyed a direct order? No, but I’m not about to make a scene at the café in front of customers, Ariella, or my daughter.

The priority is to make sure that she returns home safely with me.

Ariella glances at her phone. “I have to go pick up the kids.”

I can’t tell if it’s a lie, or she does have to leave, but either way, it’s obvious she’s uncomfortable and looking for an excuse to jet out.

That’s fine with me.

I wait for her to scoot out of the booth before taking her seat, situated across from Paige.

“I’ll call you. Thanks for coming out today for lunch,” Paige says.

Ariella leans in to hug Paige goodbye and whispers something into her ear.

I can’t hear what’s being said amongst the background noise of the café. Too bad.

They say their goodbyes and Ariella gives me a small wave before she dashes out the door. I don’t blame her. I’m about ready to hash it out with Paige, but the only thing keeping me remotely calm is that Nova spoke.

My mouth is dry, and she’s sitting with Paige, coloring on a paper placemat. Paige pulled out crayons from her purse the minute Nova sat down. Even off the clock, she’s still working and always attentive to my daughters needs.

“I know you’re mad.” Paige doesn’t beat around the bush, and I’m appreciative of that fact with her. Unlike most people who I’ve worked with in the past, she’s direct.

“Now isn’t the time to have that discussion,” I say, glancing at Nova.

Paige rubs Nova’s back as she scribbles mostly on the paper, but every so often, the crayon juts onto the wood table.

“Isn’t that why you sat down?” Paige asks.

The waitress clears the dishes from the table, and another crew comes through, wiping and sanitizing the table down.

“We came here for lunch.” I stand and grab a menu along with a children’s menu for Nova before returning to the table.

She presses her lips tightly together in a line. She’s holding her tongue, refraining from saying something, and probably trying to decide how not to get fired. Though she did try to quit already.

I’m not letting her quit.

She’s too important to Nova.

I’m also a selfish bastard and I don’t want her to leave.

“I know you’ve already eaten, but you can have dessert. It’s on me. Or if you’d prefer to return home, Sawyer can escort you back.” I gesture to the guard seated across the aisle in case she hadn’t noticed him.

Nova tugs on Paige’s arm and gestures for her to lean down. “Stay,” Nova whispers a little too loudly to be considered whispering.

“I’ll need a dessert menu,” Paige says to the waitress as the woman stops by the table.

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