Page 6 of His End Game

“No. No. No,” she chants. “I want—”

“Your daddy, yeah, I know.” I sigh, cutting her off.

The bedroom door opens, and Alannah stands there with a what-the-hell look on her face.

“What’s going on in here?”

Sighing, I tighten my grip on Rayna’s pyjamas. I hate when Rayna plays me up and Alannah sees. She has this habit of making me feel like I can’t handle a toddler.

“She doesn’t want to go to bed. She wants Leo,” I tell her.

Rayna’s too deep into her tantrum to notice her grandma stepping farther into the room. Alannah holds her hand out for the pyjamas, and I pass them over before climbing up to my feet.

“I’ll put her to bed tonight. You go get a drink or something.”

I don’t wait around to be told twice and I can still hear Rayna as I step outside and inhale the fresh air. Leo must’ve fallen asleep because there hasn’t been a reason for him not calling Rayna. No matter what’s going on between him and Zara, he wouldn’t put a woman before his daughter. I know him well enough to believe it with my whole heart.

Walking over to the bar, I’m not surprised or bothered when no one notices me slide onto a stool at the bar. Everyone knows I’m just the nanny. I might as well just be a piece of furniture for all they take notice of me.

“Can I get you a drink?”

A beernearly falls from my lips, but if I start now, I won’t stop and I need to be on the ball for Rayna if she wakes in the night.

“A bottle of water, please.”

I dig out enough change from my pocket and place it on the bar while the prospect grabs my water from the mini fridge.

“I don’t usually see you here on your own,” he says, returning with my water.

“Alannah has Rayna, and I don’t have anything else to do,” I admit.

“So, the bar is a last resort?” He smirks, and I find myself smiling back.

“You could say that.” I go on to say, “I don’t even know your name.”

“I’m Shane.”

His dusty blond hair is swept back off of his face and his strong jawline and high cheekbones remind me of a movie star. Like many of the brothers of the Lost Souls, he has numerous tattoos on his arms and creeping up his neck. I’m sure he has them on the places hidden from view under his hoodie and cut.

“I’m Holly.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Holly. You should come over more often. You certainly pretty up the place.”

My cheeks heat and luckily, before I get the chance to think of something to say in return, he’s called away from the bar and Victoria’s sliding onto the stool next to me.

“I heard Rayna’s playing you up. I’m surprised you’re not on something stronger,” she says, nodding to the bottle of water I’ve yet to open.

“She’s just missing Leo. Once he’s home, she’ll settle down again.”

“Alannah was reading to her and promising her all sorts of things when I passed her room.”

It goes quiet between us. It’s not that I don’t like Victoria, but we’re not exactly close. No one strikes up conversations with me, so I’m finding it difficult to think of something to say. I smile and keep my hands firmly in my lap.

“Are you okay?”

Stretching my smile, I say, “I’m fine. I’m just worried about Leo and I’m tired.”

She believes the lie so easily. When she places her hand on my arm, soothingly, I flinch. She withdraws her touch and my smile slips. It’s been so long since anyone reached out to soothe me, I forget that’s what nice people do.

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