Page 5 of The Jealous Boss

Whatever Eden Exotics just delivered, Anna ordered.

Pressing the intercom, I instruct the receptionist to cancel my afternoon meetings and route all calls to Heather. I need to know what’s in that box. And I needed to knowyesterday.

As I’m pulling into traffic, the insanity of my behavior hits me. How the hell did I get here—racing home to intercept a parcel addressed to my nanny?

I wasn’t always this sick. This obsessed. I didn’t hang on to every word that fell from Anna’s angelic lips. She wasn’t my first thought upon waking, nor my last before falling asleep.

Hell, at first, she barely registered. She was so young, and I had a different obsession back then. My focus was on perfecting the bits of code that secured my fortune and have helped thousands, if not millions, find love.

The word for that is irony.

My obsession with revolutionizing dating caused the shit work-life balance that made Sarah hire an au pair and brought Anna into my home. So maybe not irony, but fate.

Because Anna is the one great love of my life. More than that even, she’s the only woman I’veeverloved. I know that now.

Oh, it’s tempting to claim my love for my ex died when she cheated. But part of me knew our marriage was dead when Elijah was born. Knew when his chubby hand grasped mine. Knew when I realized how indifferent Sarah was to the amazing gift we’d received.But even before that, even when I fancied myself head over heels in love with Sarah, that emotion was a pale shadow of what I feel for Anna.

Loving Anna shifted my priorities. She made me realize how crappy a dad I was. The empire I built was for Elijah, but that was no excuse.So, yes, I have regrets.

But my hard work paid off. He’ll never experience the poverty of my youth. He’ll never work a job he hates while hustling on the side.He’ll never want for a single thing—and neither will Anna.

Iwantto spoil her. It’s hypocritical to be upset that she finally bought something for herself. But as I pull into my garage, Iamupset. I can’t help it. Because when I checked for the package, the front step was bare.

I turn off the car, hoping that the housekeeper brought the package in. The thought of Anna’s innocent hands touching anything from such a sleazy company has me too upset to think straight. It’s that, not the expense, that has me so upset. Right?

Because I really do want to spoil my gorgeous nanny, but Anna makes it difficult. Her salary is high, and I cover her tuition and living expenses. But she’s always reluctant to use the Amex Black Card I gave her.

Hell, initially, she tried to refuse the credit card, argued that I was being too generous. But in the end, I got my way. I wasn’t even in love with her then, but I knew how much she meant to Elijah, so I decided to lock her down—and I did.

She signed a four-year contract. A contract that’s about to end…Anna graduates from college soon. And Elijah doesn’t truly need her anymore. But I do.

“Hey, Sylvia, did any packages come today?” I catch the housekeeper just as she’s about to start dinner.

Sylvia nods. “Just one—for Anna. I put it in her room.”

“Perfect.” I shove down my impatience. “The place looks great. Why don’t you knock off early, get a head start on your weekend off?”

Sylvia looks uncertain. “I haven’t made dinner yet, and this is the Friday that Anna gets home late because she takes Elijah toherhouse.” The tiny housekeeper shudders theatrically, the silliness of the action reminding me of how young she is.

“I’ll deal with dinner. Get out of here and enjoy yourself while it’s still light out.”

I take a hundred from my wallet. When she starts to protest, I wave my hand. “Seriously, Sylvia, you work too hard. You deserve some fun. Now go.”

Thankfully, she does just that, although it’s clear that she thinks I’ve lost my mind. And well, maybe I have. Because the moment she leaves, I retrieve the package from Anna’s room. Taking it into my home office, I carefully cut through the packing tape and discover another box. Luckily, this one is labeled.

Confirming the contents should soothe the monster. She didn’t buy lingerie to wear for another man—not that I ever really believed my innocent girl would do that. But the thing about jealousy is that it’s irrational. So the monster isn’t soothed, not at all.

Head pounding, I reseal the box, then stow it in the safe room attached to my office. Not that I use the windowless room for its intended purpose. No, that room is the monster’s lair where I coordinate my surveillance operation.

Anna will open the box eventually—but on my terms. Once I decide what those are. Needing to get my head straight, I change into shorts and a T-shirt. It’s a damp, foggy fifty degrees outside, typical January weather for this city, but I don’t bother with any additional layers, determined to work up a sweat, to outrun the monster clawing at my chest.

And sure enough, I start out at an easy enough pace, but before I know it, I’m running as if the hounds of hell are chasing me. Maybe they are. Or maybe I’ve just finally lost it.

ChapterTwo

Anna

My insides twistas I stare at my phone. Package delivered.

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