Page 7 of The Mobster's Nanny

Romeo lights up with a grin and goes back to the game while I scratch Dolce behind his ear and listen to Matteo’s indistinct voice. It’s hard to hear what he’s saying over the video game’s sound effects and Romeo’s excited noises, and it annoys me—but I force myself to stay calm. Even if I don’t hear his conversation now, I’ll have more chances in the future, so it’s alright. It’s nothing.

“...to West Town, the Russians will help you. How bad is it?”

It sounds like Matteo is walking down the hallway, and when he steps closer to the living room I can hear him better. I don’t understand what he’s talking about yet, but I listen intently to every word.

“Shit. I’m sorry, man. Did you kill them, at least?”

Who? What is he talking about? I tense up and unknowingly turn my head to the side, glancing at Matteo. I can see him pacing from the corner of my eye, but I quickly look away. I can’t show him that I’m paying attention.

“Okay, good. Hurry up and drive to Sergei until the bullet goes deeper. I’ll let him know.”

Oh, so someone got shot? This time, I can’t keep my excitement at bay, and I sit up straight and glance at Matteo. Shit. At the same moment, he looks at me, and our eyes meet. Does he know I was listening? Does he suspect anything? I bite my cheek from the inside, but I can’t turn away. It’ll make him even more suspicious, so I hold his gaze for a moment.

Yes, I heard it.

No, I’m not gonna tell anyone.

Matteo frowns, probably realizing that I’ve heard something, but before he can do anything I smile lightly and turn away from him. If I want to stay here, I have to show Matteo that it doesn’t matter to me what kind of business he’s involved in. I’m just a nanny for his child, and I’m gonna keep my mouth shut about everything I hear in this house.

“Well, Liss, are you ready to continue?” He clears his throat and I immediately look up and smile again, getting up.

“Of course.”

Whether he believes me or not, Matteo doesn’t kick me out of the house right away. Actually, he acts with the same confidence and politeness as before, and it gives me hope that he either didn’t understand that I heard his words or he decided that I’m trustworthy enough. Both conclusions would be a lie, but well, that’s not for him to know.

“Thank you for coming, Liss.”

Finally, Matteo and Romeo gather at the doorstep to bid me goodbye with Dolce pacing around us. I hold my papers tighter and give them a big smile. “Thank you for having me. It was nice to meet you, and hey, Romeo, I know you can get through this level. Don’t give up, okay?”

Romeo gives me a smile and nods a few times, leaning into Matteo’s side with his dad’s hand on his shoulder. No matter what his dad thinks about me, I think Romeo likes me, and that’s a very good start. I wave a hand at him and look up at Matteo with a questioning smile on my lips. So, what’s next?

“I’ll let you know my decision in the next couple of days,” Matteo says before I can ask, and even though he’s smiling calmly, I don’t like how that sounds. I was supposed to impress him so much that he wouldn’t even think about others!

My heart tightens, but I refuse to show it and nod at him with a smile. “Of course. Thanks for your time, Matteo. I’ll be waiting to hear from you.”

It’s already getting dark by the time I walk out of the house, and as soon as the door closes behind me I relax my cheeks and breathe out in relief. God, it’s over, it’s finally over—and honestly, I don’t think I messed up. Romeo liked me, and Matteo didn’t look annoyed or suspicious, so I count it as a win.

I believe I made a good first impression. Everything else can be fixed.

I get into the car, drop the papers on the passenger seat and, after a couple of deep breaths, turn on the car. It’s almost impossible to believe that I’m driving out of Matteo Messina’s goddamn driveway without any trouble. God, if I knew it was so easy to get to him, I’d have found a way a long time ago! I huff under my breath and glance at his house in the rearview mirror, feeling a heated surge of resentment in my heart.

I’m gonna get back there whatever it takes—and the thought reminds me of something. I glance at the clear road in front of me before taking out my phone to send a message.

I’m done. He doesn’t know.

It takes a few minutes before I receive the answer from an unknown number, and the text makes me laugh out loud in delight.

Good job.

We’ll eliminate other candidates by tomorrow.

Chapter 3 - Matteo

“Okay, buddy.” I turn to Romeo from the driver’s seat and give him a small and encouraging smile. “Have a good day. I’ll pick you up later. Don’t forget to—”

“Yes, Papa, thanks! Bye,” Romeo mumbles in a hurry and gets out of the car, waving a hand at me and leaving me with the unfinished sentence. God, how did he grow up so quickly?

I shake my head and, through the windshield, watch him join Misha in front of the school entrance. Misha is the son of Sasha, Louis’s wife, and even though Louis isn’t technically his father, he treats the boy as his own anyway. Romeo and Misha quickly got along after Sasha moved in with Louis last December, and along with Max—Riccardo and Elena’s son—they are pretty much inseparable.

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