Mr Masters: Chapter 2

I spin around, filled with horror. “I… I… I’m so sorry,” I splutter. “I was checking on Samuel, and I…” I pause as I try to think of a justified reason for me being in here, doing this.

He narrows his eyes, anger oozing from him as he waits.

“I walked past your room and I could smell something nice. I’ve been wanting to buy my father some new cologne and…” I’m talking way too fast to sound like I’m telling the truth.

He folds his arms over his chest, clearly not believing this bullshit story for a single moment.

“And I wanted to know what cologne it was so I could buy it for my father.”

He raises his eyebrow in question. “You think I smell like your father?”

I shake my head. “No. You smell way better than him.” My eyes widen. Did I

just say that out loud?

Amusement crosses his face before his eyes drop to my nightdress. ‘I came back home to retrieve my phone, which I accidentally left on charge.’ He gestures to his side table and I see his damn phone on charge. ‘And I find you,’ he holds out both his hands toward my body, ‘in a state of undress, standing in my bedroom, smelling my cologne.’

I wrinkle my nose and scrunch up my face. “It sounds kind of weird when you say it like that.”

He looks at me, deadpan. “It is weird.”

I fake a smile and hand him the bottle of cologne. “You should maybe take it as a compliment. Not very many men smell nice enough for me to be so curious. It’s actually one of the biggest mistakes a man can make—”

“Enough!” he cuts me off. “This is an invasion of my privacy.”

I nod. “I can see why you would think that.” I swallow the lump of sand in my throat. Oh fucking hell, get me out of here. This is mortifying. I readjust my nightdress to try and cover my breasts. “It wasn’t intended to be creepy.”

He lifts his chin in defiance. “We’ll talk about this tonight when I have more time.” I collect air in my cheeks and nod.

“Now, if you don’t mind, will you please go and put some damn clothes on?” he snaps.

“Yes, sir,” I whisper. “I’m sorry.” I drop my eyes to the floor.

“I need to go to work.” He gestures towards the door with his hand. I exhale heavily and start walking.

“Miss Brielle?”

I spin back to him.

“The children go to bed at 8:30 p.m. sharp. I would like a meeting with you then.”

“Of course.” I hesitate, and then, unable to help it, I blurt out my thoughts, “Are you going to fire me, Mr. Masters?”

His eyebrows rise, and he pauses for a moment. “Let’s take the day to reassess?”

My eyes hold his for a moment. “Yes, of course. Have a nice day,” I mutter as I leave the room. I feel the heat from his stare on my back as I walk away.

I rush down the stairs as fast as I can, back into the safety of my room, I close the door behind me, lean on it and shut my eyes. I’ve done a lot of stupid things in my life, but I think that really takes the cake.

I drop to the bed and put my head into my hands as my heart hammers in my chest. What kind of fool gets caught in her new boss’s bedroom, in her pyjamas, sniffing his aftershave on her first day of work? Of course, he would forget his stupid phone on that exact day, wouldn’t he?

Now if you don’t mind, will you please go and put some damn clothes on.

His words run through my mind and I cringe. My thoughts are interrupted as I hear a car door slam outside. I go to the window and peer through the sheer curtain, watching on as Mr. Masters gets into his flashy black car before it slowly disappears down the driveway.

Day one got off to a great start.

What the hell am I doing?

I’m on the other side of the world pretending to be a super nanny. Who was I kidding? I don’t know the first damn thing about looking after children and minding my own business. I do know that I don’t want to have a meeting with him tonight.

What’s he going to say?

I remember the lame excuse I gave him about my father, and I cringe, filled with embarrassment. Oh, I can’t face him, it’s just too mortifying.

My mind goes to Emerson. I can’t stand the thought of letting her down. If I don’t have a job then I can’t afford to stay in England on our working holiday, and we’re both so excited for this adventure.

I stare at the carpet for a moment as I try to think of a solution.

If I just try to work as hard as I can so that I don’t get fired, I’ll be okay. As soon as I can find another job, I will, and then I’ll give my notice and leave. Emerson is tied here to her position for twelve months. I really need to make this work for her.

Just suck it up, princess.

Well, I did come to England for an adventure, and I suppose wearing a skimpy nightdress and getting caught in my boss’s bedroom could qualify as such.

It could be worse; he could have caught me masturbating to his photo.

A stupid smile crosses my face. Did he do what I thought he did, though? Did he really take my photo upstairs and get himself off last night, while picturing me, or am I just having some kind of boss fantasy?

I shrug to myself. It doesn’t matter either way, and I don’t care if he smells stupid hot. He’s too old for me. I just have to look after the kids and do my job. Yes, I can do this.

I feel my determination return.

Right, so what’s my plan of attack for today?

Get dressed, go back to the main house, and be the best damn nanny I can be until I find another job. Yes.

I go to the bathroom and stare at my reflection in the mirror. Despite my determination, my face is dejected and sad. It kind of feels weird living with people that aren’t my family, and I imagine it will take me some time to adjust. I swallow the lump in my throat.

It will be okay. Just try really hard and it will be okay.

An hour later, I’m sitting at the kitchen table, rolling my fingers. I’ve finished two cups of coffee and I’m already buzzing.

Am I supposed to wake these kids up?

I glance at my watch to see it’s 7:15 a.m.

What time do they have to be at school?

I stand and begin to pace back and forth. I don’t know what in hell I’m doing here. Mr. Masters hasn’t left any instructions or anything.

The phone on the wall in the kitchen begins to ring, and I look around, confused. Should I answer it?

Ring, ring.

Ring, ring.

I bite my thumbnail and stare at it as it vibrates on the wall. I peer into the living room, and then up the stairs.

Ring, ring.

If I don’t answer it, who will? I’m the only adult home, so…

I tentatively pick up the phone. “Hello.” I frown.

“Hello, Miss Brielle.” The voice is stern and commanding, and I feel my stomach flutter.

It’s him.

“Oh, hello, Mr. Masters.”

“Is everything all right?” he asks. “I’ve been emailing you, but you haven’t responded.”

Emailing me?

I shrug, because I really don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing. “Of course, everything is fine.”

“Are the children dressed? Have they had breakfast?”

I frown harder. “Erm…”

“If you’re having any problems, you do have all of the information on the list on the fridge.”

Oh shit, there is a list. I remember now. I walk over and take the piece of paper from the fridge.

6:30 a.m. Wake children and prepare their breakfast.

My eyes widen and I glance at my watch. It’s now 7:25 a.m.

Shit.

“The children are upstairs.” Which is not technically a lie because they are upstairs.

‘You have to leave in ten minutes or they’ll be late,’ he says.

“Late?”

“Yes, late. Willow starts school at 8:00 a.m., and it’s a half hour drive from our house.”

My eyebrows rise. Oh crap. “Of course, Mr. Masters. I have to go now, though, so we can leave in time.”

“Janine will be there at 9:00 a.m.” He says it casually, like I should already know all about this.

“Janine?” My eyes widen. Who the hell is Janine?

Honestly, did I listen to anything that came out of that perfect mouth of his last night?

“She’s the cleaner and our cook. She cleans the house today and normally arrives around 4:00 p.m. each day to prepare the night’s meal.”

“Yes, okay,” I snap, because I really need to get off the phone and wake these children up as a matter of urgency. “I’ll see you tonight then?” I ask.

He pauses on the other end of the line. “You sound in a rush to get off the phone. Talk to me for a moment. It sounds like you have everything under control.”

Jesus Christ, I don’t have time for this shit. “Definitely in full control, just not a big phone talker,” I add.

“I see.” He pauses, and I can almost hear him smirking on the other end of the phone. “Don’t forget our meeting tonight, either.”

“Julian, I really need to go.

“Goodbye, Miss Brielle. Stay out of trouble.”

I roll my eyes. “Yes, I will. Goodbye.” I hang up and run to the stairs, taking them two at a time. Fucking hell. Willow is likely to give me a black eye when I wake her up this late.

The list. Why didn’t I remember the list? It seems like a lifetime ago that he told me about it. So much has happened since then. What with all the wanking and sniffing aftershave we’ve both been doing.

I get to the top of the stairs and run down to Samuel’s room.

I open the door to see that he’s still sleeping soundly.

“Sam,” I whisper. “Sam, wake up, baby.” I rub his little head and he frowns with his eyes still closed. “Sammy, wake up. We’re running a little late this morning.” He rolls on his side to face me. His hair is tousled and his face is so sleepy. He is the epitome of cute, and I can’t help but smile down at him. “I love your pyjamas. I wish I had some like that.”

He rubs his eyes. “You have to get them from Grandma, these are my birthday pyjamas.”

“Oh, I see.” I grin. “Go to the bathroom and wash your face. Do I need to help you dress?” I ask. He puts his little arms up for a cuddle, and I feel myself melt. I hold him for a second.

“No.” He hops out of bed. “I can do it myself. I’m big, you know?”

“Okay, good. I’ll go and wake up Willow while you wash.” I leave him to go to the bathroom, and I make my way down to Willow’s room, where I tentatively open the door. She’s lying in her bed with her back to me. “Willow, you need to wake up. We’re running late.”

She ignores me. Great, I’m going to have to go in.

“Willow?” I repeat.

She rolls over and looks at me with no emotion. “What?”

I force myself to fake a smile. “I didn’t realize that I was meant to wake you up earlier.”

She puts the phone back to her ear. “Yeah. She’s finally decided to turn up.” She listens for a moment and then passes the phone to me. “He wants to talk to you.”

I frown as I stare at the phone in her outstretched hand. “Who is it?” I ask.

She smirks sarcastically and climbs out of bed before she disappears into her bathroom, shutting the door hard behind her.

“Miss Brielle?” Mr. Masters snaps, pulling me from my thoughts.

My eyes widen in horror and I put the phone to my ear, what’s he on fucking speed dial? “Yes?” I reply meekly.

“I thought the children were up and dressed already?”

“Me, too.” I cringe. “Weird, huh?”

“You’re just waking them up now?”

I scratch my head. I can’t believe I’m getting caught on my second lie this morning.

This whole day is already one huge monumental fuck up. It’s a conspiracy.

“They are going to be late for school,” he growls. “Why didn’t you wake them up earlier?”

“Why didn’t you tell me I had to? This is new to me, you know. I can’t be expected to remember all this shit,” I whisper angrily. “I forgot about the list, okay? And you should have called, emailed me, or whatever the hell you were meant to do, earlier.”

He stays silent on the other end of the phone, and I scrunch up my face. Oh God, just shut up, Brielle.

I’m totally blowing this job.

He stays silent for a moment longer before he speaks. “I’m putting this down to jetlag, Miss Brielle. Take the children to school and go back to bed yourself before you make any more…” he pauses, “bad judgements.”

I roll my eyes and feel my cheeks heat with embarrassment. “Yes, sir.”

He stays on the line and awkward silence hangs between us.

“I’ll see you tonight,” I sigh.

The line clicks as he hangs up without another word.

Willow appears out of the bathroom and glares at me. “Get out of my room. Thanks a lot. I’m going to be late.” She sneers.

I stare at her, and suddenly, I’m feeling so overwhelmed that I don’t think I can take it. My eyes fill with tears. This isn’t how I imagined my exciting new job to be. I drop my head and leave her room quickly so she doesn’t see my tears.

Screw this.

I want to go home

I end the call and pinch the bridge of my nose.

Here we go again. Another catastrophe of a nanny, and this one seemed so promising according to her resume.

“Morning, your honor.” Marcy smiles as she walks in and holds out my morning coffee.

“Thank you,” I mouth as I take it from her. I won the jackpot seven years ago when I hired her as my personal assistant. Best thing in this damn courthouse.

“How did the new nanny go?” she asks as she slides into her seat at her desk and sips her coffee.

I roll my eyes. “Don’t ask. Nightmare.” I sigh as I pick up my phone. “I’m calling the agency now and requesting someone else.” I wait on as the call goes through.

I get a vision of Brielle in her white silk nightdress in my bedroom this morning. It wasn’t light, and yet I could see her every curve, the way it hung over her hard nipples. Her caramel skin with her Australian tan. Her big brown eyes and red lips that looked like they belonged around me…

I close my eyes and inhale deeply.

Fuck me, if she isn’t every man’s wet dream, I don’t know who is.

I drag my hand down my face. I need to get out more. Drinking red wine and jerking off to a photo of my children’s nanny is unacceptable Thursday night behavior.

I clench my jaw as I feel myself harden at the thought of her, and uneasiness sweeps over me. She’s the nanny.

Cut it out.

The sooner I get her out of my house, the better.

“Hello, Andersons Agency,” the receptionist answers.

“Hello, this is Julian Masters.”

“Oh, hello, Mr. Masters. How can I help you, sir?’

“My new nanny arrived yesterday.”

“Yes.” I hear her flick through some papers. “Brielle Johnston.”

I purse my lips. “I don’t think it’s going to work out. Can you arrange some interviews for me to find someone else, please?”

She hesitates for a moment. “But…”

“No buts. I’m not happy. I would prefer someone else.”

“Mr. Masters, Brielle is over here on a working visa. If she doesn’t have another job to go to, she will have to go back to Australia immediately.”

I frown. “What?”

“When you signed her au pair contract, you agreed to sponsor her for her visit to the United Kingdom for a twelve-month period.”

“I did no such thing. I signed an employment contract for a nanny.”

“Yes, you did, sir. The employment contract is the working visa contract for an au pair, which is different to a nanny. It’s in section 6a. I have the paperwork.”

I pause for a moment, and Marcy frowns as she listens on. Our eyes meet and I shake my head in disgust. How the hell did I miss that? “Her visa isn’t my problem. I want a new nanny as soon as possible.”

“That’s really disappointing, sir. We really feel that Brielle will work out if you just give her a chance.”

“No. Arrange other interviews.”

“Leonie, my manager, isn’t here right now. Can I get her to call you when she gets in?” I exhale heavily. “Fine. I’ll be available after five.”

“Thank you, Mr. Masters.” She hangs up.

I sit back in my chair and roll my pen on my desk as I think.

“What’s wrong with her? Are the children safe?” Marcy frowns.

“Yes, of course the children are safe.”

“What? Does she seem rough or something?”

“Quite the opposite.” I stand and remove my suit jacket, placing my judge’s cape over my clothes. I slowly fasten the buttons down the front. “She’s just young and not the right woman for the job, that’s all. Willow and her have a personality clash.”

Marcy watches me for a moment. “I hope I’m not talking out of turn, sir, but Willow has a personality clash with everyone.”

My eyes meet hers and I exhale heavily. “I know. Even me, lately.” With a heavy heart, I pick up my pile of court documents and make my way into the courtroom with Marcy following close behind.

“All rise,” the secretary calls.

The courtroom stands, and I nod and walk in to take my place at the front of the room. I look around at the full courtroom, with the jury sitting to my left. My eyes roam to the man in front of me, accused of both rape and murder. Contempt fills my every pore. He’s been in my court before, although we didn’t have enough evidence to charge him. I hope today’s result is somewhat better. “You may be seated.”

I stand at the front door with the keys in my hand as I wait for Willow so I can take them both to school. Samuel is ready, waiting with his backpack on his back. I look up at the stairs. I want to scream out hurry the hell up, but I don’t want to upset her.

She seems troubled, and for some reason, I don’t think it’s just because of me. Eventually, she comes into view and starts walking down the stairs. Her dark hair is in two braids, and she’s wearing a snooty looking grey tunic uniform. Her skirt hangs below her knees with big box pleats, her legs covered in thick grey tights and finished off with black school shoes. She’s pretty, in a scowly kind of way.

I smile. “You look nice.”

She rolls her eyes in disgust.

I smile. “Come on, let’s go. I hope I can drive this van.”

“Van?” Willow frowns. “We’re not going in the van.”

I stare at her for a moment. “Why not?”

“Because it’s embarrassing. Like I want to be seen in that crap car.”

“Oh, please,” I snap. “Stop being such a snob.” Her eyes meet mine, and I internally kick myself. Did I really just say that out loud?

“A snob?” she repeats, as if shocked at my audacity.

“What I meant is, I don’t want to crash your dad’s fancy SUV. So when you are with me, we are taking the van.”

“Well, I won’t be seen dead going anywhere with you.” She sneers. “I’m not into hanging out with dumb bimbos. Just fuck off and go back to the hole you came from.”

I inhale sharply, and we stare at each other—a silent standoff.

Samuel takes my hand, and I can’t help but think it’s a silent apology for his sister’s rudeness. Something snaps inside of me, annoyed that she would put him in a position to hear that and feel so uncomfortable. What a selfish little bitch.

I smile down at him and hand over the keys. ‘Go out the front, baby, and open the car for me, will you?’

He snatches them and runs out the door.

Willow lifts her chin defiantly.

I raise my eyebrow. “Let us get one thing straight here, dear Willow.” I sneer.

She puts her hand on her hip in disgust.

“I’m here to look after Samuel, and I really don’t care whether you like me or not—”

“I don’t,” she cuts me off.

I smile sarcastically. “Is that what your game is? Be an evil little bitch until the nanny runs away? Do you try and make their life a living hell, Willow?”

She narrows her eyes.

“Does Daddy come to your rescue?” I whisper in a baby voice.

“Fuck you.” She sneers. “Stay out of my fucking way.”

“Oh, I’m in your way, and don’t fucking speak to me like that in front of Samuel again. I don’t give a fuck if you don’t like me, but you will not upset him. Do you hear me?”

Her eyebrows rise in surprise.

“He is only a little boy and having a witch of a sister is not helping him one little bit. I don’t want you to hold your tongue for me, but for God’s sake, hold it for him.”

She glares at me.

“Now, get inside the damn van,” I growl.

She takes off outside in a huff, and I close my eyes as fury pumps through my blood.

Great. This day just keeps getting better and better.

“So, just up here,” Sam directs me as I pull into the circular school drop off bay.

Sam is in the front seat and Willow is in the back. She wouldn’t get in the front with me.

I peer out at the fancy school in front of me. It looks like Hogwarts from Harry Potter or something. “Wow,” I whisper. “This is swish.”

Willow climbs out of the car and slams the door.

I open my window. “Have a nice day, dear,” I call out.

She flips me the bird as she walks away, and I giggle and look down at Samuel. He bites his bottom lip to hold back his smile.

“Well, she’s clearly not a morning person, is she?” I widen my eyes at him.

He shakes his head and fidgets with his hands on his lap.

“Where is your school, buddy?” I ask.

“We go up here and turn left.”

He directs me again as I drive, and ten minutes later we get to his school. I pull up out the front. I dip my head and look around at the empty playground. “Where is everyone?” I ask.

“Oh.” His little face falls. “They don’t get here yet. They don’t come until right on the bell.”

“What do you do until your friends get here?”

He shrugs. “I just sit in the playground near my classroom.”

“By yourself?” I frown.

He shrugs again.

‘What time do you get to school each day?’ I ask.

“About 7:50 a.m.”

“What time does your bell go?”

“9:15.”

“So, you just sit here in the cold every morning, all by yourself?”

He nods.

I stare at him for a moment and shake my head before I pull back out into the traffic.

“What are you doing?” he asks.

“We’re going for hot chocolate. You don’t sit in the cold alone on my watch.” I reach over and squeeze his little thigh, and he smiles broadly. “We might even have chocolate cake.” I tickle him, and he laughs, wriggling to get away from me. “Don’t tell your dad we had cake for breakfast, will you?”

He shakes his head with a big goofy smile on his face, and then he takes my hand in his on his lap.

This kid has got me already.

I get back home at about 9:45 a.m. I got completely lost and had to use the Maps app on my phone to find the damn house. When I walk inside, I can hear a vacuum running upstairs. The cleaner is clearly here. What was her name again? Damn it, I need to sleep. This jet lag is kicking my butt. I glance into the office near the staircase, and I tentatively walk up the stairs and down the hall. The cleaner is in Willow’s room, and I open the door to introduce myself.

An elderly lady is inside vacuuming, wearing a light blue uniform and looking every bit the part of the housemaid. She looks up and smiles broadly. ‘Hello.’

“Hi.” I smile, grateful to see a friendly face.

She turns the vacuum off and shakes my hand. “I’m Janine. You must be the new nanny?”

I nod nervously. “Yes, I’m Brielle, but call me Brelly.”

She smiles as she looks me up and down. She has this warm, safe feel about her. “How’s it going?”

I roll my eyes and flop onto the bed. “Really bad.”

She chuckles as she picks up a feather duster and begins to dust the dresser. “Why is that?”

I blow out a defeated breath. “Willow hates me, Mr. Masters is only tolerating me, and I just can’t seem to do anything right.”

Her eyes hold mine and she smiles softly. “Finally.”

I frown. “Finally?”

“Finally, an honest nanny.”

My face falls. “They all leave, don’t they?”

She nods.

“Because of Willow?” I ask.

“Among other things.” She dusts for a moment as she thinks. “They are a lovely family, dear, just a little dysfunctional.”

“Does Willow hate everyone?”

“Yes.”

“How long have you been with them?”

“Five years. I came to work for them the week after Alina died.”

“Alina?”

“The children’s mother.”

“Oh.” I stay silent, thinking carefully about what to say next. “I think Mr. Masters is going to fire me tonight.”

“Why?”

“I got caught in his room this morning. I was smelling his aftershave, and then I forgot to wake the kids up and lied about it, and then I had a raving row with Willow and dropped the F-bomb on her.”

Janine bursts out laughing. “Oh my… you are honest.”

I roll my eyes. “Yeah. It’s my biggest fault.”

Her eyes dance with delight. “Fault? I think it’s a virtue.” She dusts a little more. “One that is not shown around here often, unfortunately.”

I scowl. “What do you mean?”

She shrugs as she continues to clean. “It’s really none of my business, dear.”

I watch her for a while. “But if I’m going to try and make this work any information you have could be helpful. I don’t want to fail.”

She bends down and cleans the skirting board, her back to me. “Well, for what it’s worth, here’s my take on it.”

I listen intently.

“Mr. Masters has a broken heart and Willow reminds him of his late wife. They hardly speak, unless she is getting disciplined for something, and Samuel overcompensates their lack of relationship with too much sweetness to make up for his sister’s cold front.”

My face falls. “Mr. Masters shuts her out?” I whisper.

“That, and she won’t let him in now. She won’t let anyone in. The damage has been done. You’ll soon know that she’s very difficult to get along with.”

Oh, that poor girl. Sadness fills me. She’s still only a baby. Suddenly I feel guilty for being horrible to her this morning. No wonder she’s snarky, and what an asshole he must be for shutting his only daughter out after her mother died.

I blow out a deflated breath and flop back on the bed.

Jeez, it’s like a bad Nicholas Sparks movie.

Janine continues to clean around me.

“How did their mother die?” I ask.

“Car accident.”

“How was he after she died?”

“Who Mr. Masters?”

I nod.

“Quiet.”

I frown. “Is he always quiet?”

She shrugs. “He is with me. He holds a very powerful position at work and I think it’s very taxing on him. When I first started, just after she died, I searched for Alina on Facebook. There were a lot of shots of the two of them out on the town together. She was beautiful.”

My eyebrows rise as I listen.

“But her page was shut down not long after.”

“Hmm.” All this information and I have no idea what to do with it. Janine continues to clean, and I feel guilty for lounging here, just watching her work. “Do you want some help?” I ask. “Can I do anything?”

She smiles warmly. “No, dear, but why don’t you go and have a lie down. I’m sure you must still be jetlagged.”

“Yeah, I am. Dead tired, to be honest.” I hop up and make my way to the door, glancing back over my shoulder. “It was lovely meeting you.”

She smiles warmly. “You, too, dear. Sweet dreams.”

I make my way down to my room, set my alarm, and climb into bed. I pull my big, heavy quilt over me, and then I try to imagine I am home.

I walk into Rodger’s bar at around 4:00 p.m. to meet with Sebastian and Spencer—something we all do at least once a week. We’ve been best friends since we were ten years old. I don’t see them as much as I would like to, but they keep me sane when I need them.

“Hey, Jules.” Seb smiles.

“Hey. Where’s Spence?”

“At the bar.”

I glance over, falling onto a stool, and see Spencer deep in discussion with a woman at the bar.

“How’s your week been?” Seb asks.

“Yeah, pretty good. Yours?”

He curls his lip. “This new building is giving me a fucking headache.” He shrugs. “I’ll get it right eventually.”

Sebastian is an architect and Spencer owns a steel company and designs skyscrapers. They both do very well for themselves.

Spence arrives back at the table with our three beers in hand. ‘Hey, Masters, what’s up?’ He holds a beer out for me too as he sits down.

“Not much.” I sip my beer. “My new nanny started.”

“What’s she like?” Seb asks.

“Fucking hot,” I sigh.

The boys both exchange a look and smile before they turn their attention back to me. “Seriously?” Spence asks. “How hot?”

‘Like, I’m fucking hard in my pants every single time she’s in the room hot,’ I answer dryly.

“Have you shagged her?” Spence asks.

I wince as I sip my beer. “You don’t shag the nanny, Spence.”

“Why not?” He shrugs, raising his brows. “I would.”

Seb smirks.

Spencer’s eyes widen all at once. “Oh hell, I didn’t tell you about Marie.”

Seb and I sip our beers as we listen.

“Okay, so you know how I’ve been seeing that flight attendant, Marie?”

“Yeah.”

“I started going around to her apartment a bit more, and it turns out she’s got this female flatmate called Ricky.”

“Oh God, don’t tell me.” I smile to myself. Spencer is the worst player I know. He can’t keep it in his pants for longer than five minutes.

Spencer smiles and winks. “Ricky’s fucking hot.” He shakes his head, as if the memory of this Ricky is making his mind foggy. “Like… stupid hot.”

Seb and I roll our eyes at each other.

We already know where this story is going.

“The other night, I was in bed with Marie, completely naked. She’s on top of me, and the bedroom lamp is still on…” He pauses to take a quick drink.

“Then all of a sudden, the door opens, and in walks Ricky, wearing nothing. Nude.” Seb and I glance at each other, both of us wearing a frown.

“She asks if she can join us in bed.”

“Where the fuck do you find these women?” Seb asks, indignant.

“I know, right?” I chuckle. “What did Marie say?”

He smirks and holds his hands out as he explains the story. ‘Marie asks me if I mind if her flatmate joins us. Apparently, Ricky hasn’t had sex in a while and Marie hates knowing her friend is lonely.’

I sit forward, my face creased with confusion. “Wait, so are those two fucking each other when you’re not there?”

Spence shrugs. “Fuck knows.” He sips his beer. “All I know is the next minute, I’ve got Marie riding my cock and Ricky sitting on my face.”

Seb and I laugh at the lucky son of a bitch.

Spence holds his hands out. “It’s like a fucking Tuesday, and there I am getting double pumped without any warning. I hadn’t even had a drink.”

I throw my head back and laugh louder.

“I fucked both of them, and then I’m dozing off in between them when Marie falls asleep first.”

“What happened?” I ask.

“Well, Ricky gets under the blankets and just starts giving me the best fucking head I’ve ever had in my life.”

Seb slaps his forehead, unable to believe Spencer’s luck.

Spencer’s eyes widen. “But I don’t know what to do, right? Marie is asleep next to us.”

“But you just fucked Ricky in front of Marie?”

“I know.” He shrugs. “But I had her permission that time. It felt weird with her asleep. I’m lying there getting head, doing a risk assessment in my mind of what Marie will do if she wakes up.”

Seb throws his head back and roars with laughter, holding his arm up to the waitress for another round of beers. ‘Only fucking you.’

“Then Ricky asks me to take it to her room, which meant us not waking Marie.”

“Did you go?” Seb frowns.

“Yeah, and on the way there she goes to her handbag and gives me a blue pill out of a bottle.”

My eyes widen. “She gave you a Viagra?”

He nods, and Seb and I hoot with laughter. “What the fuck, man?” Seb cries. “What fucking chick carries Viagra around in her purse?”

Spencer shrugs. “I don’t know, but I took the blue pill. My dick turned into a rocket cock, and I turned into a porn star fucking her for six hours straight.” He holds his hands up. “Hands down, the best sex I’ve ever had. She is fucking insane, so hot. I fucked her every which way.”

I hold my glass up and wink. “To Viagra,” I toast. They smile and lift their glasses to tap against mine. “We should maybe try this shit,” I mutter to Seb, and he chuckles in response.

“Then I crawl back to Marie’s bed just as the sun is coming up. I have to go to work in, like, two hours, and I have a huge meeting with new investors at 9:00 a.m.” His eyes widen. “I can hardly fucking walk, my balls are blue and bruised.”

“What happened next?” Seb dares himself to ask.

“Marie wakes up.”

Seb shakes his head. “Why doesn’t this shit ever happen to me?”

“Right?” I chuckle. “I want my new nanny to do this to me.”

Seb points at me. “You should totally tap that. How hot would that be, sneaking into her room at night?”

I nod as I sip my beer, my cock tingling at the thought. “God, I wish.”

Spence continues his story. “So, there I am, trying to die in peace and get in two hours sleep, cock throbbing in pain, when Marie decides to start sucking my dick, wanting more action.”

“She didn’t know where it’d been all night,” I say.

Seb winces. “Oh, I hate to think.”

I shiver at the thought.

“What did you do?” Seb frowns.

“I had to do what any self-respecting boyfriend would do.”

I laugh sarcastically. “Like you would know what a self-respecting boyfriend is supposed to do.”

He turns to me, annoyed. “Oh, and you would?”

I smile and wink as I sip my beer.

“Anyway, there I am, knowing damn well I have to fuck Marie now. I swear, I’m nearly crying.”

Seb and I burst out laughing, and Seb slaps the table. “Fuck me, man, this is the best story ever.”

Spence’s eyes widen. “It isn’t over yet. Let me tell you, that Viagra kicked back in and I regained my super-human strength again, but I can’t come.”

We both lean forward, waiting to hear how this ends.

“I’m fucking and fucking and fucking, and I can’t come.” He sips his beer. “My dick has literally got no skin left on it, burning like a motherfucker. Now I really am almost crying.”

Seb and I are laughing out loud as we imagine our stupid friend fucking with a sore dick.

“What did you do?” Seb gasps for air, trying to regain control.

“I did what I had to do.”

I frown. “What’s that?”

“I faked it.”

“You faked it?” I gasp.

He nods and sips his drink. “Yep.”

The table falls silent. None of us has ever faked it before. I wouldn’t know how to.

“Then Marie calls me today. She says the other night was fun and could we do it again tonight. She wants Ricky to join us, too.”

We all lean closer to him, waiting to hear his response.

“I told her I was out of town.”

Seb’s face twists in disgust.

“Why would you do that?” I frown.

“Because I have no skin left on my fucking dick, man. I need a skin graft. It is literally grazed like a third-degree burn.” He shakes his head and we all burst out laughing. “If I wasn’t circumcised already, I would have been after that.”

I wince. “Who is this chick with the iron snatch?”

Seb chuckles. “My new drug dealer.”

It’s 9:30 p.m. and the walk up the hall towards the main house feels long. I’ve been watching from my darkened spot in the glass hallway for the last fifteen minutes. Mr. Masters is still in his suit, obviously unable to relax until this meeting is over.

Not a good sign.

I walk up the six stairs and around the corridor until I come into his view. He’s in the kitchen, filling his thick glass tumbler with ice.

“Hello.” I smile meekly.

He turns to face me. “Hello.” He gestures to the stool at the island bench. “Please, sit down.”

I slink into the chair and watch as he pours scotch over his ice, and then takes a seat opposite me.

He rolls his lips and takes a sip.

“Miss Brielle,” he sighs.

“Brelly,” I correct.

He raises his eyebrows. “No offence, but I’m not calling you Brelly. You’re not an umbrella.”

I bite my bottom lip to stifle my smile. I feel like I am in the principal’s office about to be expelled from school. He’s wearing an expensive navy suit with a white shirt. His dark hair is longer on the top, with a curl running through it, and he has the squarest jaw I think I’ve ever seen. His eyes are big and brown, and… he really is very good looking.

“I don’t think this is going to work out,” he says calmly, slicing my thoughts in two.

“What?” I whisper.

He gives a subtle shake of his head. “I’m sorry, I just—”

“Is this about this morning?” I interrupt.

“Brielle, I deal with liars and thieves all day at work. I don’t have the energy to have someone living under my roof who I don’t trust.”

“You… you can trust me,” I stammer. “I’m the most honest person you could ever meet. Too honest, in fact. Ask anybody.”

He sips his drink, and his cold eyes hold mine.

“Ask me anything. Ask me anything right now and I will tell you the whole truth, I promise.”

He lifts his chin. “All right then, what did you say to Willow this morning?”

My face falls. Oh, he had to ask that, didn’t he?

I swallow the lump in my throat. That little snitch. If I wasn’t already getting fired, I definitely am now.

“I think it went something like…” I readjust my position in my seat, and he raises an eyebrow, waiting. My heart begins to beat fast.

“I asked her if that was what her game was? To be an evil little bitch until the nanny’s run away. And then I asked her if she tries and makes their lives a living hell.”

He narrows his eyes.

‘And then I asked her if her daddy comes to her rescue every time.’

He glares at me and bites his bottom lip, as if he’s stopping himself from snapping or yelling.

I cringe openly. “And then she said something along the lines of ‘fuck you, stay out of my fucking way.’ So I warned her not to fucking speak to me like that in front of Samuel ever again. I don’t give a fuck if she doesn’t like me, but I will not put up with her upsetting him.” I shrug. “Give or take a few insults.”

He tips his head and drains his glass, clearly disgusted.

My heart begins to hammer so hard, I feel like I can literally hear the blood pumping in my ears.

His eyes hold mine. “And what gives you the right to speak to my daughter like that?”

“I don’t have that right, and I’m sorry, it won’t happen again. She just got me so mad speaking to me like that in front of Samuel. He needs to be protected from her venom. He’s just a baby, and I know she’s troubled, but I needed her to know that it’s not okay and I won’t be putting up with it.”

He blows all the air from his cheeks and pours another scotch, glancing up mid pour, as if realizing he’s being rude by not offering me one. He tilts the bottle my way.

“Yes, please,” I say, grateful for the offer—I’ll try anything to calm my nerves. This is harrowing.

He fills my glass with ice and then pours me a scotch. Hell, where’s the mixer? Do I drink this straight?

He passes it over. “Thank you.” I take a sip and feel the heat go down and slowly warm my esophagus. “Hmm.” I lift the glass and inspect the golden fluid. “This is… strong.”

A trace of a smile crosses his face as he sits back at his stool.

He watches me intently, and then finally responds. “Willow is a lot to handle, I know that.”

“I was a nightmare, too, at that age. I can handle her.”

“I have no doubt.” He purses his lips. “But this isn’t about Willow.”

I frown. “Then what is it about?”

“It’s about you being in my bedroom and looking through my things this morning.”

I gulp my drink down and nearly choke. This stuff is like rocket fuel. I cough loudly, clearing my throat. “Oh, that.” I wince around the fire in my throat. Sweet Jesus, am I drinking petrol here?

“Yes, that,” he answers. “Please explain what you were doing in my bedroom.”

I glance at the door. Run… just fucking run.

I swallow the sand in my throat. ‘I went to check on Samuel because I was worried about him sleepwalking again and I thought you had left for the day.’ I frown as I try to make this story sound reasonable. ‘On the way back to my room, I saw your door was open and I just…’

He watches me as he takes a sip of his drink.

“I wanted to see what your bedroom looked like.”

He raises a brow.

I offer a half smile and try to sweeten the story as much as I can. “I walked in, looked around, and then I saw your bathroom cabinet was slightly ajar.” I shrug. “You can find out so much about a person by their bathroom cabinet, you know?” I take another big gulp of my rocket fuel.

Holy hell, this is strong shit. I half cough, my esophagus burned beyond belief.

I get a vision of myself falling off the stool, drunk, and I shiver in horror.

Great, a hopeless nanny who can’t hold her liquor, this story just keeps getting better and better by the minute.

He lifts his chin once more, in defiance and the energy between us begins to change. His questions somehow turn into a silent dare for me to tell the truth and he watches me intently. ‘What did you find out about me, Brielle?’

I swallow the lump in my throat. “You’re very neat,” I whisper nervously.

He doesn’t react.

“I really like your cologne.” A trace of a smile crosses his face, and it gives me the confidence to keep going.

“And… you’re… sexually active.”

His eyes darken and the air suddenly crackles between us.

He takes a slow, steady sip of his scotch, and I watch closely as his tongue darts out to lick his bottom lip. I feel my insides clench.

Huh?

He leans forward in his chair. “What are you doing here, Brielle?” he whispers. The electricity between us has stolen my ability to think straight.

“Drinking the strongest alcohol known to man?” I offer.

He smiles sexily and releases a low chuckle. “I meant, why did you come to England?”

I bite my bottom lip. “To get away from my ex-boyfriend. We broke up last year and I needed a change… to move on.”

His eyes drop to my lips. “And how long has it been since you’ve been with a man?”

I frown, but without putting my brain to mouth filter on, I whisper, “Too long. Way too long.”