Nanny for the Don: Chapter 26

My eyes are locked on the wounds on Nico’s shoulder, where I dug my nails into his skin earlier.

He’s fast asleep next to me, his powerful chest rising and falling with each breath. But I can’t stop staring at the marks I left on him.

The sight of blood doesn’t freak me out like it should.

It’s kind of ironic, honestly. One minute, I’m watching Nico draw blood from another man, and not long after, I’m drawing blood from him. It’s completely different, but the blood is there, nonetheless. The thought hits me hard—if I’m going to be in Nico’s world, blood might just become part of the routine.

That’s a lot to take in.

I’m still in a daze from the sex. God, it was intense. Aggressive. It was everything I didn’t even know I’d been wanting, but now that I’ve had a taste, I’m hooked.

Every part of me is still buzzing, and I can’t help but wonder how I got here. One second, I’m walking into a normal life, and the next? I’m tangled up with a man who’s as dangerous as he is irresistible.

Nico stirs a little, his arm moving to rest on me, and I feel a warmth bloom in my chest. I know I should be freaked out, but I’m not. Despite all the danger and darkness, Nico makes me feel safe.

I get up quietly, leaving him sleeping, and walk over to the glass door that overlooks the balcony and the backyard garden beyond. The snow’s really coming down now, thick and relentless, coating everything in a soft, white blanket. I sigh, pressing my forehead against the cool glass, thinking about the mess I’ve walked into.

Just a few hours ago, I was almost certain I’d leave. Get out before things get too deep. But all it took was one hard look from Nico, and I’d melted like putty in his hands, turning into his willing little toy.

The craziest part? I don’t regret a damn thing about it.

But now, standing here, I wonder if I should be embarrassed by how easily I gave in. This man is dangerous. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. And yet, in bed, that danger felt… intoxicating. Like I craved it. I almost hate myself for how much I loved it.

His life is a weird balancing act—maintaining the line between being the caring father and partner and whatever the hell he is when he’s not at home. But what happens if that line blurs? Or worse—breaks?

I place my hand on my belly, something I’ve been doing a lot since I found out I’m pregnant. The weight of it hits me as I turn to look at Nico, still asleep, his chest rising and falling steadily. This isn’t just the man I’ve fallen for—this is the father of my child.

And he’s a mobster. No doubt about it now.

Before, I could pretend, make excuses, tell myself he wasn’t really associated with the mob. That whatever shady business he was into wasn’t that serious. But after what I saw today? All those delusions were blown to pieces. He’s in deep. And now, so am I.

But Nico’s more than his job. Yeah, he lives a dangerous life, but I’ve fallen for him. Hard. And in such a short time, too. It’s wild. I barely know him, yet somehow, I do. I know the way he looks at his girls, the way he’s tender with me even after being this lethal force of nature. I’ve seen both sides of him, and even though I should probably run, I don’t want to.

I yawn, feeling the weight of the day hit me all at once. I’m ready to crash. I wander over to the dresser, looking for something to sleep in. After rummaging through a few drawers, I find one with T-shirts, all perfectly folded. I grab one and pull it on. It’s huge on me, practically swallowing me up, but it smells like him, and it’s comforting in a way I can’t really explain.

Something catches my eye, and I push back the stack of T-shirts, and my heart skips when I see what’s hidden underneath—a thick stack of cash and a gun. The gun’s attached to the drawer, locked up tight, definitely not for casual use. There’s no way anyone but Nico has access to it.

I stare at it for a second. How many other stashes like this are hidden around the house? It’s wild, but it’s also reality now.

This is my world.

I close the drawer quietly, like I didn’t just stumble upon another piece of Nico’s dangerous life. Slipping back into bed, I feel his strong arm wrap around me, pulling me close. Despite everything, despite all the questions and the chaos, a smile sneaks its way onto my lips.

I wake up to a loud banging on the door, groggy as hell. Sunlight’s pouring into the room, and for a second, I can’t even process what’s happening. Before I can react, Nico’s out of bed and rushing to the door. He swings it open, and there they are: the girls. They burst into the room, full of energy, chattering nonstop about the snow and how they have to get outside and play in it.

I pull the covers up a little higher. Have they seen me? They’re so excited about the snow, maybe they’re too distracted to care.

Surprisingly, for all his previous warnings about this very possibility, Nico seems totally unbothered. He ruffles the girls’ hair, asking them how much snow they think they’ve got to play with.

The girls are bouncing around like they’ve had ten cups of coffee.

“Papa, can we have pancakes for breakfast? Pleeease!” Lucia practically begs, her eyes wide and impossible to say no to..

Nico chuckles, getting down to their level. “Pancakes, huh? What about some eggs? You need protein if you’re gonna play in all that snow.”

Giulia jumps in., , her excitement almost vibrating off her. “Yeah, eggs too!”

Lucia nods like her life depends on it. “Yeah! And we have to build the biggest snowman ever!”

Nico grins. , playing right into their energy. “Alright, alright. Pancakes and eggs it is. After breakfast, we’ll build the biggest snowman this neighborhood’s ever seen.”

Just when I think the girls haven’t noticed me and I’m in the clear, Giulia’s eyes land on me. She stares for a second before asking, “Why are you in Papa’s room?”

Cue the panic. But of course, Nico’s smooth as hell. Doesn’t even blink. “Oh, we were having a little secret chat about Christmas presents,” he says, winking like it’s no big deal. “Had to keep it quiet so you two wouldn’t hear.”

The girls giggle, totally buying it. “Ooooh, presents!” Giulia claps her hands, and then they’re off, running out of the room.

I let out a breath, scrambling to get dressed. As I’m pulling on my clothes, Nico grabs me by the waist and pulls me in for a kiss.

“I’ll be out in a few minutes,” he says, all smirks and confidence..”

I can’t wait.