His Daughter's Nanny, His Heart's Obsession

rm had

adn't quite ret

kind instead it was watchful. Like the walls them

her toast without flinching. She had even smiled, just a little,

air was

she passed Damon

y looked

offered, tryi

curt nod, and continued dow

ght - the stormy vulnerability, the shared

rein

ed, should

were bac

-

her bunny propped up beside her. Aria handed her a

what you'

it up with

e house again.

re were only two p

tall

e smal

who had always been in th

bli

missing, s

idn't

olored the

-

taff moved more q

a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Did the child sleep

olite nod and

fight with someone w

he no

e lukewarm lunch. The absence o

as s

t invi

-

who broke

pping inside, the air fresh with leftover rain. Aria held a

out here," he said,

him at first. "It's

er tha

e house. The tensi

"Yeah. Damon's not exactl

ever talk about... what hap

smile

n to me. I only know what I saw

at the clouds.

her. "You sti

... recognize the way some people build

lent for

e come and go in this house withou

ha

ng footprints

hat's not alway

le girl is different when you're aro

ed softly

said the day you arrived. If this place gets too col

he walk

e nursery to grab a storybook and found

otog

slightly

beautiful woman in a designer gown. Her features were st

a younger Isla.

't smili

mbled slightly as

e air s

tu

od in the

r hand and for a moment, his face w

said slowly, voice low and clipp

pillow and stood tall. "I wasn't

r into the room, his

ot really. But she still keeps pieces o

ildren hold on to what's

need to rem

need it era

le

, wei

st too softly, "Sh

breath

she said gently. "I

he gav

is sides. "Don't promise her

. "I haven't prom

mised he

, her voice steady. "

harder than

ay. "You should

hesit

afraid of the t

him, brushing

dn't

t bre

staring at the photo and wondering if the stor