Episode 8

Sophia

"Who is this guy?"

Before the idiot can answer, the other man approaches and takes my bloodied hand, still gloved.

"Dante Messina at your service," he says, kissing the back of my hand, unfazed by the blood. I know they're mobsters, but still, disgusting!

"Sophia Palermo," I reply. "Mia's nanny."

"My friend, I didn't know you named your daughter."

"I haven't," the boss grumbles, never taking his eyes off my hand still caught in Dante's large grip.

I know I'm small, but these men are giants.

Mia's crying gives me the excuse to break away from these titans. I remove the gloves and wash my hands before attending to the little one's needs.

Now by her side, I stroke her cheek and speak softly until she stops crying. Since it's another hour until her feeding, and she finished her bottle, she probably needs a diaper change.

I get what I need and lay a protective blanket under her, having learned that sometimes it's a bad idea to change her in her crib.

I start changing her diaper, humming so she focuses on my voice and not the discomfort of the damp wipe on her skin.

"You're doing great," Dante comments, watching the little one. "She's a beautiful girl. Congratulations, my friend."

I turn to see the boss leaning against a wall further away from the crib and his daughter.

"If you say so," he responds tersely.

My heart aches for Mia. How can he not see how special this lovely doll is?

Angry, I finish changing the diaper. I pick Mia up and walk over to him.

"You're an idiot," I snap, passing his daughter to him. "I have to make her a bottle."

"It's your job!" he says, snatching her as if she were a trash bag, holding her as far away from his body as possible.

"It's yours too!" I shoot back and storm out.

"Friend, that's how I like women, feisty," I hear Dante say, but I ignore him and head down to the kitchen.

While preparing Mia's milk, I hope she throws up on the idiot. But I also hope he looks at her just for a second without that disgusted expression on his dumb face and falls in love with her.

It breaks my heart knowing Mia has no one in the world who loves her, except for me, but I'm just her nanny. One tantrum from that brute and I'm out.

While the milk cools down, I clean up the glass pieces and pick the tiny shards that have landed on my legs and feet.

I grab a paper towel and slightly moisten it with warm water. Then I lift my foot onto one of the chairs surrounding the island and carefully clean while thinking about what happened just a few minutes ago right here.

I was close to succumbing to the heat I felt. Powerful. Overwhelming. So much so that my brain turned to mush, I couldn't think or reason or... Damn it, I couldn't refuse anything.

It was terrifying, devastating, and, grudgingly, wonderful.

Fortunately, my mind snapped back to reality as soon as I realized it was Mia's father, and I know I would never be with a man like that, not even if he were the last man on Earth.

Though I can't deny he's attractive. Maybe too much so. He's tall, with messy, sexy brown hair, and light green eyes like his daughter's. So precious. Plus, he has a strong jawline, an elongate nose, features any artist would want to capture. And his body... I force myself to stop thinking about him as soon as I remember his hard body against mine.

"A dollar for your thoughts," Dante says, startling me so much that I begin to fall backward out of my chair, but luckily he catches me in time. "Got you, gorgeous."

"Mia?"

"With her proud father," he answers with a hint of irony.

I rush to grab the bottle, but before I can move, Dante blocks my path with a huge smile and playful grey eyes.

"Tell me, what would I have to do to have you?" he asks.

I decide to play dumb. I've had more than enough testosterone for one day.

"Do you have kids?" I reply with a smile.

"No, but I could get a child if it means bringing you to my home."

While his words are a bit disrespectful, the amusement in his eyes tells me he's joking.

"My services are expensive."

"Oh, believe me, I could pay whatever you ask for."

I laugh. "You do realize I'm only trained to feed you with a bottle and change your diapers, right?"

"And give me a bath," he adds with a wink. "I'm sure you’d do a better job cleaning me up than I would."

"That's for sure," I return before bursting into laughter. "But I don't think it's the right job for a nineteen-year-old woman."

"Nineteen years old, and you're offering yourself like a prostitute," the idiot behind me says, making me jump. "What would your father say if he heard you?"

I turn around to retort and the first thing I do is take Mia from him since he was only holding her by her clothes, upside down. Insensitive jerk.

"Whether I’m a prostitute or not is my damn problem, and never mention my father again, or I won't answer for the consequences," I hiss.

"You're taking care of a girl, of course, the kind of woman you are matters to me."

"The kind you'll never know," I retort.

"Wanna bet?" he asks, his eyes dark, furious, and hungry.

"Friend, we were just joking around."

"Shut it, I'll deal with you later. I don't like you joking around with my household staff. With people who belong to me."

I laugh. "I don't belong to anyone."

"I'm your boss."

"Are you? Well, tell someone who cares." He grabs my arm in fury. "Let go, or I'll sue you for harassment and labor abuse," I bark.

Nobody can touch me without my consent, not even him. Dad always taught me to protect my body and my mind.

"Try it, you won't make it alive anywhere."

"Save your threats for the soldiers of La Cosa Nostra, you'll probably have better luck with them," I say, breaking free from his grip and smiling maliciously. "It’s been a pleasure, Dante. Call me if you ever find a child."

"I will," he responds humorously, looking at his friend.

"What the..." the boss starts to growl, but I walk away before he can finish what he wanted to say.

I've had more than enough fun for one day. I have to get back to work.

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