Page 74 of Promises in the Dark

He rubs his jaw, contemplating my words. “If you say so.”

“I say so.” I look off at the window beside me, watching as the waves crash against the glass.

“Well, good thing nothing is going on between you two because it looks like someone else is also a fan of your nanny,” Marco murmurs with amusement.

“What?” My head whips toward the screens. One of the servers from last night is bringing their dinner. Except, instead of dropping it off and leaving, the asshole makes small talk and laughs at his own damn jokes.

“Stronzo,” I growl, turning for the stairs. As I take them two at a time, I hear Marco laugh, which irritates me even more because he never finds anything to be funny.

I stride through the halls, my fingers clenching into fists at my sides. My heart pounds, my blood boiling over the edge.

The moment I shove the doors open, the man’s eyes land on me and widen with horror.

I take a deep breath and cross the room until I’m toe to toe with the bastard.

“Mr. Alarie, sir, I was just dropping off their dinner—”

“What did I tell everyone when I first arrived?”

He swallows hard. “That Clara and Charlotte were never to be alone in a man’s presence without you.”

“So, please explain to me…” I lean closer, looking down at him with fury in my gaze. “What the fuck are you still doing here?”

His lips open and close like a fish out of water. “I… Well, I was just… Umm.”

“Levati dal cazzo.”

Terror washes over his features, and he quickly dips his chin before scurrying out of the room.

I peer down at Charlotte, who sits on the side of the shallow pool with her feet in the water, Clara in her lap, leaning forward to splash the water.

Charlotte bites her bottom lip, fighting a smile that instantly melts the fury inside me.

Clara looks up at me with an adorable grin, as if she can sense how much of an idiota her father is. She reaches for me. “Up,” she says, her eyes pleading.

I can’t resist, so I lift my little one and tuck her wet body against my chest, the water soaking right through my shirt. I rub my nose with hers, and she giggles. “Let’s get you fed and then ready for bed.”

Charlotte quickly stands. “I can do that.”

I shake my head. “You’re going to change because I’m taking you out to dinner.”

Her plush bottom lip drops. “Dinner?”

“Yes.” A grin tugs at my lips. “Unless you don’t like food…”

The corners of her lips curve up. “I like food.”

“Good.” I push back the wet strands of hair from Clara’s temple.

“But who will watch Clara?”

I sigh as I retrieve my phone from my pocket and slide my finger across the screen. When the call connects and I hear his voice, I murmur, “Don’t make me regret this.”

“Bye, Daddy,” Caine calls out from the dock, holding Clara against his chest, both of them waving to me and Charlotte on the boat slowly departing.

“Don’t ever call me that again.” I pinch the bridge of my nose, hearing Charlotte giggle beside me.

“Oh, please, you love it,” Caine replies.