Captured Nanny (The Nannies)

Why are you angry and hurt at the guy who sells women?

It was laughable.

“I cannot leave this life, and I’ve never considered changing it because I was born into it, Rain,” Wolf said.

He reached over the table and put his hand on top of hers.

Her mouth was so dry. “What?”

“You had a normal family. Loving parents. I had a human trafficker and a whore for parents. As a gift, my father had been given this woman, who could make every single man’s dreams come true with the use of her body. That is what she did, used her body to get what she wanted.”

“Oh,” Rain said. This wasn’t a fairytale.

My dad got to use her for a year. During that time, she fell pregnant with me. It was … complicated, from what I’ve been told. The man who’d given her as a gift was pissed off, but allowed the pregnancy to go through. It was part of a lifetime agreement, you see. My father had no intention of living a good life. He wanted a wealthy one, and what he could do was acquire men whatever the hell they wanted. Women were easier to come by. Like a shopping list. He found them, sold them, and worked on the next shipment. In the meantime, I was born, and I was given to him. He raised me to one day take over the family business. Which I did, only I had more vision. Doing shady deals only gets you so far. I knew I had to … adapt. So I did. On the surface, I’m Wolf Jackson, smart businessman with numerous enterprises under his name. In the shadows, I’m a monster who continues to work with men in the sale of human flesh.”

“That’s why you do it?” she asked.

“To get out of this life, Rain, it means death. I was born with a death sentence. I rather enjoy my life, so I continue to do what I do, to the best of my ability.”

“Have other people been caught in the crossfire?” she asked.

“No. You and Evelyn are the first-ever fuckup.”

She nodded her head. Figures she’d be the one to cause another trouble.

“Now, seeing as I gave you some information about me, I think it is only fair you try some wine.” He clicked his fingers before she could tell him to stop.

The waiter came with a bottle of wine, filling Wolf’s glass.

He waved his hand, and the waiter left them.

“Now, you’ve got to learn to enjoy life.” He held the glass out to her.

“I do enjoy life.” She took a sip of the wine and wrinkled her nose.

“Not to your taste?” he asked.

“No. It tastes like vinegar.”

He tutted and called the waiter over, ordering another wine.

“I don’t drink.”

“Tonight is all about making changes, Rain. I will take care of you. You know this.”

She took a deep breath as the waiter came back with a fresh glass. More wine was poured. The other glass was taken away, and Wolf held out the glass of wine to her after taking a taste himself.

“How old are you?” she asked.

“I’m forty years old.”

She took a sip of the wine, and this one made her whole face scrunch up. Wolf chuckled. The waiter came, took the glass, and left.

“Can I not have some water?” she asked.

Wolf held the filled glass out to her.

She rolled her eyes and took her own glass, having a sip.

“Do you not want to know my age?”

“You’re twenty-three years old. Twenty-four in one month’s time.”

“Oh.”

“I know a great deal about you. I’m curious, though, did you ever want to go to college?”

Rain put the water down, and she didn’t have to answer straight away as the waiter came back with another glass and another bottle of wine.

She’d never been a drinker or a partier. Whatever Wolf was trying to do, this wouldn’t end well.

“I will not make you drink this unless you refuse to answer my questions,” Wolf said.

“I … did want to go to college, but my plans changed with Daniel.”

“What would you have studied?” he asked.

She pressed her lips together, trying to think. “I don’t know, English, maybe? The law? I … life changed. When your best friend tells you that he’s dying, everything comes into a whole new perspective and everything you thought had value changes.”

“And we know that is what happened to you. Was Daniel always so selfish?”

“That’s not fair. You don’t know him.”

“Then answer me this, did you always want to have children?” he asked.

“I love Evelyn.”

“I have no doubt about that. I know the lengths you would go to protect your daughter, even putting your own life in danger for her. I’m not disputing your love for her. What I want to know is did you always want to have children?”

Rain stared down at her plate. These were not fair questions.