The Beast's Nanny (The Nannies)

Falling for him wasn’t part of the gig, but she knew if she wasn’t careful, Caleb was going to break her heart, and she didn’t know if she’d ever recover.

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Caleb stepped into the apartment of the man who’d killed his sister and hurt Grace. The man responsible was long gone and as he looked around the empty carcass, he shook his head, anger rushing through him.

His man had failed him once again when it came to capturing this asshole. Every time James asked about his mom, he felt like a complete failure. What he wanted was to find the man who dared to take him on. There was a debt of pain he owed him.

His sister didn’t deserve to be killed. Grace didn’t deserve to be shot.

Running a hand down his face, he moved toward the window. There was nothing distinguished about this house. He stood, looking down at the town, and wondered who the fuck had such a grudge against him. Not that it mattered. He hadn’t gone out of his way to make friends.

Friends brought you down. They fucked with you, betrayed you, turned their back on you. He’d learned long ago to never allow himself to get close to anyone.

He made his way toward the door, about to leave, when the sound of a cell phone ringing echoed around the apartment.

At first, he was going to leave it, but then he followed the sound.

The cell phone lay in the sink. Picking it up, he pressed accept call, and placed it against his ear.

“So, you found me,” the raspy voice said.

Caleb couldn’t recall the voice and that only served to piss him off. “What do you want?”

“You to feel pain. To suffer. To know what it’s like to lose everything you want.”

Caleb laughed. “You already took care of the only person I care about.” Pain exploded in his chest as he thought about his sister. Damn, he couldn’t bring himself to even mention her name.

It made him weak, he knew that, but he didn’t care.

“Oh, really, because I can see a really pretty brunette.”

Caleb tensed.

“She’s not your usual sort. You prefer whores who will spread their legs for anyone and everyone. This one, she’s sweet. I bet you’re going to destroy her.”

“You stay the fuck away from her.”

A chuckle. “The boy as well. I took his mother, I may as well take his life. It’ll be a lot of fun for you to walk in a room while I fucked Grace for you. Getting her nice and ready for you and slit her throat.”

Caleb tensed up, the anger turning into a rage he’d never experienced before.

“Who the fuck are you? Are you that much of a coward you’ll go to innocents rather than come to me?”

“Oh, so you think me taking from you makes me weak. All you’ve ever done, Caleb, is take. You take and take, not caring who you fuck up in the process. I’ve been watching you for a long time. I’m a patient man. I know what I want and what I have to do to take you out. Are you ready for what I can do to you?”

“Yeah, and like a fucking pussy, you’re not even coming to face me, are you? No, you’re just running and hiding like a little bitch.” Caleb spun in a circle around the apartment, but rather than linger, he made his way out of the door, going down the steps, and outside of the building.

“You think I need to face you? I can look you in the face whenever I want to.” He chuckled. “Goodbye, Caleb.”

Caleb was already in his car and across the street when the top floor of the apartment where he’d stood moments earlier exploded.

The bastard hadn’t hung up.

He heard his breathing.

It sounded like the bastard was masturbating.

“Guess again, prick. I suggest you run because I’m coming for you, whether you like it or not.”

Turning over the ignition, he tossed his cell phone to his guard, who caught it. He didn’t speak. His men knew their orders. He took men with him, but they were really there for show. The only person he did trust was himself.

Only ever himself.

Angry, pissed off, he pushed his foot on the gas and made his way home. He nearly crashed through the front door, bringing the car to an abrupt stop before he climbed out, rushing up the steps, and slamming into the house.

Caleb went straight to the kitchen, then to the library, followed by the games room.

“Where the fuck are Grace and James?” he asked, passing a guard. He tensed up, looking at the man, wondering if he’d been the one who he’d been on the phone with.

“She’s outside.”

His voice was too deep to be the man.

Without looking back, he made his way outside. Grace and James were outside in the snow. They were both wrapped up.