The Beast's Nanny (The Nannies)

For an hour, he’d held her body.

Her death had been violent, but those last few moments, he’d been there for her, not that it had been any consolation. It hadn’t. She’d still died and he’d fucked up.

He picked up his cell phone and got through to his team.

“I’ve got another one,” he said and hung up. His team would know what he meant and within ten minutes, someone would be here to take this note and to investigate it.

The man who’d impregnated his sister had been beheaded. He would know that bastard on sight. His name was Frank and he’d somehow wooed his sister. They’d never married, but he’d been the one to get her pregnant and leave her to pick up the pieces. His sister had begged him not to hurt him. That she wanted to have this baby so much.

James was a true gift. So kind, and now that he had to take care of him, he’d have no choice but to turn that kindness into cruelty. He had way too many enemies.

When the paperwork was taken from his office, he made his way around the house, trying to find Grace and James.

The last couple of weeks, he’d been dealing with his own personal demons, and he hadn’t been able to spend enough time with them.

After looking in the games room, the library, James’s bedroom, even Grace’s, he went to the swimming pool and gym. Nothing.

Finally, he conceded and called the surveillance room. He didn’t know why he didn’t think of it first. Grace would take James to the kitchen.

Making his way to the room, he stopped in the doorway.

Grace’s long brown hair was pinned up on top of her hair, and she had this smile on her lips that twisted his gut. It was so sweet as she tilted her head back and laughed at whatever James had said. She released a chuckle, kissing his cheek.

They were both in aprons, and it looked like they were making cookies.

Flour covered her cheek, and he wanted to go in and wipe it off. For a few minutes, he allowed himself the pleasure of watching them.

A family.

Grace and James looked like a family. His sister would have loved her. She’d been sweet and kind, but she’d also known how to stand up for herself. She could curse like the rest of them.

“What would you like to make after these?” Grace asked.

“Chocolate chip.”

“Oh, I love chocolate chip. How about we do double chocolate?” she asked.

James nodded.

Grace grabbed the two baking trays and placed them in the oven, spinning to James. “Quickly, set the timer. We need seven minutes, then we spin them around for another five.”

“Seven,” James said.

“You’re such a natural. You could be a real chef.”

James giggled. “My mommy loved books.”

Caleb paused. James hadn’t spoken about his mother to him.

“She did? Well, I love books as well. I’m always reading. It’s so much fun.”

“I miss my mommy,” he said.

Grace went to him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. “I bet she misses you too.”

Caleb couldn’t allow this to happen. He stepped into the kitchen. “I hear you’re needing a new sous chef,” he said, removing his jacket.

Grace’s eyes went wide as he began to roll up his sleeves.

“Uncle Caleb, can I draw on your arms?” James asked.

He chuckled. “Not tonight, buddy. We’ve got some cooking to do. I happen to love chocolate.” He slapped his hands together. “Where do you want me, Chef?”

Her gaze was on his ink and he smirked. So she wasn’t as immune to him as she liked to think.

She suddenly snapped out of it. “Right, yes, baking and cooking. Of course. So, we’ve got lots to do. Let me see how many chocolate chips we’ve got.” She turned on her heel and left the room, heading into the pantry.

James was smooshing flour around the counter.

“I’ll go and help her, champ,” he said.

He didn’t wait for James’s response. Heading into the pantry, he watched her as she stared at one of the shelves, clearly a little distressed.

“I believe these are what you’re wanting,” he said, reaching across her and grabbing the right bag of chocolate chips.

“Yes, right, right.” She grabbed the milk chocolate as he did the dark.

“You know, I love chocolate as well.”

“Me too.” She turned to him with a smile.

“Yeah, but what I’d like is drizzle it on you and lick it right off with my tongue.” He left the pantry, putting the chocolate chips onto the counter, smiling. “Got the chips, buddy.”

“Grace, what do we do?” James asked.

She came out of the pantry, red-faced but with a smile. “Well, we’re going to start by creaming butter and sugar together. Can you do that?”

The timer went off as James nodded his head. He watched Grace, laughing as her hand seemed to shake.

The cookies smelled really good.