by Jacey Ward
Talk about an upgrade. It was huge, twice the size of my bedroom at home. “If you don’t like anything, feel free to redecorate.” What could I dislike? The king-sized bed? The space, the full bookcase? I glanced into the bathroom and saw an incredible bathtub begging me to soak tonight. “I want you to be comfortable since this is your new home,” he added.
I frowned remembering this wasn’t the arrangement that I thought it was going to be.
“Everything looks perfect. Thanks.” My displeasure with Father was no reason to be ungrateful.
“One last thing, then I have to get back to work. This radio is for the boy’s room.” It was blue and looked like a walkie-talkie, but there was a small screen on the top so I could see in the room. “This one is for the girls.” It was identical but pink. “This intercom here is so I can call you and if you press here,” he pointed to a black button, “you’ll be heard throughout the house. If you press here,” he said, pointing to another black button, “you’ll be talking to me directly in my office.”
That was slightly confusing, but I would do my best to remember it all. “Got it,” I said, vowing to put my best foot forward.
Chapter Four
Damien
“Are you listening?” Sofie said, clearly frustrated. “If you’re not going to pay attention, I’m leaving.”
“Fine. Go,” I said, brushing her off. My focus was off. I couldn’t get the stunning beauty on the other side of my house out of my head. What was she doing to me? I needed to know more about her. I wanted to be with her. What the hell was wrong with me? I had women falling all over me, I never chased them.
She rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to tell me twice. I could use a day off,” she said, packing her bag and walking out. “See you tomorrow.”
I didn’t respond. Instead, I powered off my computer. It was rare for me to be home for an evening. I was seldom there, preferring to take care of the Underworld in a hands-on approach. It was why I needed a nanny to begin with. The last conference had brought many issues to the forefront. There was dissent along the south border, mayhem running rampant in the east, and an elderly lesser king looking to promote his son as his replacement. Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem, but I knew his son was a bookish sort with a soft-spoken manner – the Underworld really required strong leaders, alpha types. If a rival saw weakness within a ruler, then he’d challenge him and I would have to deal with the fallout. I thought all this through as I walked, shocked to find my feet had brought me to the east wing. I stood just outside of the boys’ room vacillating. I wanted to go inside, but I didn’t want Alexis to think I didn’t trust her and I definitely didn’t want to make her uncomfortable.
I could hear her inside, she was giggling, and curiosity got the best of me as I slowly turned the knob, inching the door open just enough to see inside. Alexis had her arms up like a zombie and was limping, dragging her leg behind her like it was lame. She was barefoot in her jeans, and her jacket was off, hanging over the back of her couch. Her cotton t-shirt clung to her body, giving me a very clear picture of her curves. A shot of lust went straight through me. What the fuck? She wasn’t even wearing anything sexy. Damn, I apparently needed to get laid.
“Brain,” she moaned with a believable grimace as the boys ran to the other side of the room. “I need brains,” she said, catching up to Dante in his hiding place and knocking over his block tower. He laughed as she grabbed him, tickled him, and blew a raspberry into his neck. He was positively giddy, laughing loudly and squirming under her assault. Even when she was playing she was beautiful. I shook my head trying to remember she was here for the kids, not me. An innocent, sheltered woman like that deserved to be with a good guy, and I, by nature didn’t fit the bill.
“Mm, you taste good,” she joked.
His brother, not wanting to be left out, jumped on Alexis’ back. My muscles tensed, ready to intervene in case he was too rough, or she didn’t like it, but she went right with it, falling over and yelling, “Oh no!”
“I’ll save you, Drake,” he declared and held up finger guns, making loud explosion noises as Alexis pretended to fall.
“I’m dying,” she squealed and made a fake choking noise, then stilled on the ground.
Dante and Drake laughed like they were insane. They caught their breath shortly, and seeing she still hadn’t moved they crawled over to her, concerned.
“Lexy?” one of them asked tentatively, and looked at his brother. In such a short time, the boys had already christened her with a nickname, a sign they really liked her. Dante looked scared, his bottom lip poking out as he got ready to cry. Then Alexis jumped up and pulled both of them into a hug which started another giggle-fest.
She was perfect. I had never seen a woman take to the boys so quickly or get on the ground to play with them on their level. Even their mother, Lilith, didn’t play with them. Of course, she was a conceited, shallow, self-absorbed woman more concerned with her looks than her own children. She was one of the most beautiful women I had ever met but her callousness towards our boys had quickly turned me off.
“You look like you’re having fun,” I said, announcing myself.
The boys were disinterested, still laughing as they ran to some other toy. Alexis, on the other hand, was still on the floor, her hair, no longer down and around her shoulders, in a ponytail and her jeans already smudged from something.
“We are. Want to join us?”
I couldn’t remember the last time I had played with my sons and the idea seemed very inviting.
“I’d love to.”
She smiled widely, just as she had on the porch and my dead heart thumped a little too loudly.
“What would you like to play?”
You. But that wouldn’t be an appropriate response. Even though just looking at her made my dick start to fantasize about unethical nanny scenarios…
“Your choice,” I said out loud.
She thought for a moment. “Okay, on the count of three, I’m coming to get you,” Alexis announced loudly, causing the boys to take off like roaches in the light, squealing with delight and fear. She counted loudly, looking at me with a silent signal and on the count of three we took off, her catapulting off the floor, and me jumping into action chasing the little legs of my sons.
They ran and jumped over beds and wiggled under furniture, the grins splitting their faces. They taunted us as only four-year olds can, believing that we really were so clumsy that we couldn’t snag them as they ran through our legs. We growled and stomped, pretending that they were faster than speed demons.
Finally, simultaneously, we each snagged a wriggling body and tossed it up into the air, catching the little hellions before they landed. I blew a raspberry on Dante’s belly, making him holler with laughter. In that moment, my eyes met Alexis’ and we both paused, feeling the current of attraction run between us. She coughed slightly, being the first to turn away. Dante wiggled down, calling for more games.
Alexis snagged both boys, one in each arm and told them it was time for some lessons. “Whoever can tell me how to spell ‘hellions’ first will get a sweet surprise from me before bed.” The spirit of competition incited them, and both boys jumped down from her arms and dashed toward their schoolroom, promising that they would be the one to win. Alexis walked by me, following my boys, but I snagged her arm before she could pass. Putting my lips close to her ear, I whispered, “I can spell hellion right now and would claim that surprise for myself, angel. Maybe I will claim my prize later.” Her eyebrows raised and I saw the flare of interest in her eyes. It was good to know that she was as aware of the attraction between us as I was. I let my fingers trail along her arm as I walked away, leaving that picture in her mind. I had never had this much fun.
Chapter Five
Alexis
I wasn’t sure what to make of Damien. His reputation was twofold. On the one hand, he was a known charmer and had no trouble getting a woman in his bed or kicking her out of it. On the o
ther hand, he was feared as a terror in war. Stories of him beheading men with his bare hands and his eyes burning red with fury as he led men to battle were regularly repeated. I wasn’t sure which Devil I was going to meet. In fact, I had thought he wouldn’t be here at all. My dad had made it seem like I wouldn’t ever be seeing him. War was common, and the lesser kings were expected to join in. My father fought so often when I was a child, I mistakenly thought that Flor was my only parent, when in fact she was the housekeeper.
Damien was definitely not what I thought he would be. He was funny, interesting, dynamic, and an amazing father. Growing up, I knew of many stories about the Devil. I could remember attending a party in my father’s honor one time where I caught a glimpse of Damien in passing as the kids were shepherded to the play area. At the time, he scared me, his imposing figure and forbidding glare not what a young girl would find comforting.
Now however, I could appreciate his stunning features as a woman would. His strong chiseled jawline hinted at his fierceness, but then looking into his hypnotic gold eyes would make a woman feel light headed with the intensity of feeling found there. She had heard stories of how his eyes would blaze red during battle, and Alexis wondered if the same was true during sex. His broad shoulders and muscled abdomen made Alexis wonder how it would feel to trail her lips over the taut skin. Or maybe her tongue.
We played for a while, the whole time I worked to keep my focus on the kids, and not on the muscles in his broad back that rippled beneath his shirt as he raised one of his sons into the air.
At dinner, I thought there would be more people in attendance, but it was just the two of us, and it took everything in me to remember this wasn’t a date. He was charming. Easy to talk to and Hades, so good to look at. Tempting was the only word for it. I jumped at the offer when he asked me if I was ready to go to bed.
“Good night,” I said, walking towards the hall I remembered, but stalling as I realized my predicament. “I didn’t know I would be staying. So I didn’t pack any clothes.”
“Your father arranged for your housekeeper to pack your things. You’ll find them waiting for you in your room.”
Of course he did. He had probably laughed to himself the entire time too.
“Right. I forgot,” I said, trying to save face. “See you in the morning.”
Even though the bath was calling me, I was too tired and vowed to do it in the morning. The boys had exhausted me, and I showered quickly before digging through the handful of boxes on the side of my room. The boxes were neatly labeled. Tops. Bottoms. Undergarments. Shoes. Nightstand. Bookshelf.
Flor, our housekeeper, knew me better than my father did. It was easy to find my night clothes, and with my favorite nightgown on, I dug through my nightstand box finding my reading glasses… and my vibrator. I blushed wildly, wondering why Flor would pack that. I could see her face now.
“Every woman deserves a little pleasure.”
Since I was a virgin, I’d only had the courage to put it on my clit.
The idea to play with myself came so swiftly I didn’t have enough time to swat it away and with Damien’s sexy self on my brain, I decided one orgasm was just what I needed to keep Damien from invading my dreams that night. I carried the small nightstand box to the bed, dumping it in the empty drawer and lay down under the blankets to keep the buzzing noise from traveling too far.
I pressed it gently against the bundle of nerves between my legs, immediately conjuring a picture of Damien’s mouth on my body.
I took a deep breath and spread my legs. I had been told that sex was amazing, that it felt like an explosion in your core, and every romance book I read made me wish I didn’t have to pretend. My fingers swirled in my wetness and pushed against the delicate barrier inside of me before pressing the round rubber head against my wetness and bobbing it up and down in between my legs. My hips moved on their own, lurching against the air, trying for something I wanted but had never had. The vibrator’s hum slowed, instead of its loud, firm force in between my legs it quieted to a soft pad and then nothing.
Shit.
It was dead.
I groaned in disappointment, I was so close to my peak. I continued to rub it against my clit with one hand, the other hand searching through the air, patting my nightstand, searching blindly for the batteries that were in my own nightstand. Surely Flor wouldn’t have sent the toy without the batteries, I hoped fervently. Slapping almost desperately at the nightstand to find what I needed to push myself over the edge, I was ready to cry out in anguish, how could the fates be so cruel?
Then, realizing that I didn’t need the vibration, I was already so close really, I just needed something a little more, and the thought of Damien’s dominant will was it. Even though it was inappropriate, the thought of him had already carried me nearly to completion. I just needed a little push.
I had heard rumors he was a veritable god in bed. He was the Devil, after all. I imagined him in the lead of the last smut book I had read, holding my hands over my head, as he pushed within my body. I moaned softly. In my fantasy, he whispered dirty words of encouragement in my ear, as his body pistoned within mine, and his free hand played with my clit.
My hips moved on their own, tilting the vibrator just enough to massage my clit without penetrating my entrance. Oh god, I wanted something inside me. I wanted him to touch me again, to feel that electricity in my pussy that I had felt in my fingers when we touched. I wanted him to make me come.
I imagined his deep voice in my ear, telling me to come hard. And I was a good girl. I wasn’t going to disobey my Supreme Ruler.
“Oh, god,” I moaned as my fingers pinched my clit sharply. My core gripped tightly as the orgasm ripped through me.
“Yes,” I panted. “Yes! Damien,” I moaned and came, harder than I ever had against the synthetic toy.
“Did you need something, Alexis?”
I jumped, grabbing my chest at hearing Damien’s voice in my room. I looked around trying to see where he was and when he had come into my room.
“Alexis?” he said again, and I realized it was coming from the intercom.
Oh. My. God.
Fuck. Had I grab the intercom by accident? Had he heard me come? And oh my god, had he heard me say his name? My heart raced as my shaking hand pushed the button I thought was correct, “Y–yes?”
“I heard you call my name.”
Double fuck.
I blushed right down to my toes. Please Hades, tell me he hadn’t heard the entire thing.
“Did you get what you need?” he asked, with a small smirk in his voice.
“Y–yes. I’m fine. Thank you.”
“Good night then,” he said, sounding amused.
Mortified I mumbled, “Good night.”
Chapter Six
Damien
“Take a day off! Why are you such a Grinch?” Sofie accused.
I hadn’t been right since I heard Alexis come with my name on her lips. It was on a feedback loop, and my dick was determined to stay hard until it was in her.
“I just got word the south uprising is getting out of hand. I need to gather the kings and shut it down.”
“Well, that doesn’t make sense. You usually perk up at the chance to fight. What’s gotten into you?”
It was more along the lines of what I hadn’t gotten into. Three days. That’s how long I’d been hard.
“You’ve been holed up in here, doing nothing but paperwork. That isn’t like you at all,” Sophie commented. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, Sofe. Just leave me to think. I need to get a battle plan in order.”
She set her iPad down and walked around my desk. I pushed my chair back and turned to face her. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and pulled my head against her chest. “You know that I already know. You just need to be honest with yourself.”
I sighed aloud like a child but said, “It’s the girl.”
“Uh-huh. Tell me more.”
“There
’s something about her. I don’t know what it is, but I feel like I have to have her.”
She leaned back to look into my eyes. “What’s stopping you from going after her?”
I didn’t want to mess up a good thing. “She’s the perfect nanny for the kids. It… would be inappropriate.”
Her eyes twinkled. “When has that ever stopped you before?”
I smirked, and she laughed, placing her hand on my chest.
A small gasp caught my ear, and I turned to see a flushed Alexis at the door.
“I–I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude. I’ll just go,” she said, closing the door before I could respond.
Shit.
“What are you waiting for?” Sofie said with her hands on her hips. “Go get her!”
I was already halfway out the door.
“Alexis!” I yelled, running through the halls looking for the back of her head, her shirt, anything to make sure I was going in the right direction.
Swinging around I caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye as she whipped around a corner and I took off running. My heart pounding as I gave chase.
When I rounded the corner, she was there with wide eyes, panting with her hands raised. “You don’t have to say anything. Really, I’m sorry. Let’s just pretend it never happened.”
“We’ve been doing a little too much pretending,” I said, taking a step forward. She countered, taking a step back. I shouldn’t have said that.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
It wasn’t my nature to hold my tongue. “I heard you touching yourself and saying my name. It was the hottest thing I’d ever wished I’d seen, Alexis.”
She blushed a pretty pink and chewed her lip instead of denying it. Good. That was progress. Now I just had to press my advantage.
“Look, I think you’re beautiful and haven’t said so because you’re my nanny.” That was one of the reasons, at least.
