Chapter 130
Sarah’s POV
Ryan has a thing for gardens… I’m now convinced, he’s more freely here.
Ryan was running around the grass chasing a butterfly and actually running and laughing, and it was the most amazing sound I had ever heard.
Ever since that night, since his nightmare, something had changed between us. He still followed his schedule and was still quiet sometimes, but now, when he saw me, his face lit up.
He talked to me about the little things.
What he saw outside was what he wanted for a snack. Small words, but they were words.
“Be careful!” I called out as he almost tripped. “Don’t fall, buddy p>
“I’m flying!” he yelled back, arms out like an airplane.
I laughed.
“Ryan! Wait for me p>
“Sarah! Sarah! Look p>
I watched him zoom around my heart full. This was why I stayed, and this moment right here.
“Excuse me p>
I turned to a guy who stood there around my age, maybe a little older, with dark hair, kind eyes, nice smile, wearing work clothes, like one of the groundskeepers.
And he was cute.
Really cute.
“Hi,” I said, surprised.
“Hi,” he said back, smiling. “I’m Jake. I work on the grounds. I’ve seen you around with the little guy. You’re the new nanny, right p>
“Yeah. I’m Sarah p>
“Sarah.” He said my name like he was tasting it. “That’s a pretty name for a pretty girl p>
I felt my face get hot, a blush creeping through “Oh Um…Thank you p>
He stepped closer. “I was wondering if maybe, when you have some time off, you’d want to grab coffee or something? There’s a great place in town p>
“I… I don’t know if I p>
My eyes moved just a glance to the side of the house To the balcony on the second floor.
Marcus stood there.
He was just standing, looking down at us with his face hard, cold, and his eyes were on me.
My heart dropped. It fell all the way to my stomach.
For a second, our eyes met. His eyes were unreadable, then he looked away.
Turned and walked back inside.
The contract!
Ugh!
Well fuck that.
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.
“Sarah? You okay?” Jake asked.
“Yeah… yes, I’m fine.” I shook my head, trying to focus. “I’m sorry, Jake. It’s just… my schedule is really full and complicated. I don’t think I can p>
His face fell a little, but he nodded. “Okay, maybe another time p>
“Maybe.” I smiled, but it felt fake. “I should get back to Ryan p>
“Sure. See you around, Sarah p>
He walked away. I watched him go for a second, then turned back to Ryan, but the moment was ruined.
My heart was still pounding from seeing Marcus, from that look.
What did he care anyway? He hated me. He thought I was a criminal. Why did it matter if some guy talked to me?
The contract!
Okay…I hate my conscience too.
I shook it off and played with Ryan for another hour. By the time we went inside, I had almost forgotten about it.
Almost.
I was carrying Ryan’s lunch up to his room. He was in the playroom, but he liked to eat in his room sometimes.
I was walking down the hallway, the tray in my hands, when a door opened.
Marcus’s door.
A woman walked out.
She was wearing only a T-shirt, his T-shirt too big for her. Her hair was messy, all tangled, and her face was flushed, looking like she had just p>
I stopped walking.
My brain froze.
She saw me, and her eyes narrowed. She looked me up and down like I was something on the bottom of her shoe.
“Who are you?” she demanded.
I swallowed. “I’m… I’m Ryan’s nanny p>
Her lip curled. “Nanny. So you’re the help p>
“Yes p>
She stepped closer, looking at me with pure disgust. “Where did Marcus’ baby get you from? You look like you can’t even afford a three square meal… and what the hell are you doing here? Don’t you have somewhere to be? Some floor to scrub p>
I didn’t say anything. What could I say?
She laughed a mean little sound. “Pathetic p>
She pushed past me harder, her shoulder slamming into mine. The tray flew out of my hands, causing the plate to crash to the floor The food was scattered everywhere.
Broken ceramic pieces are all over the marble.
I stared at the mess.
“What’s going on here p>
Marcus’s voice dropped from behind me.
I turned he stood in his doorway, wearing a robe now. His eyes moved from me to the woman to the mess on the floor.
The woman’s face changed instantly, tears appeared out of nowhere, and her lip trembled. She ran to him, throwing herself against his chest.
“Marcus!” she cried. “That disgusting maid! She called me whore and a gold digger just cause she saw me walk out of your room p>
I stared at her, my mouth open in shock.
Marcus looked at me, his eyes were hard and questioning.
“Is that true?” he asked.
I didn’t answer, I couldn’t. What was the point?
He wouldn’t believe me anyway.
He never did.
Instead, I knelt down on the floor and started picking up the broken pieces of the plate.
Carefully and slowly.
One by one.
My hand touched a sharp piece, and a pain shot through my finger. I pulled back and saw blood.
A cut is small but deep.
I winced, sucking in a breath.
Then suddenly he was there.
Marcus knelt down beside me, his hand grabbed my wrist gently this time. He turned my hand over and looked at the cut.
“Are you always stupid?” he said quietly.
“I’m fine.” I tried to pull away he didn’t let go.
“Let me see p>
“It’s fine, go console your whore. She needs you p>
The words came out before I could stop them.
Cold.
Bitter.
I got up and walked away to my room with blood dripping from my finger, tears burning my eyes.
This was my life now.
A nanny, being treated like dirt by women who warmed his bed, and being looked at as if I was nothing.
I got to my room and closed the door, leaning against it…Sliding down to the floor.
Why did I care? Why did it matter that he had some woman in his room? He wasn’t mine. He would never be mine. We were just two people trapped in a contract.
Fuck you, Marcus Specter.