Nanny for the Cowboy (Off-Limits Bosses #1)

1. Clover

ONE

Clover

“This is entirely your fault. You completely derailed my original idea!”

Kyle’s voice echoes through the street outside the office as he screams at me. I flinch back slightly, praying that he calms down and I don’t have to call security on my own business partner.

“Kyle, this was a misunderstanding. I wasn’t trying to sabotage you or anything like that.”

I hold out my hands like I’m trying to appease a wild animal.

“It was a risky proposition for McCormick to begin with. We knew that going in. Not to mention that you didn’t even take my advice. You did the opposite, even though I warned you not to.”

As much as I don’t want Kyle to fly any more off the handle, I’m not taking the blame for his shitty decision. Jabbing his finger at me, I have to actually back up so that Kyle doesn’t poke me in the chest.

“That’s bullshit! You cost us— me —this client! The bulk of our revenue!” The growl in Kyle’s tone is completely unlike anything I’ve heard before, and my heart pounds in my chest. “My wife, Clover! You cost me my fucking wife!”

I shake my head. “What? What are you talking about?”

“Yeah, because it couldn’t get any worse, right? Barbara left me! That’s on you!”

“Barbara left? I…Kyle, I’m sorry, but you can’t possibly think that’s my fault.”

I can sense people watching the screaming match as they pass by on the sidewalk outside the building, curious gazes lingering on us.

“I won’t be collateral damage, Kyle!” He starts pacing in front of me. “I won’t go down into financial oblivion with you!”

Abruptly, the man who once begged me to be a part of his company faces me with a sneer plastered over his face. His brown eyes flare wide, almost…crazed.

“If you don’t fucking fix this,” Kyle points at me again, right up in my face, “I’m going to make your life a living hell. After what you did, you fucking owe me, Clover.”

“Excuse me,” someone on the street interrupts, “are you two alright?”

Kyle turns his wrath on the dark-haired woman, his finger now in her face. “This is none of your fucking business, bitch.”

He’s not paying attention, and I don’t know why, but the instinct to run the hell out of there hits me hard. I seize the opportunity and run around the corner.

My car is parked in the garage behind the building, and I fucking sprint to the thing, not giving a shit if it snaps the heels on my only pair of Louboutin shoes.

I trusted him. I…what the hell is happening?

Pressing the button on my keys repeatedly, I use the chirp coming from my car to find it and practically leap inside when I see the little Kia.

My heart is still screaming in my ears, and the panic crawling up my spine is enough to nauseate me. I’ve never seen Kyle act like that, and frightening is sugar-coating it.

Turning over the ignition, I grip the steering wheel and get the hell out of there as quickly as I can. I just want to be back in my apartment.

For two years, Kyle has been my business partner, and now he’s threatened me because of a sour exchange with a client.

One he is guilty of at that.

It’s clear Kyle is blaming me for his misfortune, but why? He’s never been so unhinged before.

“Just get back home. He’s just upset. It’ll be fine.”

There’s not a fiber in my being that believes what I just said. That was not fine . And the one thing I know to be true about Kyle, above all else, is that he’s ruthless about getting what he wants.

But what the hell am I supposed to do? Do I really think that Kyle’s going to come after me? Over some unfortunate business with a client?

I don’t want to believe it. I want to believe that Kyle is the same man that I looked up to when I was still pretty new in this industry.

But I can’t.

There was something so visceral about what just happened that I’m not about to fool myself into thinking it’ll all magically work out.

“You haven’t come to visit me, Clover, and you need a break. A little time in the country will do you good.”

My father’s voice pops into my mind. He’s always begging me to visit Red Lodge, to get away from the city for a while.

And shit, now seems like a damn good time to take him up on that offer.

I shake my head. “You have a job, Clover. You can’t just up and leave.”

It’s the same thing I always tell myself, but now it feels different. Kyle feels different. It feels paranoid, but I don’t think…I don’t think I’m safe.

Sighing, I pull up to a stop light, alone in the car with my churning thoughts. He’s never looked at me like that, and there was genuine rage there.

And I’m not sure how far he’s going to take it.

You don’t feel safe.

The thought rings over and over again in my head. I don’t. I can’t deny it. As silly as it might be to anyone else, I really do think I need to leave.

The light turns green as I nod to myself. “He’s unhinged. I need…I need to protect myself.”

“Dad. Dad! Okay. I hear you. I mean, come on. That’s why I called.”

I can hear him take a steadying breath on the other end of the line. All things considered, he’s taking the Kyle thing pretty damn well.

He’s only threatened to end the guy twice.

“I’m worried, Clover. I want you to trust your instincts. I want you to come out here.”

Slumping onto my tiny couch, I nearly knock over my tea. My nerves have made me clumsy, and I can’t even think about sleeping.

“I know you are. And I’m…yeah, I’m really fucking scared, actually. This just feels so dumb. It’s like a Lifetime movie or something.”

I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose as I turn off the TV with my free hand. My studio apartment is so very quiet now, and I listen to the silence as my world crumbles around me.

“What am I supposed to do? Let him ruin my career by driving me away?”

“Honey, he can’t ruin anything if you give your report to the police. And I’d rather have you safe and sound when you do it. Your life is the most important thing.”

I’m off the couch in seconds, pushing up so fast that I hit the coffee table with my knee and push it several inches back. Now, I’m the one pacing, my socks shuffling over the cold hardwood floor.

“My career is my life, Dad. I’ve worked day and night to get my clients, to grow this business from near bankruptcy.”

“Then how about something temporary?” His words make me pause, staring out the window at the New York City skyline. “You come out here and figure out what your next steps are going to be somewhere safe. I’ll make sure you have a roof over your head. Hell, I can even get you a job.”

I scoff. “A job? Oh yeah, like what?”

“A nanny.”

The world screeches to a halt. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“My buddy is a single dad, and he’s just injured himself. He needs help watching his son. He’s got a ranch, so you’ll have to work hard while you’re here. But you’ve never been one to shy away from a bit of hard work, have you?”

My mouth is hanging open, and I shake my head again. “I have no experience as a nanny.”

“You babysat all the time when you were younger, and you like kids.” There’s a pregnant pause, and my nerves spike, already guessing where my dad is going with this. “Your mother always wanted us to get away from the city. Now that it’s just me…I know she’d want you to see this place.”

And cue the guilt trip. Ugh, Christ.

“Dad, that’s…ugh, you know what? I’m too tired to deal with this right now.” I shake my head, overwhelmed and on edge and missing my mother more than ever. “I’ll think about it.”

“Clover, I?—”

“I promise, Dad. I’ll think about it, sleep on it if you will. But I…I just have to lay down. Today has been a fucking nightmare.”

There’s a slight chuckle from the other end. “New York has certainly rubbed off on you. Alright, sweetie. Get some rest. I’ll call to check on you in the morning.”

“Love you.”

“I love you, too, honey.”

Hanging up, I toss my cell onto the couch. I’m not sure how much actual sleep I’ll be doing, but I’m not ready to jump into being a goddamn nanny because Kyle is being a jerk.

I push my fingers beneath my glasses, thankful that I at least remembered not to sleep in my contacts, and rub my eyes. This is all way too much for a single person to deal with.

Knock, knock, knock.

Swiveling in that direction, I eye the door like it might attack me. It’s locked, and I have the alarm system armed, so in theory, I’m safe.

Don’t do it. Don’t answer.

But I’m apparently a bigger idiot than I give myself credit for because I’m walking over to the door and reaching for the knob. At least I had the wherewithal to grab my phone.

“Hello?”

There’s no response as I call out, so I peer through the peephole. There’s no one there.

I take a moment to disarm the system on my phone and then unlock the deadbolt. My heart is in my throat as I slowly inch open the door.

Still, I can’t see anything, and when I dare to pop my head out and eye the hallway, no one is there to grab me or something far worse.

I’m alone.

Tension recedes slightly from my muscles, and then something crumples beneath my foot. I look down to discover a folded-up piece of paper lying on the carpet.

Reaching down, I snag it quickly and dart back inside my apartment. The door is locked again, and the alarm is armed. I’m safe inside my home, but damn, it doesn’t feel that way.

I know Kyle is pissed, and I have to imagine that it was him, but I can’t bring myself to truly believe it.

Why take things this far? I know that he had a lot of bad luck after the failed client meeting, but…

That’s all the reason he needs, Clover. Losing your wife is a hell of a motivator.

I look down at the letter—just a folded piece of paper—in my grip. It’s so innocent. It could just be a quick note. Still, I know it’s not.

Before I can gather the courage to look at what’s on the paper, I have to force myself to take several deep breaths. There’s a solid part of me that wants to throw the thing away, but I know I can’t do that.

I need to see what it says. I need to have it in case…

Don’t go down that road. Not yet.

My hands shake as I unfold it. The top third reveals nothing, and the anticipation burns in my guts. When I peel open the bottom, a single line is scrawled across the white printer paper.

You can run, but you can’t hide.