Lucas

“Who the hell is Eliana?” I shout into the intercom to my secretary when I scan my day’s agenda. I just have a note in my diary: Meeting with Eliana, 10 a.m., with a goddamn smiley face next to it.

If I could get help—any help—in this office, I would be a fucking trillionaire, rather than a billionaire.

“I am,” a feminine voice says, making me look up.

Shit.

At first glance, the woman looks like a typical all-American college student, dressed in a baggy Notre Dame sweatshirt and a pair of old jeans. Nothing special, until my gaze lands on her face.

She’s gorgeous. Not the typical runway-model, I-only-eat-salad-with-no-dressing look like my ex-wife, but the striking beauty of a woman confident in herself, and her curves. Lush, bee-stung lips that practically beg to be wrapped around my cock. Large, doe-like eyes that could have any man melting in a pool of romantic mush with a single look.

Thank God, I’m not any man. I’m Lucas fucking Philip. Cold-hearted son-of-a-bitch whose emotions are locked behind a steel cage.

The woman fidgets as she moves across the large room towards me.

My cock says, Hello Eliana.

But my mouth says, “What do you want?”

She doesn’t flinch like most people would. Instead, she says calmly, “Your assistant said you’re free to talk.”

I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes because I don’t have the time or patience for whatever my secretary said. I’ve fired the woman three times, but HR keeps insisting that it’s unlawful dismissal.

Bullshit.

She’s useless. How is that unlawful?

I’m pretty sure my father put something in her contract that makes it impossible to get rid of her – he's the one who hired her. For what reason, I have no idea. Sometimes, I get paranoid and think that she's some kind of spy for him. Even though he’s semi-retired, the man is constantly in my business, never fully trusting me, despite the billions I’ve made this company.

But it’s never enough.

Not for him. And not for me.

This is where I thrive. Work. Making money.

Business is what I know. And I’m fucking good at it. Better than good. I’m the best at what I do.

It’s people that I have a problem with. Either they’re spineless cowards with no independent thoughts of their own, or they’re backstabbing cheaters who are willing to throw away six years of marriage and the love of a five-year-old girl, all for a meaningless fling with the pool boy.

My stomach twists when I think about my ex-wife. It’s been over a year since she left, but it’s still a fresh wound to my ego. Just now, instead of pain, all I feel is anger and bitterness.

And that’s what I project when I growl out, “Don’t just stand there. Tell me what you’re here for, so I can get back to work.”

Dark eyes narrow on me and her lips purse slightly before she says, “I came to talk about Lily.”

Shit. She must be the new help. The woman my mom hired on my behalf when the last nanny walked out. My cock hardens almost painfully when I think about the beauty standing in front of me sleeping under my roof for the past three weeks.

How the hell had I not seen her before now? Guilt creeps into my chest. I know how. Because I work too damn much.

Has it really been that long since I’d seen my daughter?

Fuck. I’m not getting any father of the year awards, that’s certain.

“And?” I ask, dragging my fingers through my hair and breathing out a deep sigh.

“Well, I’ve been working with her for almost a month, and you and I have never met.”

I raise an eyebrow in expectation for some better excuse for her interrupting my day.

“And?” I repeat.

For the first time since she entered my office, I see a trace of hesitation. She shifts her weight from one foot to the other and says, “I thought it would be good for us to meet.”

I’m not sure why she thinks it’s so important. I have no doubt she’ll be gone by the end of the month –– or sooner. One month seems to be the breaking point of the previous nannies I’ve brought in to take care of Lily.

My daughter didn’t just inherit my good looks, she also got my cunning ability to manipulate and control. She’s driven the previous hires away through brilliant little tactics that would wear down even the most patient of saints. As much as I hate to admit it, I have to admire the kid’s gusto. And, in all honesty, it’s my opinion that if you can’t outwit a six-year-old, then you should probably find a new line of work.

Eliana is watching me expectantly. Her tongue darts out across her lower lip, and I have to suppress the dirty thoughts that pop into my head when I think about what I want that mouth doing to me right now.

She’s my daughter’s nanny. Completely off-limits.

“We’ve met,” I say stoically, hardening my gaze and my thoughts. “Anything else?”

“I wanted to talk about Lily. I’ve noticed that she’s been…struggling, and I thought–”

“I appreciate your concern. Now, if you don’t mind, I have work to do.” The last thing I need is some stranger to come in here, telling me what she thinks is wrong with my daughter. I know exactly what’s wrong. Her mother left her, and her father is a selfish bastard who has no idea how to raise a six-year-old girl on his own.

Unfazed by my dismissal, Eliana continues. “I’m taking Lily to the zoo tomorrow.”

“Fine,” I mumble, keeping my gaze down and shuffling through the files in front of me.

“I thought you could come with us.”

I grunt and look up at her. “Why?”

“It would be good for Lily. It's a school trip. There was an option for the parents to go.” She licks her lips, and adds, “And I put your name down.”

My gaze jerks to hers. “You shouldn’t have done that. I have work to do. Important work–”

“More important than spending time with your daughter?”

Who the hell does this woman think she is?

If I say no, I’m an asshole for not going, and if I say yes, I’m just an asshole.

I may have met my daughter’s match for manipulative behavior.

“Since you asked, yes, I have a meeting with the mayor in the morning and multiple meetings in the afternoon.”

And, as if right on cue, the useless secretary that I’ve been trying to get rid of walks in and blurts out, “Actually, the mayor cancelled that meeting, and I booked you out for the rest of day, so you can go.” She places a coffee on my desk, then turns to leave, just as fast as she walked in, saying, “You could do with a break. We all could.”

“Sara, get back here,” I holler. But, as usual, the woman ignores me and disappears down the hall.

Fucking hell.

She booked me out so I wouldn’t come to the office. And she calls herself a secretary? Right. Another thing to go to HR about.

Eliana is smiling at me, and there’s triumph glistening in her dark eyes. “Looks like you’re free.”

“Looks like it,” I grumble.

“Great. Lily is going to be ecstatic. We can take the car, or we can go on the school bus with the rest of the class.”

“Hell no.”

She laughs, a light, playful sound that has my balls tightening. “I didn’t think so. Lily said there was no way you would come at all, let alone ride the bus. At least I can prove her wrong on one of them.”

“Is there anything else, Miss…”

“Sanders,” she offers. “But you can call me Elly.”

I grunt. “Miss Sanders will do fine.”

She gives a small nod, then her expression turns serious. “She’s a good kid. Your mom said she has some behavioral issues, but honestly, I just think she needs more positive attention.”

“Are you a psychologist, Miss Sanders?”

Her cheeks turn a shade of red. “No.”

“Then I’d appreciate you keeping your opinions to yourself.”

Her nostrils flare slightly, and she opens her mouth before clamping it shut on whatever snippy little comment popped into her head, then gives a curt nod. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Philip. I’ll see you at home.”

At home.

A small groan bubbles up in my chest.

She turns to leave, and I can’t help but watch her firm, perfectly shaped ass as it leaves my office. And I’m almost tempted to follow her – home.

I shove a hand through my hair and curse the dirty thoughts that pop into my mind. It’s been too goddamn long since I’ve been with a woman. At some point, I’m going to need to move past the pain of betrayal that my ex has left me with.

But not now. Not yet. And especially not with the nanny.