The nanny

7. Tails of a salamander's love

He wants to hear my plan?

I swallowed, looking down at my hands. I could be polite and respectful, especially of miss. Peterson, or I could be bold and tell him what I actually thought. I was scared of how he would react, because a small part for me still stupidly wanted this attractive man to like me, but if I wasn't going to hold my ground where Aurora was concerned now, I was never going to. And I had to, she needed it.

Aurora had to see me and miss. Peterson as different, I wouldn't be able to accomplish that with the way our dynamic was now.

I started my request simple, so I could build it up to the point. "Well, what I would need first is the benefit of the doubt from you, that my disobedience so far has been with purpose."

I also needed him to like me, eventually. Part of me knew that what Aurora needed most was a parent she could depend on and the only way to get through to him, was if he trusted me. I needed a lot of leeway from this man to tell him exactly what I thought of his shitty parenting, or lack there of. But that was a problem for another day and more of an undercover mission, though I already feared how that would go. I didn't like him much so far, despite him being quite understanding currently. I reminded myself of the heartless man he had to be to leave his baby to fend for herself, because his current disposition towards me was swaying me.

"So that means no matter how I respond to your request you won't stop doing what you've been doing?" He cut in, giving me a curious glance. I was shook back to the present.

"Well, if I'm going to do things my way I can't do them miss Peterson's way, so yes."

"Good." He smiled.

When he didn't say anything more, I cleared my throat and continued. "Which brings me to my main point." I sucked in a breath, I wasn't necessarily ready for him to start laughing at me for making a possibly idiotic request, I mean, who would be? "It would help a lot if I was the one who got the last say in all matters concerning Aurora."

He stayed quiet for a moment, thinking. I couldn't help but wonder what was going on in his head, I was curious and not just because he was pondering my question. "You're asking me to cut miss. Peterson out where Aurora's concerned."

I winced a little, it sounded so harsh when he said it, but it needed to happen. "Yes." Besides, I'd already said it, no point in beating around the bush now.

A few more seconds of silence, then one of the corners of his mouth curled up. "Alright, but on one condition."

More shocked than I thought I would be, I blurted: "really?"

A chuckle escaped him, breaking the serious facade for just a second. "You're surprised I'm granting the request you made?"

I also let out something akin to a laugh at that question. "Well yes, kind of. I figured you'd want to protect miss. Peterson's current position. She seems treasured here." Judging only from how many tasks she had, not the way people spoke of her. She did her job well anywhere Aurora wasn't concerned, really well in fact.

He nodded. "She is, however," his brows furrowed together, "as I've just told you, you're nanny number 22. I'm open to new ideas and yours is the best I've heard in a while." He emphasised the last word, a bit of fatigue creeping into his tone. It was obvious that even if he didn't show it in many actions, he did care about the situation of his daughter. I believed actions mattered more than thoughts though, so the display of emotions did little for me. He was still a prick, as far as I was concerned. "Besides," he fixed me with a look, it was strange how after slowly getting comfortable in the conversation we were having, I now instantly felt small under his gaze, "I trust your competence."