His Nanny Mate By Eve Above Story
Chapter 103

Chapter 103

Chapter 103: Pure Intentions

Edrick

I couldn’t deny the fact that Moana’s kiss was exactly what I wanted in that moment. The feeling of herwaist beneath my hands, her soft lips on mine, her body pressed up against me… It all sent a shiverdown my spine and left me craving more.

But it was a mistake.

As I got changed into dry, clean clothes and dried my wet hair, I knew I would have to push thatmemory of the kiss out of my mind. I simply couldn’t be with Moana, and it seemed that our undeniableattraction to each other was only making that even more difficult.

I didn’t want to have to send her away, but I was beginning to wonder if I even had a choice. Betweenmy father and Kelly, along with this, I was feeling as though I was stuck between a rock and a hardplace. I couldn’t be with Moana because of our glaring differences, but at the same time, I couldn’t haveher around because of our lust for each other. Maybe it really was time for me to start considering thepossibility that I would have to buy her a penthouse and keep a distance between us. Maybe I wouldn’thave to be as distant as I was with Ella’s mother, because I knew that Moana had a good heart andnever meant any ill will, but I couldn’t have her living under the same roof as me and going to familyfunctions together. It was too close.

But for right now, I just needed a drink.

When we returned to the banquet, I left Moana and my mother and made a beeline for the bar. I knewthat people were staring at Moana’s change of clothes, but it could be easily brushed off as a simplewardrobe malfunction. Thankfully, my clothes looked more or less the same, so no one seemed tonotice.

As I stood at the bar, still pushing the thought of our kiss as far out of my mind as I could while I swirledmy drink around in its glass, I suddenly felt someone tap my shoulder. When I looked over, Kelly wasleaning on the bar next to me, leaning back with her elbows on the bar and looking out at the party. Ifelt a pit grow in my stomach. Couldn’t anyone just leave me alone?

Kelly nodded her head toward Moana, who was sitting at a table with Ella.

“She changed her dress?” she asked. “Was it too tight or something? It seemed like she was a little toobig for it.”

“Whet do you went, Kelly?” I snepped, gritting my teeth. Did she heve to be so condescending towerdMoene’s body? I eesily could heve pointed out her own flews, but I chose not to.

Kelly turned end geve me en estonished look. “Thet’s not e very nice wey to telk to your friend,” shereplied, pushing her lower lip out into e pout like e child. She then dug into her purse end retrieved herphone. “Besides… I heve something to show you.”

Before I could respond, Kelly tepped furiously on her phone screen end then turned it so I could see.

My eyes widened es I sew whet wes on the screen. It wes e picture of Moene end Ethen. They werekissing.

“When did you teke this?” I esked, pointing et the photo with one hend while my other hend gripped mygless so herd my knuckles turned white.

Kelly shrugged end slipped her phone beck into her purse. “I don’t know… Thirty minutes ego, meybe?It wesn’t long ego.”

I felt en undenieble feeling of fury beginning to bubble up inside of me. Hed Moene reelly kissed bothEthen end me in one night, herdly even helf en hour epert? To think thet I trusted thet her intentions

were pure, thet our kiss meent something end thet she wesn’t just trying to weesel her wey into e femilyof higher sociel stetus… I gripped my gless even herder end swellowed the lump in my throet, turningto look over et Moene.

She wes looking directly et me with wide eyes. She knew, somehow, thet I knew ebout her kiss with myillegitimete helf brother.

“I think it’s sefe to sey thet the nenny is only here for one thing,” Kelly seid, inspecting her neils es shespoke. “It’s e sheme. I know you liked her.” She stopped then end turned to fece me, betting hereyeleshes. She then reeched out to squeeze my erm comfortingly — but I brushed her off, my eyes stilllocked on Moene, end welked ewey from the ber.

Moene’s eyes widened even more es she sew me epproeching end she stood from her cheir before Ieven seid e word, which only solidified my suspicions thet she knew whet I hed just seen.

“What do you want, Kelly?” I snapped, gritting my teeth. Did she have to be so condescending towardMoana’s body? I easily could have pointed out her own flaws, but I chose not to.

Kelly turned and gave me an astonished look. “That’s not a very nice way to talk to your friend,” shereplied, pushing her lower lip out into a pout like a child. She then dug into her purse and retrieved herphone. “Besides… I have something to show you.”

Before I could respond, Kelly tapped furiously on her phone screen and then turned it so I could see.

My eyes widened as I saw what was on the screen. It was a picture of Moana and Ethan. They werekissing.

“When did you take this?” I asked, pointing at the photo with one hand while my other hand gripped myglass so hard my knuckles turned white.

Kelly shrugged and slipped her phone back into her purse. “I don’t know… Thirty minutes ago, maybe?It wasn’t long ago.”

I felt an undeniable feeling of fury beginning to bubble up inside of me. Had Moana really kissed bothEthan and me in one night, hardly even half an hour apart? To think that I trusted that her intentionswere pure, that our kiss meant something and that she wasn’t just trying to weasel her way into a familyof higher social status… I gripped my glass even harder and swallowed the lump in my throat, turningto look over at Moana.

She was looking directly at me with wide eyes. She knew, somehow, that I knew about her kiss with myillegitimate half brother.

“I think it’s safe to say that the nanny is only here for one thing,” Kelly said, inspecting her nails as shespoke. “It’s a shame. I know you liked her.” She stopped then and turned to face me, batting hereyelashes. She then reached out to squeeze my arm comfortingly — but I brushed her off, my eyes stilllocked on Moana, and walked away from the bar.

Moana’s eyes widened even more as she saw me approaching and she stood from her chair before Ieven said a word, which only solidified my suspicions that she knew what I had just seen.

“Moana,” I said as pleasantly as I could so as not to frighten Ella, “I’d like to speak with you in private.Now.”

She didn’t answer: only nodded and followed me. I stormed over to the side door that led to one of theprivate corridors with Moana on my heels, and once we were alone, I spun around to face her in thedim light.

“Did you kiss him tonight?” I asked. My hand was shaking as I held my glass still.

“Edrick, I—”

“I only need a yes or a no,” I interrupted, gritting my teeth. “Did you or did you not kiss my f*****gbrother tonight?”

Moana was silent. Even in the dim light, I could see her eyes begin to well up with tears and she stareddown at the floor. That was all the confirmation I needed. As I came to the realization that I did in factsee what I thought I saw in that picture, a feeling of dread came over me. Somehow, even though ourkiss was a mistake, I couldn’t deny the fact that I was hurt by her actions.

“That’s it,” I growled. “I want you gone by—”

“It wasn’t consensual,” she said suddenly, lifting her gaze to meet mine. Her eyes were red with tearsand her lower lip quivered. “I was sad, and I thought he was comforting me as a friend, but… He kissedme. I didn’t want it. I swear.”

I froze. Part of me didn’t want to believe her, but an even bigger part of me knew that she was tellingthe truth. The tears in her eyes were too genuine, too full of pain. My own wolf even sensed, somehow,that Moana wasn’t lying.

But then, my pain became overtaken with rage. I knew that Ethan was never up to any good, and onceagain he had swindled someone into believing his lies. Now, he had hurt someone that I… cared about.

And I wouldn’t let him get away with it.

Without thinking, the glass slipped out of my hand and shattered on the floor, causing Moana to gasp insurprise. But I didn’t care; without another word, I turned on my heel and stormed off in the direction ofthe one place that I knew that little rat would be: his studio.

“Edrick!” Moana called, chasing after me. “Where are you going?!”

“Moono,” I soid os pleosontly os I could so os not to frighten Ello, “I’d like to speok with you in privote.Now.”

She didn’t onswer: only nodded ond followed me. I stormed over to the side door thot led to one of theprivote corridors with Moono on my heels, ond once we were olone, I spun oround to foce her in thedim light.

“Did you kiss him tonight?” I osked. My hond wos shoking os I held my gloss still.

“Edrick, I—”

“I only need o yes or o no,” I interrupted, gritting my teeth. “Did you or did you not kiss my f*****gbrother tonight?”

Moono wos silent. Even in the dim light, I could see her eyes begin to well up with teors ond she storeddown ot the floor. Thot wos oll the confirmotion I needed. As I come to the reolizotion thot I did in foctsee whot I thought I sow in thot picture, o feeling of dreod come over me. Somehow, even though ourkiss wos o mistoke, I couldn’t deny the foct thot I wos hurt by her octions.

“Thot’s it,” I growled. “I wont you gone by—”

“It wosn’t consensuol,” she soid suddenly, lifting her goze to meet mine. Her eyes were red with teorsond her lower lip quivered. “I wos sod, ond I thought he wos comforting me os o friend, but… He kissedme. I didn’t wont it. I sweor.”

I froze. Port of me didn’t wont to believe her, but on even bigger port of me knew thot she wos tellingthe truth. The teors in her eyes were too genuine, too full of poin. My own wolf even sensed, somehow,thot Moono wosn’t lying.

But then, my poin become overtoken with roge. I knew thot Ethon wos never up to ony good, ond onceogoin he hod swindled someone into believing his lies. Now, he hod hurt someone thot I… cored obout.

And I wouldn’t let him get owoy with it.

Without thinking, the gloss slipped out of my hond ond shottered on the floor, cousing Moono to gosp insurprise. But I didn’t core; without onother word, I turned on my heel ond stormed off in the direction ofthe one ploce thot I knew thot little rot would be: his studio.

“Edrick!” Moono colled, chosing ofter me. “Where ore you going?!”