My mouth is dry. I rub my hands together, wrestling inwardly with my demons. “It wasn’t that simple. Neither of us wanted to talk about it.”
“You didn’t want to talk about it. That girl needed her father,” Paige says.
I give her credit for standing up to me and saying what no one else had the courage to a year ago, to my face.
“She still needs her father,” I say. “And I’m here.”
Paige folds her arms across her chest and emits a heavy sigh. Her lips are pressed together.
Does she not believe me?
“I’m trying. Having my wife murdered, and the nanny slaughtered possibly in front of Nova isn’t exactly in the ‘how to be a dad’ handbook,” I mock.
She stands. Her brow is furrowed. Paige steps closer, coming face-to-face with her. “You forgot to mention your previous nanny was murdered.”
I cringe.
Shit.
There I go, slipping up again.
“It wasn’t a hot selling point for the job,” I say.
Paige must realize that I couldn’t put that in the job listing or talk about it. I hadn’t intended for her to discover her employer was the mafia. That wasn’t a conversation to be had during a job interview.
“I get that, but you have a duty to be honest with me.” She doesn’t back down.
I shake my head and take a tentative step back. I need to turn this whole thing around and gain control again. I don’t like that she has my wheels spinning and my heart racing.
“No.”
“No?” she asks. “You’re not going to be honest with me? Then, I quit!”
Her boldness has me taken aback for a brief second.
“You can’t quit. You signed a contract, Paige, and in case you forgot, you aren’t to be released from your contract without it being either in agreement, my decision, or until a replacement is hired.”
“Fine, then hire a replacement!” She throws her arms up into the air, exasperated.
That’s not going to happen.
I don’t want anyone else with my daughter.
“No. Nova is finally opening up, talking, and you want to abandon her?” I turn the tables on Paige.
Her shoulders slump. Defeated. “That’s not fair.”
“No, it’s not fair to Nova. She looks up to you. Dare I say the kid loves you.”
Paige licks her lips and takes a step away from me. “I won’t work for a liar,” Paige says.
“I’ve only kept things from you to protect you.” That’s all I’ve ever wanted, her well-being.
Well, Nova and hers.
“You can’t quit, Paige. I don’t accept your resignation.”
She exhales a heavy sigh and heads back toward the mattress, slumping down on the bed. “Fine, but I want this weekend off, and I want to be allowed to leave the cabin and the premises. No guards.”
She’s not a prisoner, but letting her leave alone puts her at risk.
“I can’t do that.”