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I narrowed my eyes and whispered, “Don’t lie to me.”
Matrix sighed. “What do you want to do?”
“Can’t the girls and I just live here? I know it’s small, but the girls can have the bedroom. I’ll sleep on the couch. I don’t mind. It’s just until I find us a place.”
Matrix shook his head. “About that, babe. You can’t leave the compound anymore.”
Sniffing, I looked up at him. “What? Why?”
“That old bitch went to the press. The entire world knows about you. Your face is everywhere and now there are some unsavory people looking to get their hands on you.”
“Oh God,” I gasped, falling back, sitting on my ass. “Why did she do that? I’m nobody. Just the spare.”
“It’s going to be okay. The club will help.”
I shook my head. “No. I want nothing from the Golden Skulls. Especially Vicious. He hates me, Matrix. Hates me. The entire club heard him. He doesn’t want me here.”
Matrix sighed, looking about the small cabin. “Okay. Sam and I will move in here and you will take our cabin. My place has two bedrooms.”
“I can’t do that. Where will you sleep?”
“Sam and I can share a room. We’ve done it before. It’s no big deal.”
“No. I won’t do that to you or Sam.”
“The only other place is the clubhouse.”
“She will stay at the house. I will take care of Vicious.”
There was a man standing there, angry. I’d seen the man known as the club President before but never really interacted with him. I knew Remi was his wife and they had a daughter named Emma and a son called Jesse. The man was intimidating on a good day, but seeing him standing there angry, I felt a tingle of fear trickle down my spine. This was one man I didn’t want to cross.
Mustering my courage, I said, “He doesn’t want me there.”
“I may be taking a break from shit at the moment, but I am still the motherfucking President of this club. He will do what I say or he can hand me his cut and fucking leave. Now, get your ass over to his house. Trucks have arrived. The girls need your help.”
“Come on Linsey. It’s going to be all right. I give you my word,” Matrix soothed, helping me to stand. Walking past Reaper, I heard him say, “When that motherfucker gets back, gather all the brothers’ prospects, too.”
Taking my time, I walked down the road seeing several large trucks parked in front of Vicious’ house. Movers and brothers were moving furniture and boxes into the house. The closer I got to the house, the more apprehensive I got as the brothers smiled and waved at me as I approached. I didn’t know why they were being nice to me. I knew they all heard what Vicious said.
God, I was so embarrassed. I didn’t belong in this world. I was just a nanny. My life was simple. I took care of the kids. That’s what I loved. I didn’t need this drama. I have had enough of it already. I thought I might have a friend in Vicious, but he proved me wrong today. That was on me. I wanted to trust him. To believe in what he said. I guess I read too much into his kindness.
As much as it hurt to hear him say those words, I wasn’t surprised. My situation wasn’t of his making. He lived a simple life, free of constraints. He had his daughter and the club. He was free to do as he pleased. Unlike me. With my nieces in my care, my ability to do as I wanted vanished.
My life was no longer my own.
I was now responsible for the heir to the Duchene dynasty.
From the moment Lady Duchene presented Queen Victoria with a diamond broach made with the rarest of pink diamonds on her wedding day as a gift for allowing her to marry the love of her life, that was all it took. Every year after that, on the Queen’s birthday, Lady Duchene would present the Queen with another gift of gratitude. The jewelry becoming more opulent, more extravagant over the years until Lady Duchene died. The last piece of jewelry gifted to the Queen was a sapphire necklace. The estimated value was over five million by today’s standards. Over the years, Duchene International grew into the premiere jeweler worldwide.
I grew up learning everything there was to learn about the Duchene Dynasty, from the history of how it came about to going on digs with my father while he searched for those elusive precious stones. Anyone born into or married into the family had their part to play. None more than me.
I was the spare.
The back-up.
The second chance in case something happened to the heir. I was also the only one who could legally step into my sister’s shoes until Andi came of age. Educated alongside my sister, I learned everything, from making the jewels to designing the next line. I studied it all so I could spend time with my sister. Even though Davina knew I wanted something different.
I remembered many times she would sneak into my room at night and we would play make believe. We would talk for hours about our dreams, wishes, wants, and desires. I would listen for hours as she talked about doing so many wonderful things, but my dream was always the same. I wanted a home and someone to love me for me.
