Chapter 3

Cassie saw that her new employer was tall. Cassie was five foot seven but the man still towered over her. 

She remembered his name, Damian. He had sapphire-blue eyes, that Cassie felt she was getting sucked into. Damian had broad shoulders and long arms, not to mention fingers. 

Damian Ricci was wearing a black suit, with the first three buttons of his shirt opened, he was wearing a gold cross necklace, and with his dark-blonde hair pulled back.

When Amira finished introducing them both, Cassie stared into Damian’s eyes. So this is him, Cassie thought, the Mafia Boss and Damian Ricci is…

Cassie could see that one of Damian’s mouth corners twitched, and that he was fighting not to smile, “Can she speak?” Asked Damian to the Headmistress. Is a total complete jerk. Thought Cassie.

”Forgive me, Mr. Ricci,” said Cassie, trying to force a sweet smile, “I’m Cassie Oakley,” she said, extending her hand for him to shake, “I look forward to working with you.”

“Who wouldn’t?” Said Damian, smirking. He shook Cassie’s hand. 

Cassie felt something the moment their hands touched, and she could see Damian did too.

Damian snapped his hand back from Cassie’s and made a hard face, “Join us in the car when you’re ready.” Said Damian, looking at Cassie before walking towards the black Rolls Royce. 

Cassie stood there before walking to her adoptive mother and Headmistress of ESNA.

“What are your ESNA orders?” Asked Amira, with her arms crossed. Looking at Cassie.

“To protect and care for the new charge I’m being given,” said Cassie, reciting the ESNA orders she learned when she arrived here, “To obey the primary client. To anticipate the family’s needs.” Finished Cassie.

“Don’t reveal their secrets, and don’t embarrass them,” the Headmistress said, looking at Cassie’s eyes, “No shirking. No sabotage. No romance. But if you feel even the tiniest spark of it, be careful. You never know what’ll happen, Cassie.” She said, emphasizing the no romance part, and trying to sound as sweet as possible.

“I understand,” said Cassie, nodding, “I’ll make you proud, I promise.” She said before walking towards the car.

“You already have,” said Amira. 

Cassie turned, surprised, to look at her, “You already have made me proud, Cassie.” She repeated. And Cassie made a sad smile.

Cassie felt like all the tears she saved all these years, wanted to get out. Amira walked to Cassie but stopped, and turned to the ESNA building. But Cassie left her luggage, ran to her, and hugged her. 

They hugged like there was no tomorrow.

…

“I’ll take this, little lady.” said the driver, picking up Cassie’s luggage. He had a Hawaiian shirt, sweatpants, sunglasses and dark skin.

“Thank you. I’m Cassie.” She introduced herself.

“Jordan,” said the driver, “Nice to meet you, Cassie.” They shook hands.

Cassie opened the door to enter the car, when Jordan stopped her. “A word of advice—don’t let him scare you.” 

“I’m not scared.” Said Cassie, almost immediately.

”But you will be.” Said Jordan, “Just remember, he’s only turned ten a week ago.” He said, putting ten fingers in front of Cassie’s face.

“I know. Anything else I need to know?” Asked Cassie, raising both eyebrows.

”Yes. Blakey only likes apple juice and classical music. There are pool days, ping pong days and hiking days.” Said Jordan, counting the special days on his fingers, “Never, ever, get on Damian’s bad side. And, oh, you didn’t hear this from me, but,” Jordan lowered his voice, “Blakey isn’t exactly Damian’s son. More like his nephew.”

“Why are you telling me that?” Asked Cassie, whispering. Curious about what his answer would be.

“I thought that, if you’ll be Blake’s nanny, you ought to know.” Jordan shrugged.

“But, does Blake know?” Asked Cassie, lowering her voice and looking if anyone heard or saw.

“Yes. Well, mostly. All he knows is that his mother died at childbirth and that Mr. Ricci is his uncle, but he still calls him ‘Papa’.”

Jordan put Cassie’s luggage in the back and sat in the pilot seat. 

Cassie entered the backseat of the car, and she saw that Blake and Damian, both were wearing suits. Damian wasn’t in the co-pilot seat, he was next to Blake.

If Damian’s eyes were sapphire-blue, Blake had them even more blue. Blake had gotten his uncle’s height, because even though Blake was ten, he looked like a twelve-year-old. He was like a carbon copy of Damian. Blake had blonde hair and Damian dark-blonde. Blake had sun-kissed white skin, while Damian’s looked like it was like snow, but two shades darker.

God save me. There’s two of them! Thought Cassie, when she closed the car door.

“Hi!” Said Cassie, trying to sound friendly, “You must be Mr. Ricci’s son”

“They call me Blake.” said Blake, closing his eyes and looking to the left seat, where Damian was.

“We call him Blakey.” Said Damian, passing his right hand through Blake’s hair, messing it up. Looking at Cassie with a sparkle in his eyes. 

Cassie’s eyes met Damian’s and he instantly looked away, “Nice to meet you,” she said, tilting her head and smiling sweetly. This time it was a genuine smile, “I’m Cassie, your new Nanny.

Blake sniffed her, “I don’t trust her. She smells like oranges.” Blake told his uncle, thinking he was whispering, but he wasn’t.

Damian chuckled, “Does she?” He looked at Cassie with a faint smile on his face.

Do I..? Thought Cassie, discreetly sniffing her jacket. “So, where are we going, Mr. Blake?” Asked Cassie, teasingly, while grabbing the laptop she had in the backpack Jordan didn’t see.

“To a big ugly mansion in a city of peasants.” Answered Blake, pouting, while looking at his apple juice.

”We just relocated from Milan to Washington.” Said Damian, looking at Blake drinking his apple juice, then at Cassie, but he turned away to look at the road.

Now Blake was making slurping sounds with his apple juice box.

“Italy?” Asked Cassie, looking at Damian, while opening her laptop, “That's a long way.”

“The car has wi-fi if you need it.” Said Damian, changing the conversation. Not looking at Cassie. 

Cassie opened the little settings to see the wi-fi. Seeing there was only one that said “Car wi-fi” she clicked on it. 

It’s insecure… thought Cassie. Then she heard a clicking sound from the door, and she started to look where the sound had come from.

“We don’t drive with the doors unlocked, in case you were wondering,” Said Damian, looking at Cassie, “It’s not safe. I honestly don’t know why other people do, though.”

“Actually,” Cassie said, unlocking the car door, “If there’s an accident, it’s safer to have them unlocked, in case we need to run.” She looked at Damian, daringly.

Damian moves from across his seat to lock Cassie’s door, “And if someone tries to snatch my son at a stoplight, it’s not safe.” He finished saying. Damian turned his face to look at Cassie’s eyes. 

Cassie was inches away from Damian. She could practically feel him breathing. He smelled good, like, real good. He smelled like sandalwood with a little vanilla. 

Cassie had to do something, but she couldn’t.