The mate of his nanny

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 her waist beneath my hands, her soft lips on mine, her body pressed up against me... It all sent a shiver down 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 that memory of the kiss out of my mind. I simply couldn't be with Moana, and it seemed that our undeniable attraction 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. Between my father and Kelly, along with this, I was feeling as though I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. I couldn't be with Moana because of our glaring differences, but at the same time, I couldn't have her around because of our lust for each other. Maybe it really was time for me to start considering the possibility that I would have to buy her a penthouse and keep a distance between us.

Maybe I wouldn't have to be as distant as I was with Ella's mother, because I knew that Moana had a good heart and never meant any ill will, but I couldn't have her living under the same roof as me and going to family functions 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 knew that people were staring at Moana's change of clothes, but it could be easily brushed off as a simple wardrobe malfunction. Thankfully, my clothes looked more or less the same, so no one seemed to notice.

As I stood at the bar, still pushing the thought of our kiss as far out of my mind as I could while I swirled my drink around in its glass, I suddenly felt someone tap my shoulder. When I looked over, Kelly was leaning on the bar next to me, leaning back with her elbows on the bar and looking out at the party. I felt 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 too big for it."

"What do you want, Kelly?" I snapped, gritting my teeth. Did she have to be so condescending toward Moana'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," she replied, pushing her lower lip out into a pout like a child. She then dug into her purse and retrieved her phone. "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 were kissing.

"When did you take this?" I asked, pointing at the photo with one hand while my other hand gripped my glass 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 both Ethan and me in one night, hardly even half an hour apart? To think that I trusted that her intentions were pure, that our kiss meant something and that she wasn't just trying to weasel her way into a family of higher social status... I gripped my glass even harder and swallowed the lump in my throat, turning to look over at Moana.

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

"I think it's safe to say that the nanny is only here for one thing," Kelly said, inspecting her nails as she spoke. "It's a shame. I know you liked her." She stopped then and turned to face me, batting her eyelashes. She then reached out to squeeze my arm comfortingly — but I brushed her off, my eyes still locked 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 I even 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 the private corridors with Moana on my heels, and once we were alone, I spun around to face her in the dim 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 fucking brother tonight?"

Moana was silent. Even in the dim light, I could see her eyes begin to well up with tears and she stared down at the floor. That was all the confirmation I needed. As I came to the realization that I did in fact see what I thought I saw in that picture, a feeling of dread came over me. Somehow, even though our kiss 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 tears and her lower lip quivered. "I was sad, and I thought he was comforting me as a friend, but... He kissed me. 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 telling the 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 once again 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 in surprise. But I didn't care; without another word, I turned on my heel and stormed off in the direction of the one place that I knew that little rat would be: his studio.

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