Nanny and Her Four Alpha Bullies

Chapter 29 

Archer helps me off the stage. He follows behind me as I walk the line of members waiting for me. Each of them shake my hand. A jolt of energy courses through my body as our tattooed hands touch. 

I’m almost to the end when I run into an younger man. He has kind, green eyes and hair as black as night. He almost seeing to be my age if not for the deep smile lines next to his mouth. “Congratulations,” he says. 

“Thank you,” I answer. 

“Tyler Lancaster,” he continues. “I’m the personal combat trainer for the Hayes. I teach basic combat to all the members of the Court.” 

I feel Archer’s hand on my hip. It’s possessive. My heart flutters. “Oh,” I say to Tyler. “That’s okay.Wow.” 

Tyler laughs, “I’ll be in touch soon,” then he winks at me. Archer’s hands clench into my skin. Then immediately relax. 

“See you tomorrow, Lancaster,” he says. Tyler nods at Archer. He smiles brightly down at me. 

Archer almost pushes me off the stage. I expect him to say something snarky to me but instead, he storms off. I’m left alone near the refreshments tables. The space where his hand was on my skin suddenly feels cold. I sigh and brush my hand through my hair. 

I wonder if Mia’s okay with Beau. As I turn to grab a drink, I hear heels clicking on the floor angrily, I turn and see Laura standing in front of me. Her hands are on her hips, covered by an atrocious pink sequin dress. I raise an eyebrow at her before I speak. 

“I know what you did,” I say. 

“Why do you think you’re so special?” Laura snaps. She completely ignores my accusation. J blink at her. 

“What?” 

“You think you’re better than the rest of us, huh?” She goes on. “Think that just because your whore mother got you into this school, you deserve to be here? Some of us have been raised from the start to be here. You waltz in like you own the place thenmagicallyare good enough to be in the Hayes court. What did you do? Use black magic? Seduce one of them like your mommy did with Isaac?” 

“I’m in the Hayes Court,” I snap. “Because I’m good at my job.” 

Laura sneers at me. “Good at your job? I can take care of a kid. I was good atmyjob. Until you ripped it from me. What did you do to get into Archer’s head? What did you mom teach you?” 

“She taught me how to be a good caretaker,” I throw back at her. “And know that babies are helpless especially when you fucking poison 

them.” 

Laura tosses her head back and cackles. She sounds like a witch. “It was a good plan, wasn’t it?” she says. “No one could take the blame but you. No one else takes care of her, do they? And with the kid gone-” she laughs. “I could step in and finally win Archer over. He would have nothing to worry about but me.” 

I open and close my jaw like a fish, appalled as to what I’m listening to. This woman actually tried to kill a kid in order to try and make a man fall in love with her. I’d never heard something so crazy. 

“You’re insanel” I say. “Actually insane.” 

19:18 Sat, 22 JunRB 

I’m not a whore,” Laura says. “Not like you.” 

“At least I’m not a murderous, conniving bitch!” 

Before I can even clock what’s happening, I feel wet. Something cold and wet and a bit sticky comes over my entire body. I close my eyes when I feel it starting to drip down my forehead. All of Gabriel and Athena’s hard work is now ruined. I wipe my hand across my face then open my eyes. Laura’s maliciously grinning at me. 

“Under all that make up and hairspray,” she says, fake gently. “You’re still a slummy girl from Greendale.” 

Anger takes over me. I lunge at Laura and tackle her to the ground. I shove her once then twice then dig my hand into her hair. I pull strong enough that I rip a chunk of the fake blonde out and then go back to trying to pummel her to bits. 

Laura gets the leg up on me and rolls me onto my back so she’s on top. She gets a few hits against me but I dig the heel of my shoe into her hamstring. She yelps and falls backwards. I grapple over to get on top of her. 

I think about taking the dagger from Navis and plunging it between her eyebrows. Or maybe even into her fake tanned sternum. I go to grab it and am stop short as arms belt around my waist and rip me off of Laura 

I kick my legs in the air and dig my nails into the skin of the arm. The person holding me grunts in exertion but continues to hold me back from getting at Laura again, Finally, I’m whirred away and put back down on my-feet. I’m only wearing on heel at this point and still completely sticky. 

I go to bark something mean at the person who took me off her when I realize it’s Archer. He seethes down at me. I shrink in on myself in response but then remember who poured the drink on me. 

“Let me at her!” I lunge at her again and Archer’s arms wrap back around me. He bolts me down but still I struggle. “She tried to kill Mia! She admitted it! She attempted murder!!” 

“Gods dammit, Chloe!” Archer grunts. “Stop it! I heard. I heard all of it.” 

I stop. “You did?” 

“I did,” Archer responds. He turns and looks at Laura. “Never mind the fact that she assaulted a member of the Hayes Court.” Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

We both watch as Laura shoves what’s remaining of her hair off her head. She huffs then tries to stand on her feet. Her one heel is broken and she wobbles on it. She jabs a finger at me. 

I 

“She swindled her way into it!” She screeches. “That was my spot! I deserved it! I’ve been head of supplies for three years now!” 

“You think because you dealt with our garbage that you deserved a place in the Court?” Archer barks a shocked laugh. He shakes his head. *You were never going to be in the Court. This proves it.” 

Laura’s face falls. “What?” 

“You know the rules better than anyone,” Archer snaps. “To assault a member of the Court is to assault a Hayes.” He sounds, dare I say it. proud of me. “You’ve been demoted back down to an Untouchable. Starting immediately! 

People around us whisper in response. Tears well in Laura’s eyes. She takes off down the hallway, sobbing as she goes. The rest of the crowd filters back into the party. I’m still slightly sticky and my feet burn from these fucking shoes. However, the first thing on my mind is the fact that Archer stood up for me. 

22 JUI 

QU% 

I turn on my heel to look at him. “I could’ve handled that.” 

“Maybe,” Archer says, eyebrow raised. He makes eye contact with me. “You’re a Hayes now. That means it’s my problem too. No one’s allowed to be mean to you.” 

He pauses. He looks down over my red stained, sopping wet face. Gently, he reaches forward and pushes a wet tendril behind my ear he leans in close so our noses are almost touching. It’s the same sort of stance we were in the other day when I tried on my dress. Only, there’s people around. I can taste the whiskey on his breath as it ghosts over me. 

“No one,” he says. “But me.” 

A shiver curls down my body. I let my eyes flutter shut. W