Page 7 of Knotted their Beauty

“Love you big time, too, baby girl.”

Butler watches as she grabs her backpack and stuffed elephant, staring right up until my brother picks her up and parks her on his hip, grinning at the fifty year old alpha in a way that conveys his threat without words before he snaps his teeth at him as he walks by.

Neither of us like the way he looks at my daughter. Never have. He’s a fucking creep, and he’s walking a fine line any time he’s sharing air with my baby girl.

Plus, Henry is an alpha, the only one out of the three of us, and while he’s younger than me by three years, it’s made him that much more protective of our family. Neither of us would think twice about putting a bullet between this asshole’s eyes under the right circumstances but Henry would do it on camera in front of the entirety of this FBI office with their guns drawn and aimed at him, and he’d do it with a smile on his face. Especially if Cali was involved.

“I’m going to be moving up your lecture tour.”

I bite my tongue and try to school my expression as Butler closes the door to my office.

“And extending it.” He sits down in the chair my brother vacated as he unbuttons his suit coat. “But before you leave, I’ll need you to do an entire case study on what we’ve collected on The Orphan.” Butler holds up his hand as I open my mouth. “Then I need you to rewrite it in a generic way, one vague enough that keeps the actual case secret while still delivering a working profile to local law enforcement.”

“This is bitch work,” I grunt as I lean back in my chair. Bitch work, but it somewhat validates my original thoughts that The Orphan could be a cop or agent of some kind. “And you know it, Butler. That’s not what I’m paid to do.”

“You’re paid to do whatever the hell I tell you to do, March. I want the case study by the end of the week. The Orphan has been quiet for too long and I want every office in California prepped without getting hysterical. I want them looking for him without realizing who they’re looking for, and I want you to train them on how to do that.”

I’m too fucking good at my job for this kind of bullshit. I have a 11-1 record when it comes to catching killers, my one loss is for a spree killer who offed himself during the final showdown, and I should be out in the field hunting this bastard instead of writing fucking essays about him.

Then what he says sinks in.

“Every office in California?”

Butler nods. “I told you, I’m extending your tour.”

“I thought you meant weeks, not months.”

“What you think doesn’t matter. California is his hunting ground, that’s where we need the training.”

“But, what about my daughter? I can’t just leave her for⁠—”

“I don’t give a good goddamn about your offspring, March.” He gets to his feet slowly, glaring at me as he adjusts his cufflinks. “Take her with you, leave her at home, pawn her off on your parents, I don’t give a shit but you have a job to do and I’d suggest figuring out a way to do it.” The bastard grins as he moves toward the door. “Or you could retire. Call it quits now so you don’t have to worry about what to do with your little brat. It’s up to you, but either way, I need it handled by the end of the week.”

Then he’s gone.

Fuck.

I hate that son of a bitch.

We didn’t get along great when we were partners but as soon as he got promoted, shit went south real fast and he’s been an insufferable prick ever since.

I don’t understand why he’s got it out so bad for me, but I guess it doesn’t matter right now.

Right now, I need to pull everything we have on The Orphan, figure out what cities I’m supposed to be hitting, and if there’s a nanny in the entire state of California who’d be willing to not only work for me, but apparently tag along while I take my side show on the road. Thank god it’s summer vacation.

There is no way in hell I’m leaving my daughter for months at a time, not fucking happening.

Butler wants everyone on high alert and hyperaware of The Orphan and his bullshit? I’ll do him one better. I’ll catch the bastard myself, and I’ll do it while working my ass off to be father of the fucking year, too.

Chapter

Two

TWO DAYS LATER

ARLO

Nanny for Hire