Free The Babysitter by Kenya Wright

anomaly to all except Jude who took me for what I was and never expected anything more or less.
    I look fine. It’s just Jude. Everything will be okay. He’ll so understand.
    I knocked on the door with shivering fingers. The gift bag swung back and forth in my other hand. Footsteps sounded on the other side of the door. I figured it was Douglas, his butler.
    “Jude, are you expecting anybody?” That deep voice flowed from the other side and froze me. I recognized that voice. Kaden. Jude’s father. I spun around to leave, but the heels slowed my pace. My town car had already left. Damn it. Right as I slipped my phone out of my purse, the door squeaked open.
    “Hello?” Kaden asked behind me.
    Think. How do I get out of this? Maybe I just won’t let him see my face.
    “Um. . . never mind.” I kept my back to him and turned my phone on. “I left something in my car. . . I’ll be right back and then—”
    “Rainbow? Is that you?”
    My shoulders tensed. He remained behind me and I refused to turn. “Yes. I’ll be right back.”
    Kaden stepped around and faced me. “Dear God, you’re beautiful! You’ve grown so big.”
    “Thanks.”
    Now what do I do?
    Kaden’s blue-eyed gaze greeted my eyes. He was a gorgeous face outlined in ruffled brown waves. He embraced me, encasing my body in hard, muscular arms and designer cologne. When I was a little girl, he’d towered over me. Now he still was still taller but my head at least reached his shoulders. Not sure of what else to do, I hugged him back and readied my lies. He’d have questions, ones that I’d rather not answer and things that I avoided thinking about.
    “Where have you been?” He leaned away from me and looked just like Jude but an older version with less of a tan.
    He wore no shirt. Sleek layers of muscle wrapped around his waist and shoulders. An intricate pattern of colorful tattoos decorated both of his arms. It was a mural of his life—stars that intertwined with musical notes; guitars interlocked into microphones; nude, big breasted angels riding hulky demons. Those arms and that face had adorned the covers of magazines for years. Now he represented a legend of rock history. To obtain his interview would mean lots of money and skilled maneuvering through his agent, publicist, bodyguards, entourage, and any of the other people that walled him away from society. Just driving onto his property had required Thompson’s and my names to be checked on a long list at the front security gate of approved individuals.
    “Where have you been all of these years?” Kaden asked.
    Here we go.
    “I’ve been in Miami the whole time, and now I’m up in Sarasota at Ringling College of Art and Design.” I edged away from him.
    “Well, I know that, but why haven’t you returned my calls, emails, or any of the messages I sent through Jude? I travel the world with my tours and movies; it’s hard enough to keep in contact with Jude, but with you it’s been impossible.” Hurt glazed those blue eyes.
    My stomach clenched into guilty knots. “I thought it would be best if I kept minimum contact with Dad’s friends.”
    He crossed his arms over his chest. “Why?”
    “To ease the mourning process.” I stared down at the ground. “I’m sorry.”
    “No. That’s fine.” He placed his fingers on my chin and lifted my view to him. “I don’t want you to feel bad or anything. I just really wanted to be in your life. You’re Jack’s girl for God’s sake. You’re Rainbow.”
    I cringed at the nickname. “No one calls me that anymore. I only go by Rain.”
    “You’re Rainbow to me.” His gaze traveled down my body. He instantly looked away, cursed under his breath, and moved around me to the door. “You’ve grown a lot since I last saw you.”
    I followed him into the house. “Well, I was fifteen.”
    “Well, you’re damn sure not fifteen anymore. You’re bloody captivating.” He captured my hand and guided me toward the solid white entryway