She Was Never Just the Billionaire’s Wife (Natasha and Chase) novel Chapter 196

(Natasha)

Nathanial has been at my townhouse every day this week.

Not in a casual brother way.

In a "I am here to make sure my sister doesn't get kidnapped twice" way.

He doesn't say it.

He doesn't have to.

Monday he showed up at six with takeout and a face like it was absolutely normal to check the locks on the way in.

He did it twice. I watched him.

Tuesday he came at five, carrying a state of the art security camera system that I was quite impressed he managed to install himself.

Wednesday he was already in the kitchen when I got home, sitting at the island with Lily on his knee.

He was going through quotes from security companies.

Not just to install a brand new alarm system and some panic buttons.

Patrol cars that drive by every hour, and optional night guard from seven pm to seven am daily.

I can only picture Chase’s expression if I tell him some big, burly man will be spending every night with me.

Nathanial had the quotes open on his laptop, doing a spreadsheet with side-by-side comparisons.

Had the gall to look up at me like none of this is unusual.

It’s now Thursday.

He's in the living room with Lily.

Reading her a board book about a bear and a balloon.

He does voices.

The bear has a deeper voice than the balloon.

The balloon is a soprano.

I bring two cups of coffee in and put his on the side table.

"Thanks."

"You’re welcome."

I sit on the chair opposite.

He's on the floor with Lily propped against his chest, chewing the corner of the book.

"Nathanial. How long are you planning to do this?"

He doesn't look up. Turns the page.

"Do what?"

"Be here every night."

"I'm not here every night."

"You are."

"I came by yesterday."

"And Monday, and Tuesday, and Wednesday."

"I’m bonding with Lily."

"Nathanial."

He turns another page. Lily smacks the book excitedly.

"You're working too hard,” he has the gall to tell me.

"I'm not."

"You left home before seven yesterday. I checked the camera."

I put my coffee down.

"You checked the camera on my house?”

"I have an alert set up on my phone. I get footage every time any of the doors or windows are opened."

I’m speechless for quite some time.

I look at him.

He won't look at me.

He’s laser focused on adjusting Lily’s sock that didn’t need adjusting.

"That's a thing you have to stop. It’s an invasion of my privacy."

"Fine."

"I mean it."

"I said fine."

"You said fine but you didn't mean it."

He finally looks up. Puts the book down.

"Natasha. I spent hours hanging to my sanity by a thread the night Bauer took you. So forgive me if I want to know whether you’re safe at home, or not."

I don't know how to challenge that.

It’s not okay for him to keep being this over-protective, but we just found each other again.

"Okay," I say. “Here’s the deal. You can check the camera. For two more weeks."

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