Page 107 of The Billionaire's Virgin

“Jenna doesn’t know yet though,” I said quickly. “We’re going to tell her soon, but Reed and I just wanted to keep it to ourselves before involving Jenna.”

“Of course,” Lily said, understanding immediately. “You don’t want her setting her hopes on your relationship only to break her heart later. Especially because of how much she seems to love you.”

I smiled, gratified that other people seemed to notice it too. Maybe transitioning from her nanny to her mother would be easier than I thought.

“Mommy,” Millie called from the sandbox.

“Excuse me a moment,” Lily said, as she walked over to the girls to see what they needed.

As she walked away, I noticed a call coming in on my phone. It was an unknown number, and I froze instinctively. I stared at my screen for a second and decided not to pick up. I cut the line instead, but whoever it was called back immediately. My heart dropped, and I just made a split-second decision and answered. But before I answered, I pressed the record button on my phone so that the conversation would be recorded.

“Hello?”

“If you hang up, things are going to go bad fast,” a woman’s voice promised me on the other line.

I felt the hair on my arms stand on end and I looked around fast. “Sofia?” I breathed.

“Good, you know my name,” she replied. “Because I know yours all too well. Now listen carefully; stand up and walk towards the drinking fountain behind you.”

I turned and glanced the drinking fountain she was talking about. It was up a slight slope, and it put me at a good distance from Jenna.

“Why should I do that?” I demanded.

“Because I want to talk to you face to face,” Sofia replied. “And if you don’t do as I ask, people are going to get hurt.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I have a gun,” Sofia hissed at me, and I had to strain to hear her over the noise. “And if you don’t do exactly as I say, I will use it. That’s a promise.”

“How could you possibly do that?” I asked, in shock.

“I’m running out of patience with you,” Sofia responded. “Go to the water fountain… alone. Leave your phone behind. Or else.”

I heard a click, and the line went dead. My heart was beating fast, but I knew that I couldn’t risk calling Sofia’s bluff. If she was telling the truth and she had a gun, then people would get hurt. Jenna was one amongst the crowd, and I would not put her through another traumatic incident.

I put my phone down next to my bag, and I turned in the direction of the water fountain. I turned deliberately so that wherever Sofia was, she would be able to see that I was following her instructions. I looked back and saw that Lily was only a few feet away from me. If I said anything to her, however, I would risk pissing off a psychopath, and there were so many little kids in the area.

Jenna was with Lily, so I walked out of the playground towards the water fountain. I heard Lily’s voice call out my name, but I didn’t turn around. I didn’t want to risk Sofia seeing me talk to someone. She would just assume I was tipping someone off. I went straight to the water fountain and looked around. There was no one in sight. I turned again, trying to look for the woman who had called me.

I stood there for maybe a full minute before I realized that this might have been nothing but a trick. I looked towards the playground, and I spotted Lily with her daughter, but I couldn’t catch sight of Jenna. My heart caught in my throat as I realized the truth of Sofia’s plan.

I dashed towards the playground. “Where’s Jenna?” I almost screamed. “Where’s Jenna?”

“I don’t know,” Lily admitted. “I turned around for a second, and she was gone.”

“Oh God,” I gasped. “Oh God… she has her.”

“What?” Lily asked, looking a little panicky. “Taylor… what are you talking about?”

“Call nine-one-one,” I said urgently. “Now.”