My Babysitter is an Assassin

Chapter 6: Chess Pieces and Covert Ops

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​"Don't worry," I smirked, tilting my head up to meet his gaze. "Your father is a huge player in the industry—killing you is the last thing I’d do."

​My grin widened, turning cold and sharp. "Did you know he hired me once to assassinate one of his competitors? It's almost impressive... just how far that man will go just to line his pockets."

​Jacob's smirk faltered, the cocky glint in his hazel eyes dimming into something darker and more contemplative. He leaned back against the couch, his fingers drumming absently against his thigh as he processed my words. For a long moment, he was silent, his gaze fixed on the neon glow filtering through the blinds.

​"So he's been playing puppet master all along," he muttered, a bitter, humorless laugh escaping his lips. He ran a hand through his messy dark hair, his jaw tightening. "Didn't think he had it in him. Always played the perfect, polished businessman with me. Never let me see the blood on his hands."

​He turned to look at me, his eyes searching mine with a rare, vulnerable intensity. "You've seen it, haven't you? What he's really like. The side he hides behind those boardroom doors."

​"Part of him, maybe," I replied, crossing my arms. "I was only sixteen when he hired me. I had no idea he was your father back then—he just wanted someone to do his dirty work, and I found the thrill entertaining. Granted, I try not to target innocent people; his competitors were far worse anyway, so they were fair game. I like taking down bad people—doesn't matter who they are."

​A slow, wicked grin spread across my face.

​"I was told to stay out of his business once the job was done, but then here I am... hired as your personal handler and security detail. So no, I won't be leaving anytime soon. You're stuck with me."

​Jacob's jaw tightened, the bitter humor fading entirely. "Sixteen," he repeated, his voice low. He shook his head slowly, a muscle in his jaw ticking. "And my father just... used you like a tool, then tossed you aside when you weren't convenient anymore."

​He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, staring at the floor as the dim light cast sharp shadows across his tattooed arms. "I always knew he was cold. But this is a whole different level of messed up."

​He lifted his gaze back to mine, stripped of his usual mockery. "So you're stuck with me, watching over the rich brat to pay off the sins of my father. I don't know if I should feel guilty or grateful that you're the one holding the leash."

​"Don't worry," I smirked, leaning in a fraction closer. "I'll make sure to keep you safe. My other boss's next target is your father—he's planning to use you as leverage to crush your dad completely and take everything he owns."

​I shrugged casually, as if discussing the weather. "I won't be the one killing your father, though. I'm still formulating a few plans of my own."

​Jacob’s entire body went rigid. The playful energy around him drained away instantly, replaced by a cold stillness. His hazel eyes locked onto mine, searching for any hint of a joke. When he found none, his hands curled into fists against his thighs.

​He pushed himself up from the couch, pacing toward the window, his silhouette sharp against the glass. "So what’s the play, Cammie? You’re not going to take the shot, but you’re not walking away either. You’re stuck between my father’s money and your boss’s orders." He turned back to face me. "Why are you really here?"

​"Simple," I said softly, the playful edge in my voice giving way to something far more calculated. "Your father and my dad have been business partners for years. Even with all his shady dealings, your father stood by mine through thick and thin."

​I walked slowly toward the window, looking out at the city lights.

​"When my boss handed me a file with your father's name on it, I immediately volunteered to be the handler for his bratty son. It was the only way to keep you safe while playing my boss like a fiddle. He can't get rid of me either—if he tries, my network will turn on him in an instant."

​Jacob stared at me, the weight of my words settling over him. He swallowed hard, taking a step closer to close the distance between us. His hazel eyes searched mine, looking for the lie, but finding only the quiet, unyielding truth in my gaze.

​"All this time," he murmured, his voice rough, "I thought you were just another pawn my father hired to keep me in line. Another babysitter with a checklist and a paycheck. But you've been playing a much bigger game than I ever realized. You chose to protect me... to protect my family."

​He looked down at the floor, his jaw tightening as he processed everything. When he lifted his gaze back to mine, there was a raw vulnerability in his eyes he’d never shown before.

​"Why? Why go through all this trouble for me? I'm just the bratty son who reads romance novels and picks fights with everyone who gets close."

​I turned back to look at him, leaning casually against the window frame.

​"I've played a lot of roles, Jacob, just to keep you and your family safe," I said softly, offering him a sweet, almost mocking smile before pointing toward the hallway. "Now go get some rest, Romeo. I'll take the couch."

​I grinned, tilting my head as I looked at him. "Simple: because you're different, and your dad needs you far more than you need him."

​I leaned against the cool glass of the window, letting out a soft hum as memories surfaced.

​"I first saw you when I was sixteen. After that, my father kept coming home with endless news about how your dad talked about you. Honestly? It made me furious. My dad told me to stay out of it—that it was just your family's drama—which is exactly why he has no idea I took this job."

​Jacob's breath caught in his throat. He stood frozen in the dim light, the city humming softly beyond the glass. The words settled into him, carving out a space in the thick walls he'd built so carefully. His lips parted, but no sound came out at first—just a shaky exhale carrying the weight of years spent pretending he didn't care.

​I smirked, folding my arms over my chest. "I didn't apply to be your babysitter, Jacob. I convinced your father I was the only watcher who could turn your life around, so he signed the contract. I couldn't care less about his money or his paycheck."

​"You saw me," he finally said, his voice rough, barely above a whisper. "Back then. You actually saw me."

​He took a step closer, his hazel eyes searching my face as if seeing me for the first time. The cocky smirk, the arrogant glint—all of it was stripped away, leaving behind something raw and completely unguarded.

​"I spent so long trying to be invisible to my father. To be anything but what he wanted me to be. And you..." He shook his head slowly, a disbelieving, soft laugh escaping him. "You saw me. And you chose to stay."

​He reached out, his fingers brushing lightly against my hand—hesitant, testing, as if afraid I might vanish. "You didn't have to do any of this, Cammie. You could've walked away. Let my father burn. But you didn't." His voice cracked slightly, and he swallowed hard. "Thank you. For seeing something worth protecting."

​"I know why you act the way you do, and hey—I don't blame you," I said gently, before my lips curved back into a familiar smirk. "You don't deserve to be treated like that, anyway. So go ahead, be a brat or be mean to me all you want. See if I care."

​I nudged his shoulder toward the hallway. "Now go get some rest. I just have to take this call from your dad—he wants an update on how I'm handling you."

​Before he could object, my phone vibrated in my palm. I tapped the screen and brought it to my ear.

​"Hello? Yes... Oh, I'm doing fine, Uncle," I said smoothly into the receiver, casting a quick, playful glance in Jacob's direction. "He isn't quite what I expected him to be, but it's manageable. I'll actually be staying here at his place so I can keep a closer eye on him. Just tell my dad I won't be coming home anytime soon, alright? Great. Bye."

​I hung up, slipped the phone back into my pocket, and met Jacob's stunned gaze. "What?" I asked innocently.

​"You called him uncle," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, as if saying it any louder would break the spell. He took a slow step toward me, his usual defensive edge completely gone. "And you told him you're staying. Here. With me."

​He stopped a few feet away, searching my face with an openness he rarely let anyone see. "You didn't have to do that, Cammie. You could've just done your job and left. But you're staying. For me."

​He let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. "I don't know what I did to deserve this. But I'm not gonna question it. I'm just... glad you're here."

​"Good," I smiled, crossing my arms. "I'm not going anywhere. But again, I'm taking the couch, so you better go get some rest in your room. It's late."

​Without waiting for his answer, I kicked off my heels and collapsed onto the leather cushions, stretching out my legs as the exhaustion of the day finally crashed down on me. Jacob opened his mouth to protest—to insist I take the bed—but the words died in his throat as my eyelids fluttered shut.

​Within minutes, my grip loosened, my phone slipping from my fingers and dropping softly onto the carpet below. Before I could even pick it up, my breathing evened out, and I drifted fast asleep.

​Jacob stood frozen in the half-darkness, the neon city lights casting long shadows across the floor. His hazel eyes traced the curve of my silhouette, the way my red satin dress caught the faint glow, the peaceful expression softening my features.

​Quietly, he padded over to the couch, grabbing a thick dark blanket from the armchair. He draped it over me with careful, deliberate movements, tucking the edges around my shoulders. His fingers hesitated near my cheek, brushing a stray strand of hair away from my face before he caught himself and pulled back.

​"Goodnight, Cammie," he whispered softly.

​He lingering for a moment longer, then turned toward his bedroom, pausing at the threshold to glance back at me one last time. A soft, vulnerable smile touched his lips before he disappeared into the shadows.

​The loud, obnoxious ringing of my phone jolted me awake the next morning.

​I groaned, blindly reaching down toward the floor until my fingers found the vibrating screen. My boss.

​"Hello?" I muttered, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "Yeah... what about him?"

​I froze as his words registered through the receiver, my eyes snapping wide open.

​"What? No! We had a deal—you leave his son out of this! He doesn't know anything about what his father's been doing! No, you can't force my hand, or else—"

​Click.

​A sharp dial tone echoed through the speaker. He had hung up on me.

​"Damn it," I hissed, burying my face in my hands.

​There was no clean way out of this contract now. I needed a far better plan if I was going to keep Jacob out of the line of fire.

​Ping.

​A notification flashed across my screen—an encrypted email from my boss containing a brand-new, high-profile target file.

​A slow, wicked smirk spread across my face as I scanned the brief. He actually thought handing me another hit assignment would keep me too busy to interfere with his plans for Jacob.

​Just how dumb is he?