Page 9 of Lenkov

“Alright, Jaycee. Are you ready to have an adventure?”

“Yes.”

“Come and give Auntie a kiss and a hug goodbye first.” He hops off the couch and hurries over. My heart overflows as he hugs her gingerly and kisses her cheek. “Bye, Aunt Reen.”

She gives me an amused look but humors him with a hug. “Be good for Rylee.”

“I will.” He grins, and I take a mental photograph of them together.

“Love you, Auntie. I squeeze her hand.”

“I love you, too.” She smiles, and I know if she understood what I was about to do, she’d approve.

“What about Lenk?” Jaycee asks as I walk over to the window.

Fuck him.

“We’ll meet up with him later.” I smile as I open the window and help him climb down before I follow. Hefting my leg over the windowsill like a criminal, I focus on the boy waiting for me on the other side.

I’m looking forward to the future, not back at a past I can’t change.

Landing beside him softly, I hold out my hand. We can catch a bus down the street that’ll take us close enough to the bus station to walk if we jog to the stop. The twenty minutes I begged Lenkov for had more to do with the bus schedule than my goodbyes.

“Okay, we have to catch the bus to get to the next bus to start our trip.”

“Where are we going?” Jaycee asks excitedly. For him, this is a fun new game.

“I don’t know yet. That’s part of the adventure.”

“Oh.” He hops forward. “Can we go to a beach?”

“Maybe. We’ll have to see when we get to the bus station.”

We turn the corner, and I slam into a brick wall. Falling back, I gasp when an iron band wraps around my upper arm and rights me. I meet the blazing eyes of Lenkov Orlov. I lean back, feeling the heat coming from his gaze like he’s a volcano.

“Amateur move, little trickster. But at least I know where I stand with you.”

I kick his instep and jerk back. He tightens his grip. I go feral, biting his wrist, and he releases me, swearing. The metallic flavor of his blood coats my tongue. Stumbling back, I grab Jaycee and tug him forward. His tears and sobbing sicken me. I never wanted him to be exposed to this type of violence, but this is for his own good.

“You know you aren’t walking away from me right now. Is this how you want things to go down?” His words are a slap to the face.

I took my shot, and it rebounded. Fighting now is only going to further traumatize our son. I close my eyes and inhale.Regroup and wait for the right time.Choking on my aversion to surrender.

“I had to try.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re going to change our lives.”

“He’s an heir to a kingdom. Don’t you want a better life for him?” Lenkov asks, exasperated.

“By whose standards?”

“Anyone with common sense. Jaycee will have the best doctors, teachers, and a roof over his head that doesn’t have to worry about being snatched away. He’s got a family out there he deserves to know. Not to mention the money that’s rightfully his.” Lenkov shakes his head. “How could you be so selfish?”

“Do you know what happens to illegitimate children born of wealthy or powerful men? They are taken away or dismissed. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. And I had no idea the type of person you were. Why do you think I stayed at the job after I saw you? I was trying to figure that out.”

He opens his mouth and closes it.

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