Page 11 of Lenkov

“I can carry that.” She scowls.

“Yeah, but you don’t need to.” I lead them over the concrete floor to the door. We step inside onto the white tile.

“Welcome to my house.” I slip out of my imported leather loafers as my men walk up and greet me.

Over six feet of pure muscle, the stunned expressions on their faces are comical. One look at Jaycee tells them everything they need to know.

“Sir?” Gennady inclines his head.

“Ge, this is Rylee and Jaycee. They’ll be my guests from now on.”

“Guys, the dark-haired man is Ge, and next to him, Goldie Locks, is Iosif.” They both bow slightly.

Jaycee tilts his head back. “They really are giants, Mr. Lenk.”

“Just Lenk. No, Mr. necessary.” It takes everything in me not to tell him to call me Dad. I push the irritation brewing inside away. “I have a surprise for you, Jaycee.”

“You do?” he chimes with his mother.

“I do. Come on.” I lead them through the open kitchen plan and down the hallway to the theater room. I open the door to reveal the screen and the cushy, reclining, lazy boy-style seats with cup holders. “I thought you might like to watch Jurassic Park while I talk to your mother. If that’s okay with you.”

“Can I, Mom?”

She sucks her teeth, and her eyes flash with irritation and fear. Putting off the conversation won’t do either of us any good.

“Of course. Why don’t you find a seat so Lenk can get everything set up?”

He takes off at full-speed, choosing a seat in the middle of the room.

“Are you trying to buy him?” She asks with disgust.

“I’m trying to give us a chance to talk.” I arch a brow, refusing to be shamed for my station in life. “Using the resources isn’t the same as flaunting my wealth or trying to charm him with it. For me, this is just another day.”

She flinches. “Right.”

I sigh. “If everything I say or do is offensive, this will be a miserable arrangement for us both.”

“Arrangement? You kidnapped us and brought us here.”

“Because I couldn’t risk you running. Who knows when I’d see my son again?”

Her eyes flash.

“No come back for that?”

“I told you why I did that.”

“You never gave me a chance to prove myself one way or another.”

“No, because your reputation proceeds you.” She hisses. “The people at work talk and I knew you weren’t the kind of man.” She trails off shaking her head.

Reaching out to the wall beside her, I flip the switch on to start up the projector and dim the lights. “You know nothing about my family—”

“I know enough.”

“Careful, the same blood runs through our sons’ veins. He’s one of us.”

“Never.” She lifts her chin.

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