Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 45957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
We pulled into the driveway of a large, single-story, white brick home with blue shutters and flowers planted in little baskets on the windowsills. Jaxon and Darren were sitting on the porch in rocking chairs, both of them dressed down in jeans and t-shirts with regular dad sneakers on their feet. Emmaline and Juliana were sitting on the grass with the little ones, watching them play. I knew they were trying to fit into the neighborhood, but in my opinion, they just looked wrong. The suburban dad life didn’t fit them.
Everyone looked up when we pulled into the driveway, and when I got out, Amberose and Carter came running to me, squealing in pure delight. Grinning, I swept them up into my arms and kissed both their cheeks. “Uncle Adrian!” they screamed.
“Hey, kiddos.” I set them on their feet after squeezing them and crouched, reaching up to ruffle Carter’s hair. “Are you two being good?”
They both nodded, but I knew that was a lie. They were mostly well-behaved kids, but when they got together, they turned into entirely different children full of mayhem and mischief.
“Are you coming home, Uncle Adrian?” Carter asked.
I shook my head. “Not yet, bud.” I nudged them in the direction of their mothers. “Go on and play. I need to talk to the grown-ups.”
They rushed back off to Emmaline and Juliana. Standing, I jerked in surprise when Ivan pressed a hand to my lower back. He watched the two kids playing, then looked at me. “You’d make a good dad.”
Immediately, I shook my head. “Fuck no.” His lips twitched in amusement. “Kids are not in my life plan, Ivan. So don’t get any fucking ideas.”
His brows raised. “So, we’re talking long-term here?” he asked, gesturing between the two of us with the hand that wasn’t on my back.
I frowned, suddenly feeling unsure. “I thought we were?” I hated that it came out as a question, revealing my uncertainty.
Ivan scoffed. “Oh, no, kotik, we definitely are, but I thought getting you to agree to it would be much more of a hassle than this. I’m fucking pleased.”
I rolled my eyes and began walking toward the house, letting his hand fall from my lower back. “Of course, you fucking are.” I nodded once at Jaxon and Darren. “James inside?” When they nodded, I pushed the door open, almost running into Inessa, who was heading for the front door with a tray of food in her hands. “Sorry,” I muttered, quickly moving out of her way. “I didn’t mean to almost run into you.”
“You’re good.” She smiled at me. “The kids have missed you.”
I grinned and pretended to brush lint off my shoulders. “Why wouldn’t they? I’m the cool uncle, after all.”
She laughed before heading outside. I heard her call, “Food!”, and the kids squealed in answer, no doubt damn near trampling her on the porch. Ivan made it inside just in time, his eyes wide. I snickered as I shut the door behind him.
“Yeah, no. I agree. Kids are definitely not in our life plan. They’re adorable until they almost run you over. Never been afraid of anything in my life until those kids almost tackled me. They’re like those little raptors off Jurassic Park.”
Barking out a laugh, I headed for the master bedroom, knowing that was where I’d find James at. It was not only a respect thing to give the Don the biggest room in a house, but I knew Emmaline would demand nothing less but the best comforts this house had to offer while he recovered. And like hell would anyone argue with her. She was the queen, but it wasn’t just that. She was soft-hearted and so damn easy to love that we all just wanted to give her whatever would make her happy, so long as it kept her safe.
James was sitting up against a bunch of pillows when I walked into the room. He wasn’t connected to anything, but there was a blood pressure monitor on the nightstand, along with a thermometer, and Dr. Lebedev’s medical bag he’d come over to the states with was sitting on the floor near the chair was occupying in the corner. James turned his head to look at me, a small smile tilting his lips.
“Hey,” he rasped.
“Hey, yourself. I leave home for a little while, and you get yourself shot for the first fucking time.” I shook my head. “You’re lost without me, man.”
He laughed, then winced. “Maybe I just wanted to see your ugly fucking face.” I snickered. “I assume you’re here because you have news?”
I nodded. “That and I brought everyone some clothes. With everyone being displaced, I thought it might be better if everyone had something familiar to wear rather than having to buy new clothes.”
“Appreciate it,” James said.
Igor walked into the room, making James scowl. “Yo, I get you’re Ivan’s consigliere, but have some fucking respect and knock,” James snapped.