Page 96 of Toxic Temptation
Maybe this will work out after all.
Guess we’ll see once Kovan gets home.
32
VESPER
Kovan struts in like he owns the damn place.
Which, technically, he does. But still, he doesn’t have to peacock around like that.
The moment Luka spots him, though, everything changes. The intimidating mob boss melts away, replaced by a smiling uncle who drops to his knees on the marble floor to watch a tiny robot named Viking wobble in circles.
“Look how fast he goes!” Luka demonstrates, his face glowing with pride.
Kovan’s gaze softens in a way that makes my chest tight. “That’s incredible,malysh. Did you build this yourself?”
“Waylen helped, but I did most of it.” Luka beams, then pulls out a stack of papers. “And look! I finished three whole pages of math.”
“Three pages?” Kovan makes a show of examining each problem. “This deserves a standing ovation.”
He actually does it. Stands up and claps like Luka just performed at Carnegie Hall.
But I notice the subtle changes as soon as Waylen steps back into the room. Kovan’s jaw tightens and his forehead wrinkles when Luka scurries toward Waylen and the two of them have a giggling, whispered conversation.
“Luka,” Kovan says, interrupting the secret exchange, “why don’t you go shower and get your things ready for bedtime?”
Luka turns to Waylen and rolls his eyes. “That’s his way of getting rid of me.”
Waylen chuckles. “Adults need to have boring conversations sometimes.”
They fist-bump, and Luka scampers upstairs, but not before throwing us a look that says he knows exactly what’s happening.
The kitchen falls silent. Kovan’s fingers drum against the countertop. Waylen matches his stare, unflinching.
I’m sweating through my shirt watching this testosterone standoff.
“So,” I jump in like the coward I am, “today was amazing. Luka absolutely loves Waylen.”
“Luka’s polite,” Kovan says, his voice flat.
“Some things can’t be faked,” I press. “Not even by the most polite eight-year-old in the world.”
Kovan stops drumming his fingers. “You did well today,” he tells Waylen shortly, as if the words are being dragged out of him.
Waylen nods. “Luka made it easy. He’s brilliant. That’ll make my job a lot smoother.”
“About that job.” Kovan leans back in his chair. “I’ll have the final contract ready tonight.”
“Perfect. I’ll see you all?—”
“One more thing.” Kovan holds up a finger to stop Waylen in his tracks. “Luka’s social worker will be making surprise visits. She’ll evaluate everyone in his life now. That includes you.”
My brother shrugs. “I can handle a social worker.”
Kovan’s jaw turns to stone. “It can’t look like I’m pawning off my responsibilities. She needs to understand you’re support staff. Nothing more.”
“And what exactly is Vesper?” Waylen asks bluntly.
