“Daddy!” our four-year-old Ivan and three-year-old Evie yell at the same time as they come running my way.
“Whoa!” I say scooping each up in an arm and spinning them around to the sounds of their laughter just before my “human merry go round” comes to a halt and I kiss my wife right on the lips.
This, is what life’s all about.
“I’m ready to hear it!” she says with the enthusiasm we always try and use in our household. It’s a change from my more reserved Russian ways, but I’m growing more used to it as the years go by. I have to admit a positive, encouraging mindset really goes a long way in inspiring our children that they can not only tackle life’s toughest challenges, but do anything they set their minds to in life.
“Your father got the funding.”
“That’s great!” Julie says, as she wraps the three of us up in a hug. We must be a funny site, me holding the kids and Julie trying her best to wrap her arms around us. She may only make it halfway, but half a hug from her is worth more than a billion hugs from the rest of the world.
Julie’s the brains behind our non-profit which helps kids to build social skills and pursue a lot of hobbies with other kids. It’s not nursery school or play time, it’s truly development time, which is why we don’t allow phones inside our building. The kids have to check them at the door so we can get back to basics…interacting with each other as humans.
John, Julie’s dad, has continued to work as a lobbyist, but now he lobbies for money for what we’re doing.
And after the first batch of our kids took their aptitude tests, scoring way above the national average, the money started to roll in quick.
Now we’re hiring more adult “big buddies” due to all the little kids who want to participate in the program.
It makes me feel great to know I’m giving back to the community, and even better that my wife is able to use her law degree to circumvent the tricky legal, financial, and business waters that she faces on a daily basis. There are a ton of obstacles out there for any business, profit or not, and my woman not only takes on any and all challenges when it comes to the kids…she fights until we get the answers we want and kids get what they need.
And even though we’re all about helping as many little buggers as we can, the most important ones are always our very own.
We are “taking a break” at two for now while we continue to try and change the world.
Normally I’m not a fan of big, sweeping statements like those, but when I watch my wife and the determination with which she approaches her day each and every morning, “changing the world” is really an accurate statement.
I should know.
She sure changed mine.
“Anything else exciting happen today?”
“That was the big one…the only one that’s important,” I say.
“Uh huh,” she says, giving me a knowing look that I’m holding something back.
Damn, she knows me too well. And that means she knows I won’t tell her.
Some Russian mafia types tried to come by our center today for a shakedown. I literally couldn’t believe it when I saw it…and they couldn’t believe me when I stepped out onto the lawn and told them the only shakedown that was going to happen was me shaking them upside down and hanging them from trees if they ever set foot in my neighborhood again.
Fortunately my reputation precedes me, and they knew who I was and left after apologizing.
I’m not scared of anyone, especially when it comes to standing up for what’s right and for my family, but I do have to be careful. I’ve got a lot to live for these days…everything as a matter of fact.
I make an airplane noise as the kids stick out their arms and I “fly” them into the bedroom where we all fall on the bed, the kids laughing hysterically.
“Oh no, the runways not clear!” Julie says as she pretends to be an airplane and dives onto the bed with us.
It quickly turns into a ticklefest and the first thing I notice is Ivan’s hands are getting stronger.
Good.
I’ve been having him do some light exercises and hitting the small speedbag in the boxing gym I set up in the garage.
Being a man doesn’t mean you’ve hit a certain age or you’ve done something in particular.
It’s not what you do, it’s who you are.
And my little man is getting the complete guidebook, so to speak, passed down from his father.
And that guidebook starts with being able to step in my shoes one day, when the time comes.
That could be years in the future, or it could be tomorrow if someone is picking on his sister or even giving his mother a hard time…not that anyone is foolish enough to knowingly mess with what’s mine.
Those Russian gangsters almost made that mistake until they saw my face. Now they know, just like the rest of the neighborhood already knew.
Because I can be a nice guy if you’re nice to me and my family and our community. But if you step foot on our land with the wrong intentions I’m territorial as fuck, and I’ll knock your block off in defense of what’s mine.
Because my family always comes first.
I prefer to be a calmer guy these days, but mess with what’s mine and you’re immediately going to get what you deserve…the aggressive Russian.
Fortunately for me, the most aggressive thing in our home is our love for each other.
The kids laugh and Ivan does the same to Evie.
“What do you guys think? Time for another little brother or sister right here?” I say rubbing on my woman’s stomach.
“Yeah!” they cheer together.
Julie smiles. “We’ll see,” she says.
“I will see you tonight,” I say. “And we will see then.”
She gives me a wink and I know this is my chance. Tonight’s my chance to make another baby with her.
I can hardly wait, because what can be better than growing the most important thing in this world…our family.
And that starts with her...my love, my life, my everything.
A MAN WHO KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS
Book 1: Baby Lust
Book 2: Veteran
Book 3: Built
Book 4: Bambino
Book 5: Rescued
Book 6: Leader
Book 7: Professor
Book 8: Burned
Book 9: Worldly
Book 10: Pistol
Book 11: Policed
Book 12: Driven
Book 13: Lucky 13
Book 14: Lumberjacked
Book 15: Protector
Book 16: Carpenter
Book 17: Italian Stallion
Book 18: Gardener
Book 19: Budapest Billionaire’s Virgin
Book 20: Billionaire’s Babysitter
Book 21: Cocky CFO
Book 22: Fireman’s Filthy 4th
Book 23: Mechanic
Book 24: SEAL’s Secret
Book 25: Police, Pooch, and Smooch
Book 26: Fireman’s Fake Fiancée
Book 27: Billionaire’s Virgin Ballerina
Book 28: Bitcoin Billionaire’s Babysitter
Book 30: Cowboy’s Christmas Carol
Book 31: Police Officer’s Princess
Book 32: Statham
Book 33: Bodyguard
Book 34: Greek God
Book 35: Billionaire Single Dad's Babysitter
Book 36: Mountain Man
Book 37: SEAL’s Justice
Book 38: Royal Romance
Book 39: Doctor Mountain Man’s Special Delivery
Book 40: Crocodile Dan D
Book 41: Mountain Man’s Secret Baby
Book 42: Doctor Bad Boy’s Secret Baby
Book 43: Cop’s Babysitter
Book 44: Nanny for the Cop Next Door
Book 45: Small Town SEAL’s Saving Grace
Bo
ok 46: Cop’s Fake Fiancée
Book 47: Billionaire’s Nanny
Book 48: Cowboy’s Babysitter
Book 49: Steamy
Book 50: Brother’s Best Friend
Book 51: Possessive Professor
Book 52: Firefighter’s Babysitter
Book 53: Soldier’s Secret Baby
Book 54: Ward’s Independence Day
Book 55: Doctor Next Door
Book 56: Possessive Policeman
Book 57: Coached by the MMA Fighter
Book 58: Boss’s Babysitter
Book 59: Virgin in New York
Book 60: Rock Star’s Baby
Book 61: Possessive Protector
Book 62: Possessive Australian
Book 63: Best Friend’s Brother
Book 64: Possessive Cowboy
Book 65: Summer Romanced
Book 66: Possessive Prince
Book 67: Lovers’s Enemy
Book 68: Cop’s Best Friend
Book 69: Possessive Firefighter
Book 70: Football Next Door
Book 71: Doctor December
Book 72: Possessive Canadian
Book 73: Blue Collar Billionaire
Book 74: Possessive K-9 Cop
Book 75: Possessive Brazilian
Book 76: Hockey Obsession
Book 77: Possessive Boston Irish American MMA Fighter
Book 78: Halloween Next Door
Book 79: Possessive Russian
Book 80: Baseball Mine
Book 81: Cop’s Caribbean Captive
Book 82: Instalove Island
Book 83: Dad’s Best Friend
Book 84: Thanksgiving with Dad’s Boss
Book 85: Possessive Italian Neighbor
Book 86: Possessive Portuguese
Book 87: Possessive Christmas Cop
Book 88: Russian’s Obsession
Book 89: Possessive Doctor’s Christmas
Book 90: Possessive Parisian Pilot
Book 91: U.K. Boxing Day
Book 92: Jealous Russian Stalker
Book 93: Italian Mountain Man
Book 94: Aggressive Russian
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