The Director - Renee Rose Page 0,39

depressed-looking woman in the room a hug. “How’s he doing?”

“Who is this?” her mother demands without answering, her gaze resting on me.

I step forward and shake her hand. “Hi Barbara,” I greet her by name. “I’m Ravil Baranov. I’m the father of Lucy’s child.”

Lucy and her mother both suck in shocked breaths. Her father spins the wheelchair to face me, one bushy gray brow down.

“What? How did this happen?” her mother exclaims.

Lucy clears her throat. “Ah, I think that part would be rather obvious, Mom.”

Her mother still stares in confusion, not understanding. “I thought donors in this sort of thing sign away all their rights.” She looks to Lucy’s dad for confirmation, even though the man is no longer capable of speaking.

“We met last Valentine’s Day,” I say. “The baby was conceived naturally.” I’ve learned that sticking close to the truth is always the best strategy. “We’ve only recently become reacquainted.” I hold my hand out to Lucy’s father although I’m not sure he’s capable of shaking it. His right hand is curled into a ball on his lap. “Ravil Baranov.”

He offers his left, working hand. I quickly change hands and clasp it. He squeezes too hard—far too hard. I can’t tell if it’s a message or he can’t modulate his grip.

Judging by the way his alarmed gaze takes in the tattoos on my knuckles, it’s a message. That’s when I realize Nick Lawrence has all his faculties intact. He’s just trapped in a body incapable of speech or walking. Lucky for me, I guess, or he’d be raising the alarm about Lucy’s freedom.

“How’s Dad?” Lucy asks again, obviously trying to change the subject.

“Your father’s had his physical therapy already today, and the speech therapist was in. They have him using this iPad to communicate, but he doesn’t seem to like it,” her mother reports. “How are things at the firm?”

Lucy shrugs. “They want to replace Dad with a new partner, and I don’t think they want me.” She shoots a wry glance at her father, who frowns even deeper. He opens his mouth a couple times, his lips rounding like he’s trying to form words, but he eventually gives up, shakes his head in obvious frustration.

“They can’t pick a new partner without your father’s vote,” Lucy’s mother says.

“Oh, I think they plan to,” Lucy says. “I think that’s precisely why they chose now to act.”

Her father makes some unintelligible sounds.

“They’d have to buy out his share,” Barbara says. “And I’ve had no offers.”

Nick lifts his good foot and plops it down on the wheelchair foot pad, like he’s stomping it.

“I know, dear. I wouldn’t accept them anyway. You plan on going back.”

I hide my wince. In my unprofessional opinion, there’s no way in hell Nick Lawrence will practice law again. But you never know. Miracles do happen.

“But he still has a vote and a voice in any decision they make. I will call Dick myself and tell him I’ll stand in as his proxy until he recovers.”

“No, Mom,” Lucy snaps. “They already think I’ve had everything handed to me because Dad is a partner. If I make partner, it’s going to be on my own merits not because my mother called and pitched a fit.”

Barbara sniffs. “Well, who do you think they want to be partner?”

“I don’t know. But Dick stopped by my office to tell me again how representing members of organized crime is destroying the firm’s reputation. Nevermind that nearly all my cases are referrals from the Tacones. Nevermind I made as much or more for the firm as any associate last year.”

Nick turns his wheelchair to face me directly and tries to speak again.

Lucy darts a glance at him then me.

I don’t play dumb. The truth is, I see the man’s obvious frustration with being unable to interact.

I grab a stool and sit myself right in front of him, meeting his defiant glare. “I care about your daughter, Nick,” I tell him. “I was surprised but happy to learn about her pregnancy. We are committed to seeing if we can work things out to raise our baby together.”

Lucy goes still. Nick studies me intently, like he’s trying to read the rest of the story.

“Wh-where did you say you two met?” Barbara asks.

“Washington, DC,” Ravil answers. “I was there on business. Neither of us actually realized we both lived in the same city until I was in her office this week.”

“Lucy?” her mother warbles. “Is this… all true?” The woman appears shocked. I’m sure Lucy engaging in