Suddenly someone hurled her aside, and she fell, rolling over. Next the ground shook with a powerful blow, and a cloud of dust hid the world around her.
Coughing, Lana barely sat up, looking about in bewilderment. Ruslan bent over her, and she saw her father and Oleg running toward them.
«I’ve almost killed your daughter, Mr. Limpson,» Ruslan explained helping her get up. «It was my fault. The crane did elevate the weight, but the cable wasn’t rated for the double load.»
Everybody looked at the pile of broken slabs, and at the scraps of the cable above them.
«I’m fired, Mr. Limpson, aren’t I?» Ruslan asked calmly.
«It was human error,» Mr. Limpson replied, hugging the shaken Lana. «And all is well that ends well. Would you like to hear more proverbs?»
«What an opportunity I’ve just missed!» Oleg said to himself. «Her pop’s smart, but I bet that dimwitted thing doesn’t even realize that this damn Ruslan saved her life.»
As if confirming this thought Lana addressed him. «Oleg, take me home, please. I don’t feel well.»
«Take care!» Mr. Limpson kissed his daughter and turned to Ruslan. «Okay, let’s try again.»
They started talking, and Oleg took Lana to his car.
The businessman paused, then addressed Ruslan. «Thank you for rescuing my daughter.»
«You’re welcome,» he quietly replied, and Mr. Limpson gazed at the young man.
«I think you like my daughter, don’t you?»
«Yes, I do,» Ruslan voiced indifferently. «I’m straight. I like girls, not males.»
«I mean, you risked your life for her.»
«Once, in Moscow,» Ruslan grinned, looking at the businessman with a challenge. «I saw a crow entangled in the phone wire. I climbed up, cut the wire and freed the bird. I spent fifteen days in jail because of that, Mr. Limpson. But I wasn’t sorry. If I see a living being in trouble I try to help no matter who it is.»
«Come on.» Mr. Limpson snorted. «I’ve been watching you for a long time, dear Ruslan. I bet you want to sleep with Lana, eh?»
«If I want to sleep with a slut,» retorted the Russian. «I’d rather use a professional prostitute.»
Shocked, Mr. Limpson barely maintained control of himself.
«We are talking about my daughter,» he finally exhaled.
«Really?» Ruslan did not move his eyes aside. «I thought we were talking about someone who doesn’t care with whom they sleep. Sorry, but it’s the softest word that I know to call such a person.»
«I’m forbidding you, Mr. Grafinsky, to talk about my daughter like this!» roared the incensed businessman, then he sighed. «I believe my poor girl truly loves that damn bastard, and you have no right to blame her for that.»