When He Was Bad
Page 34

Oh, sweetie, he can. He does. I warned you, wolves arent hit often but when they are . . . bam! Then they hold on for dear life. Especially the males.
The worst part is, hes so damn nice. I meanIrene leaned up, resting her elbows and hands on her deskif he were a total butthead, I could rip him to shreds without even a thought. Slash, slash, slash and Id leave him like so many men and students before him. But hes nice. Really nice. Ive never had anyone be so nice to me.
Hes always liked you, Irene.
Great. Youre delusional too.
He has. Youve always been oblivious but I see all, sweets, and that doggie has had it bad for you from the beginning.
I thought he only wanted sexual intercourse.
Stop calling it that. And maybe thats all he wanted in the beginning. To start. But apparently thats changed. Personally, I knew it was a done deal soon as he got you to laugh.
With an annoyed growl, Irene laid her head back on the desk. As soon as she did, the phone rang. She didnt even have to answer it to know who was on the other end.
Snatching the phone off the receiver, she snapped, Yes?
Hey, doc.
She viciously tamped down that burst of nervous excitement his voice elicited from her every damn time she heard it. Van Holtz.
I want to see you tonight.
Ive got work to do.
How about seven? Meet me at the restaurant; well go from there.
Ive got work to do.
Dont worry about dressing up. Just casual. Jeans, T-shirt.
Ive got work to do.
See ya then.
Ive got work But hed already hung up.
Irene returned the phone to the receiver. I talk and talk and its like Im saying nothing.
Its a wolf thing, sweetie.
What is? Rudeness?
The ignoring. All canines do it. You say no, dont eat the food from the table, and they go right on eating the food from the table, giving you that innocent look the whole time.
So what do I do? Hit him with a rolled-up newspaper?
Well, that depends on you.
How?
The question you need to ask yourself is whether you really want him to stop?
I dont under
Do you love him, Irene?
What? No! Dont be ridiculous! Why are you even asking me? Shut up.
Okay. Ill take that as a yes.
Dont you dare. I dont love him. I dont love you, for that matter.
Liar,Jackie mocked with a smile.
I dont love anyone. Im cold and calculating and a vicious, heartless bitch. Shed been repeating that to herself for three days. Even when he showed up on her doorstep every night and she let him in. Even when he took her to bed and made sure she didnt get a bit of sleep. Even as he fucked her so hard and long that she could barely remember her name, much less theorems and lab results. Even then, she kept reminding herself what a cold, calculating, vicious, heartless bitch she still was. And when I see that rich idiot, thats exactly what Im going to tell him.
Uh-huh.
You dont think I will?
I dont think youll have the chance.
Ill make the chance, Irene vowed.
And these are my uncles Geert and Volker.
Even as Irene said her polite hellos and shook the hands of his many uncles, Van could hear those teeth grinding. He started wondering if dental work would be necessary at this rate.
So, youve met everyone . . . who resides in North America.
You can meet the rest of the brood at Christmas, his Uncle Ulbrecht promised, and Van saw Irene clench her fists even while she nodded. To his family Irene probably appeared the most polite woman any of them had ever brought home. But Van knew better. She wouldnt embarrass herself in front of them, but once he got her alone . . . eesh.
Irene looked at him over her shoulder and before she could speak he said, Dinners ready.
The family moved toward the dining room. He took Irenes hand and, to his surprise, she didnt pull it away. Instead, she turned and faced him. Leaning in close as if to whisper something to him, she grabbed his cock with her free hand and twisted.
Van grunted and closed his eyes. He wanted to do more than that, but Irene knew he wouldnt show the weakness to his family.
What Im currently doing, I can assure you, is not an accident, she spit out between clenched teeth and then tugged to make her point. Understand?
He nodded and she released him, heading off to the dining room.
Thankfully the dinner itself went quickly and as planned. Van could see Irenes years of experience coming to the fore as she deftly handled each of his uncles and aunts, never once betraying how angry she really was. Which, to be quite honest, he appreciated. He hadnt planned to ambush her like this but his father had put together this little event and made it clear he wanted Irene to attend. Since shed kept Van at an emotional distance after he dropped her off at her house Monday morningand told the wolves waiting for them to guard her like their lives depended on ithe knew shed never willingly agree. So, yeah, he kidnapped her, in theory.