Wolf with Benefits
Page 73
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While were waiting for Bo to come back with the kids, Blayne went on, would you like to go get some coffee or
Irene suddenly took hold of Blaynes forearm, gripping her tight. Like Paul, Irene knew how to read Jack like a book. It helped them work together to keep her calm. Come with me, Irene ordered.
Where to? Blayne innocently asked.
Any place where we can intelligently discuss why your fianc is so freakishly large and inhuman looking. Was he subject to radiation while in his mothers womb?
Jackie snorted a laugh and quickly buried her face against Pauls neck while Paul bit the inside of his cheek hard so he didnt laugh.
Blayne stopped walking right outside the living room and frowned at Irene. Wait . . . what?
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Nothing like a nearly fourteen-hour flight to make a girl miserable.
Even though flying on Madra Airlines meant that Toni and the wolf could stretch their legs out since the plane was designed with Russian and Alaskan bears in mind. They also got to choose between entrees like cow, gazelle, buffalo, zebra; and for the polars, whale and seal blubber.
Other than that, it was still the same, excruciatingly long flight it always was whether a shifter-run flight or full-human.
Dropping her bag to the ground, Toni took a long, much-needed stretch, then did an allover shake.
Once done with that, Toni pulled out the itinerary from the back pocket of her jeans.
Okay. Now we need to get to . . . Tonis words faded out when she sensed someone standing in front of her. Slowly, she raised her gaze up and up and up some more to the male standing in front of her.
Hi ya, he said, and smiled at her.
Hello.
Im Vic Barinov.
Hey, Vic, Ricky said, holding out his hand and shaking.
Ricky Lee. Long time. He motioned with his head. Lets go. Ive got a car waiting for us. Itll take us to a private airstrip.
Toni looked down at the itinerary. But were taking the Trans Siberian Ex
Thats changed, Barinov told them. You dont want to be caught on a train if theres a problem.
Toni, completely confused, shook her head. I dont . . . I mean . . . She looked at the two males watching her. What Im trying to say is . . . you both know Im only going to negotiate a deal between our hockey team and the Russians, right? Its not like Im Double O-Seven, trying to set up an arms deal.
A low rumble rolled out of Barinov while Ricky just grinned at her.
Aint she cute? the wolf asked.
Very. Lets go.
Great. Another male ignoring her.
Who is thatguy? she asked Ricky.
Thats Vic Barinov.
I know his name, Ricky Lee. Who, and for that matter, what is he? Because hes not just some security guy.
Hes a former Marine or Navy SEAL. Something like that. Born and raised in the States, but his parents were born and raised here in Russia. His daddys Kamchatka grizzly and his mommas Siberian tiger.
Hes our protection.
Trust me, darlinRicky laughed, putting his arm around her shouldersthat boy aint gonna cause any problems if it means hell have to deal with Dee-Ann Smith for even two seconds.
Toni thought about that as they headed toward the exit, pushing past tourists and locals rushing to their flights. And Toni realized . . . Ricky was absolutely right. No one wanted to deal with Dee-Ann if they didnt have to.
Devon Junior Barton had been on Iowas Death Row for more than ten years. Hed started out with life, but after killing a couple of fellow inmates, he earned a cell on death row. Not that he cared. Junior didnt care about much. He hadnt cared about the addicts hed sold drugs to. He hadnt cared about the dealers hed hired that, when theyd cheated him, hed beaten to death with pipes. He definitely hadnt cared when hed strangled the life out of his third wife or that his daughter had been watching when hed done it.
Junior Barton didnt care about much. What was the point? He did get bored a lot, but there were always those who wanted to save him. The religious ones who wanted to save his soulthey were always fun to torment. And the ones who just wanted to save his life because they thought the death penalty was wrong. And, when he was really bored, he could write his daughter and with just a few well-placed words, turn her life into a flashback nightmare that sent her screaming to her therapist.
It really didnt matter to him; it was all just a game.
So when that really big C.O. suddenly appeared at his cell and told him he had visitors at one in the morning . . . Junior didnt really care. Hed assumed it was time for a beating from the guards, but this particular guarda big black guy named Gowandidnt spend much time around the others. He didnt speak much in general and most of the other inmates gave him a wide berth. The crazy ones never threw shit at him when they flipped out, and the dangerous ones never tried to cut him or gouge out an eye. There were other big, black guards at this prison, but this particular one . . . he was different.
So when Gowan kept walking until they reached the same room where Junior had met that priest he knew he could easily make fall in love with him, he began to wonder what was going on. And he wondered if it would be something fun.
Irene suddenly took hold of Blaynes forearm, gripping her tight. Like Paul, Irene knew how to read Jack like a book. It helped them work together to keep her calm. Come with me, Irene ordered.
Where to? Blayne innocently asked.
Any place where we can intelligently discuss why your fianc is so freakishly large and inhuman looking. Was he subject to radiation while in his mothers womb?
Jackie snorted a laugh and quickly buried her face against Pauls neck while Paul bit the inside of his cheek hard so he didnt laugh.
Blayne stopped walking right outside the living room and frowned at Irene. Wait . . . what?
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Nothing like a nearly fourteen-hour flight to make a girl miserable.
Even though flying on Madra Airlines meant that Toni and the wolf could stretch their legs out since the plane was designed with Russian and Alaskan bears in mind. They also got to choose between entrees like cow, gazelle, buffalo, zebra; and for the polars, whale and seal blubber.
Other than that, it was still the same, excruciatingly long flight it always was whether a shifter-run flight or full-human.
Dropping her bag to the ground, Toni took a long, much-needed stretch, then did an allover shake.
Once done with that, Toni pulled out the itinerary from the back pocket of her jeans.
Okay. Now we need to get to . . . Tonis words faded out when she sensed someone standing in front of her. Slowly, she raised her gaze up and up and up some more to the male standing in front of her.
Hi ya, he said, and smiled at her.
Hello.
Im Vic Barinov.
Hey, Vic, Ricky said, holding out his hand and shaking.
Ricky Lee. Long time. He motioned with his head. Lets go. Ive got a car waiting for us. Itll take us to a private airstrip.
Toni looked down at the itinerary. But were taking the Trans Siberian Ex
Thats changed, Barinov told them. You dont want to be caught on a train if theres a problem.
Toni, completely confused, shook her head. I dont . . . I mean . . . She looked at the two males watching her. What Im trying to say is . . . you both know Im only going to negotiate a deal between our hockey team and the Russians, right? Its not like Im Double O-Seven, trying to set up an arms deal.
A low rumble rolled out of Barinov while Ricky just grinned at her.
Aint she cute? the wolf asked.
Very. Lets go.
Great. Another male ignoring her.
Who is thatguy? she asked Ricky.
Thats Vic Barinov.
I know his name, Ricky Lee. Who, and for that matter, what is he? Because hes not just some security guy.
Hes a former Marine or Navy SEAL. Something like that. Born and raised in the States, but his parents were born and raised here in Russia. His daddys Kamchatka grizzly and his mommas Siberian tiger.
Hes our protection.
Trust me, darlinRicky laughed, putting his arm around her shouldersthat boy aint gonna cause any problems if it means hell have to deal with Dee-Ann Smith for even two seconds.
Toni thought about that as they headed toward the exit, pushing past tourists and locals rushing to their flights. And Toni realized . . . Ricky was absolutely right. No one wanted to deal with Dee-Ann if they didnt have to.
Devon Junior Barton had been on Iowas Death Row for more than ten years. Hed started out with life, but after killing a couple of fellow inmates, he earned a cell on death row. Not that he cared. Junior didnt care about much. He hadnt cared about the addicts hed sold drugs to. He hadnt cared about the dealers hed hired that, when theyd cheated him, hed beaten to death with pipes. He definitely hadnt cared when hed strangled the life out of his third wife or that his daughter had been watching when hed done it.
Junior Barton didnt care about much. What was the point? He did get bored a lot, but there were always those who wanted to save him. The religious ones who wanted to save his soulthey were always fun to torment. And the ones who just wanted to save his life because they thought the death penalty was wrong. And, when he was really bored, he could write his daughter and with just a few well-placed words, turn her life into a flashback nightmare that sent her screaming to her therapist.
It really didnt matter to him; it was all just a game.
So when that really big C.O. suddenly appeared at his cell and told him he had visitors at one in the morning . . . Junior didnt really care. Hed assumed it was time for a beating from the guards, but this particular guarda big black guy named Gowandidnt spend much time around the others. He didnt speak much in general and most of the other inmates gave him a wide berth. The crazy ones never threw shit at him when they flipped out, and the dangerous ones never tried to cut him or gouge out an eye. There were other big, black guards at this prison, but this particular one . . . he was different.
So when Gowan kept walking until they reached the same room where Junior had met that priest he knew he could easily make fall in love with him, he began to wonder what was going on. And he wondered if it would be something fun.
