Chapter 10
Chapter 10
“Thanks,” she squeaks and sits where I had been.
“Is there something you need to tell me, Violet?” he demands as soon as I walk into my kitchen.
It’s far enough that Riley won’t hear, but there’s not a single place in the apartment where my siblings won’t. I hate it when he calls me that.
“Nothing I can think of,” I say truthfully.
84%
“What is going on with you? You’ve been MIA for three days. You don’t look sick to me. I don’t think I’ve ever even seen you sick before. Then I get here, and your brother is here. I saw the Lycan Tech envelope. Are you quitting?”
“He just brought it to show me that they’re looking for people. I haven’t even opened the envelope. You know how my brother feels about me working for you. I was hungover on Sunday. I slept all day. I haven’t come back because I need to finish packing. You know my lease is up at the end of the month. I told you,”
“Are you upset about the dress? I’ll get you another one.”
“I don’t think you should be getting me anything anymore, Mr. Thorne. I think we need to establish some boundaries moving forward.”
“What are you talking about?”
He’s angry, and I don’t know why the scent makes me step back. It’s unpleasant for some reason. I usually love that he gets mad at things I do to piss him off on purpose. This isn’t on purpose for once. It has nothing to do with him.
“Mr. Thorne, you called me on my day off and brought a stranger into my home. You demanded I make her look pretty so you could take her to a charity event we’ve been attending together for the past five years.
“My official title is V.P. I handle half the responsibilities you do and at the end of the day, I still have to take care of you while you’re off dicking around with whoever you want. You have Riley now. Maybe she can run your suits to the dry cleaner and get you what you need from now on.”
“Are you-” he stops and stares at me for a moment. “Are you jealous of Riley?”
“What? Of course not,”
“I thought we were friends.”
“Friends don’t do what I do for you. Do your other friends know that you have two birthmarks on the inside of your thigh? I’ve seen them because you’ve gotten waxed in front of me. I’ve seen all of you. I just need a break from you. I love my job, and I love y-” I stop myself.
“You’re my best friend,” and with those words, I’m officially the most pathetic bitch in existence.
1/3
30 Wed, 13 Aug
Chapter 10
84%
“Yeah, and if you’re serious about being with Riley, that’s going to be a problem. I’m never going to stop being your friend, but things have gotten a little weird”
“Because of the dress?”
“Fuck the dress,” I snap. “I don’t want a new one, and I didn’t even want that one. I never did. I can get my own fucking dress,”
“Why are you shouting?” he snaps back.
“Because you don’t seem to grasp what I’m trying to tell you, Zander” he flinches at the way his name comes out of my mouth. “Do you need me to send you a fucking email?” is my wolf coming out to play right now of all times? “Because I will.”
“I don’t understand,” he says, looking down at his shoes.
“Think of it this way. If we were in a relationship, this is me telling you I think we should be friends,” I sigh.
“I thought that’s what we were,” he blinks rapidly. I swear men are fucking retarded. “Did you think it was more?”
“No, I didn’t think it was more. I understand my position in your life. I just need less time with you. I can’t have you calling me in the middle of the night to tell me the bitch you’ve been banging for a week dumped you. I can’t pick up your dry cleaning or go looking for you when you disappear for days on end. I’m not your girlfriend or your mother. I thought I was your partner.”
“You are. I didn’t-” he scratches the back of his neck and nods, “Okay, I understand what you’re saying. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel that way.”
“We understand each other, then?”
“Yes,” he nods.
“Why don’t I walk you and Riley down?”
“You don’t have to.”
“I want to,” I shake my head.
He walks out and calls her over. I silently walk them over to the elevator. Before I can hit the G to take us down, he hits the L. for the lobby.
“I parked out on the street today,” he explains.
“Sorry for barging in on you, Vy,” Riley says, inserting herself. “It was nice meeting your siblings.”
“I’m sorry if my sister was rude to you. She’s a daddy’s girl, and my dad isn’t a big fan of Mr.
Thorne,”
“Why?” she asks, looking up at him.
2/3
13:30 Wed, 13 Aug P PO
Chapter 10
༥ . 84%H
20
“When I met Mr. Thorne, my father and I were at each other’s throats. My mom passed away when I was very young, and he thought that only he knew what was best for me. So, when I got a job at Thorne Labs he was pissed that I was able to make it out on my own without him and Vince breathing down my neck,”
“That must have been rough. I’m sorry to hear about your mom. I lost my dad when I was twelve. My mom couldn’t wait to get my brother and me out the door,” she laughs. “I doubt I ever saw her smile bigger than the day I got into NYU.”
“You went to NYU?”
“I still am. I’m working on my LIS master’s.”
“I didn’t know NYU offered a Library Science program,” I say. “What made you choose that?”
“I love books. They hold our history, tell amazing stories, and you never know who you’ll run into at a library,” she says, looking over at Mr. Thorne.
“Is that where you two met?” I almost laugh.
This man has never stepped foot into a fucking library in his life and he has one in the stupid four- story mansion he grew up in. The side-eye he tries to hit me with only makes me want to laugh that much more.
“Yes,” she says, taking his hand. We walk out of the elevator. My eyes tear up from how hard I’m holding
made you go into finance?” I my laughter. “What about you?]
“This job. I actually have a few degrees in different things, all except finance. That was something I grew up with. My grandfather on my mother’s side was a huge contributor to TL.”
the her
“Oh, wow,” she says, tucking her purse under her arm. “What degrees do you have?”
“Violetta,” the hairs on the back of my neck stand at the sound of his voice, and every logical and snarky remark flies out the window. I turn around to see Alpha Barnes leaning against a chopper with his arms crossed over his chest. The sound of confusion that comes out of me makes him smirk. “Baby, I think I warned you the last time we saw each other.”
3/3
