Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 151489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
As usual, Dante never left him to brood in peace for long. A knock on the office door half an hour later was followed immediately by Dante’s entrance. He was the only wolf who didn’t wait for permission to enter, and he was the only one who could get away with it. “Are you done?”
“Is Greta back yet?”
“Got back about ten minutes ago. She’s in the kitchen packing away boxes of some weird herbal tea. Um, I think you might want to know that on my way here I saw Taryn going to refill her coffee mug.”
Trey groaned. “Shit. Tell me they’re not alone.”
“Who do you think will start cursing first?”
Sighing, Trey strolled out of his office en-route to the kitchen to rescue his mate from his rather antisocial, borderline psychotic grandmother.
“I don’t like you.”
Taryn almost laughed at the growling old woman sitting at the table. The second Taryn had entered the kitchen Greta had begun hovering around as Taryn refilled her mug and then perched herself on the counter, dipping mini cookies in her coffee. Going by how nosy Greta appeared to be, Taryn had been expecting her to ply her with dozens of personal questions. Instead, she had sat in total silence as she watched Taryn’s every move, scowling the entire time.
Rather than irritated, Taryn found herself amused. Greta reminded her of her bitter grandmother. She also reminded her of Norman Bates’ mother in Psycho. “Now that’s not a very nice welcome for your grandson’s mate.”
“You might have gotten one if you’d been his true mate,” she snapped, flicking her short fuzzy greying hair away from her face. “But you’re not.”
“No, I’m not.”
“And I don’t like or trust you one little bit.”
Taryn gave a slight shrug. “I guess it’s a good thing that I don’t give a shit.”
A dramatic gasp of outrage escaped from Greta. “How dare you speak to me like that! You will watch your language in my presence.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“This mating-for-a-deal wouldn’t have happened in my day. I told him he didn’t need a mate to build alliances – Darryl won’t go through with his challenge. But did Trey listen to me? Noooo. And now look what we’ve ended up with. A tiny little fart with a tarty tongue. All his life I warned him about power hungry females, but has he listened to me? Noooo. He’s not only gone and brought one home, but he’s mated with her. Well you just remember that you won’t be here for long. And don’t expect me to treat you as Alpha female. You’re nothing as far as I’m concerned. Just some cling-on slut who wants a position she never would have had if she hadn’t made a deal with my grandson.”
Taryn cocked her head at the old woman. “So…the dead do contact us.”
Greta growled and pointed at her. “I’ve seen your sort before.”
“Really?”
“Common. Disrespectful. A hussy -”
“How did you know I was a hussy?” It was a strain not to laugh as the woman became more and more irritated by Taryn’s lack of reaction to her taunts. Greta had nothing on her own grandmother.
“- and as if that’s not bad enough, you’re blonde. That’s all we need, isn’t it. A bimbo.”
“Hmm. I really hope I don’t sound condescending – that means talking down to someone – but, you know, you really shouldn’t believe everything you think.”
Another growl. “My grandson doesn’t need a hussy.”
“Well he must want one.”
“He’ll want you out of here as soon as he sees what you’re really like. He’ll sling you out. Yeah, and he won’t be gentle about it.”
“Oh I do love a rough touch,” said Taryn dreamily.
“Think you’re funny, do you? Think you’re smart?”
“You want to know what I think? Okay. I think you’ve been behaving as mistress of the place because your Trey’s grandmother. You look at me and you see a threat to your lovely little world and you don’t like it. Well I’ll tell you something, Greta. If you think I’ll be scared away by a sour crone who’s so old she dreams in black and white then you’re in for a massive disappointment. I made a deal with Trey, and I’ll be here until I’ve lived up to my half of it. In the meantime, feel free to keep up the insults and the intimidation techniques – all I ask is that if at any point it seems like I care please tell me because I really don’t want you getting the wrong impression.”
Greta, her face purple, slapped her hand down hard on the table. “That’s it. Out. I want you out. Now.” When Taryn just stared at her Greta growled out, “I. Want. You. Out.”
Taryn held up her index finger. “Just give me a second. Attempting to give a fuck…Attempting harder to give a fuck…Sorry, there was an error. Fuck not given.”