Heart of the Wolf Read Online Free PDF

him. He could hardly blame her for that, but he couldn’t let her risk her life in order to push him away, either. He crouched in front of her, keeping his hands to himself, not wanting to risk a touch between them when she was this vulnerable.
    “Who knows about your wolf, Kathryn?”
    She focused on him with obvious difficulty, and he watched with admiration as she visibly pulled herself together. She licked her lips.
    “No one,” she said weakly, then drew herself up and spoke firmly. “ Preston knew. Why do you think he paid my father so much for me?” she added bitterly.
    Ren clenched his jaw so tightly, he could hear his bones grinding. Dominick Bartek had always been ruthlessly practical, but this was a new low, even for him. “Who else?” he ground out.
    Kathryn glanced at him nervously. “Tommy. He had to know,” she added quickly, forestalling Ren’s protest. “He goes with me to the country house every month for the full moon. He’s never actually seen my wolf, but he’s not stupid.”
    “Why not go to Clanhome? You would have been safe—”
    She gave a hysterical bark of laugher. “There is no safety at Clanhome for me, Renjiro. There never was. Besides, Tommy loves me. He’d never—”
    Ren couldn’t stop his growl of rage. He stood up, shoving the chair and Kathryn away, and forced himself to walk to the other side of the room. He stood there for several seconds until he was certain of his control. And then he turned back to her.
    “Is that all?” It came out as a snarl. The wolf was still too close to the surface.
    “Well, you know. How long did you say you’d been in the city, Ren?”
    He jerked back as if she’d slapped him. She might as well have. “Fine,” he said in a barely discernible growl. “If that’s how you want to play this, Kathryn, then fine.”
    “That’s how it is , Ren. What I want doesn’t matter. It never has.”
    “What about the money?” he asked bluntly.
    “What money?”
    “Don’t be stupid,” he snapped, abruptly tired of this whole charade. “ Preston ’s money. I’m assuming you get most of it, or at least a big chunk. So who gets it if you die? There’s always a provision in these wills. You have to survive your husband ,” he said the two words with deliberate emphasis, “by at least sixty days to inherit. So who inherits if you die?”
    Kathryn stared at him as if she’d never even considered the possibility. “It goes to a charitable trust,” she said finally. “An old one set up ages ago by Preston ’s grandparents.”
    “What about his children from the previous marriage?”
    “No. The estate is already split three ways. And the same provision applies to them. Any unclaimed bequest goes to the trust. Besides, Phoebe and Preston Junior like me much better than they ever liked their father.” She smiled as if at a private joke. Ren wasn’t amused.
    “I want the name of the estate lawyer. In the meantime, you stay inside until you hear from me.”
    “I don’t need to stay inside. Tommy can—”
    “You willing to bet Tommy’s life on that, sweetheart? That bullet was a three-thirty-eight. It would go right through Tommy to get to you. I don’t think he’d make it. How about you?”
    “Bastard.”
    “You bet. That’s why your dear old daddy keeps me around.” He started for the door, more than ready to get the hell out of there. He yanked the door open, crossing the hall to where Tommy stood watching him warily.
    After pulling out a business card, Ren handed it to the bodyguard, who took it automatically. “I’ll need the name of the estate attorney. You can leave it on voice mail at that number.”
    Then he turned and strode down the hallway, not needing the housekeeper or anyone else to tell him where the front door was.
    He didn’t stop until he was outside, buttoning his coat against the cold with angry jerks.
    “Well, that went well,” he muttered to himself.
    He shook his head in disgust and checked his watch.