Wolf with Benefits
Page 107
Honestly, all she cared about was getting her turns perfect, her extensions long, and her position as a world-famous prima ballerina secure.
Anything else didnt mean much to her.
As Oriana worked her way through her oatmeal, her siblings came to the table. Five-year-old Dennis and the twins would be staying with their father for the day while the rest of them had classes all over the city. Well . . . all except Delilah, but she never really figured in their family plans. If Oriana was to be honest, Delilah never seemed part of the family at all. As horrible as Oriana, Kyle, and Troy could be to anyone who got in their way, Delilah was definitely worse. Like a dangerously unstable visiting relative rather than an immediate member of the family they were all forced to tolerate.
And while the rest of the kids tore into the breakfast their mother had made, Delilah silently slipped out the back door, probably not to be seen again until much later tonight.
Involuntarily shuddering, still seeing that blade perilously close to her eyes, Oriana went back to focusing on eating her breakfast when she saw Freddys head snap up. He sniffed the air again, his little face twisting as he tried to make sense of what he was smelling. But then his eyes grew wide, his face flushing with excitement, and he jumped off his chair and took off running.
When their mother and father grinned at each other and pushed away from the table, Oriana knew that Toni was home. The rest of the kids followed their parents except for Oriana, Kyle, and Troy.
I guess shes back then, Kyle muttered into his plate of eggs and bacon.
Troy pushed his food away. Finally. Thought she was planning to stay in Russia, she took so long.
Maybe she should have. Oriana scratched the back of her neck.
Yeah, Troy agreed. Because we dont need her.
Right. Kyle nodded. We dont need her. He briefly toyed with his bacon before adding, And we should tell her that to her face.
Agreeing, the three of them jumped up from the table and headed for the front door. To tell their sister how they didnt need her. At all.
Toni had just put Freddy back on the floor after hugging the little bugger off his little feet and she was reaching for Dennis when she was tackled by three insolent bastards. She would have hit the floor, too, if Ricky hadnt been standing behind her. He kept her standing as Oriana, Kyle, and Troy all hugged her tight.
Shocked, Toni immediately looked at Coop. He was no help, though, laughing and turning away from her.
How dare you! Oriana snarled. How dare you leave us alone with that . . . that . . .
Neanderthal! Troy filled in.
He got you guys a workable schedule, didnt he? Toni asked, awkwardly patting the backs of Oriana and Troy while Kyle hugged her waist.
Thats not the point! Troy argued.
But Toni knew what the point was. While Bo could organize anything, he wouldnt be nice about it. He wouldnt take sensitivities into account the way Toni would. Of course, shed known that when Ricky had suggestedhim . . . and that was the main reason shed eventually agreed. Because someone nice would only get run over by the Jean-Louis Parker Family Train.
As Tonis dad always said, When dealing with ancient Romans, you really need a Hannibal the Great to kick their ass.
Her father was a bit of a Roman history buff.
You all seemed to survive, she reminded her siblings.
Barely, Troy muttered.
Toni watched her own Hannibal the Great stomp down the stairs of her familys rental house with his duffel bag. Behind him was . . . somebody.
Youre back, Bo said when he stood in front of her.
I am. Do you want an update on what hap
Later. I need ice time.
Well, thank you for
Whatever. I need ice time.
Okay.
The hybrid stared down at her and Toni stared back, not sure what he wanted.
I need ice time, he repeated.
Yes. I know.
But youre in my way.
Oh. Right. Toni quickly stepped out of the way of the door, pulling her siblings with her. But while she wrangled her sisters and brothers, shed abandoned Ricky and Vic Barinov, whom she couldnt seem to shake since theyd landed in the States.
Hi, Toni! said the somebody with Bo.
Oh. Hi. Um . . .
The somebodys face fell. Blayne.
Right! Right. Toni nodded. Hi.
Are you gonna move? Bo asked Ricky.
Sure. What do you want to see? The Cabbage Patch? And then the crazed wolf began to do the goddamn Cabbage Patch. Right there. In her hallway, with her family watching, and at Bo Novikov.
Pushing Oriana and Kyle behind her, Toni reached over and grabbed Ricky Lees forearm, using all her strength to yank him to her side.
Which left Bo Novikov staring down Vic Barinov.
And it was intense. Like something out of Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom intense. Two bear males squaring off over a deer carcass intense.
Lips pulled back over fangs that extended out of gums, saliva pouring onto the floor as forehead rammed against forehead, and then there was the roaring. Good God! The roaring! It was so instantaneous and rage-filled that Toni was sure they knew each other.
Toni immediately looked to her parents, but they were already moving, the twins in her fathers armsboth girls fighting their father because they wanted to see the bloodshedher mother holding the hands of Freddy and Dennis. They disappeared down the hallway, knowing Toni would take care of the older kids. Yet even though Toni was willing to put herself between danger and the others, she knew she wouldnt have to. Kyle and Oriana would never risk any harm that could stop them from doing what they loved. Cherise was already easing away. Coop was pretty fast when he wanted to be and hed take care of Troy. Delilah wasnt even there and Toni never worried about her anyway.
Anything else didnt mean much to her.
As Oriana worked her way through her oatmeal, her siblings came to the table. Five-year-old Dennis and the twins would be staying with their father for the day while the rest of them had classes all over the city. Well . . . all except Delilah, but she never really figured in their family plans. If Oriana was to be honest, Delilah never seemed part of the family at all. As horrible as Oriana, Kyle, and Troy could be to anyone who got in their way, Delilah was definitely worse. Like a dangerously unstable visiting relative rather than an immediate member of the family they were all forced to tolerate.
And while the rest of the kids tore into the breakfast their mother had made, Delilah silently slipped out the back door, probably not to be seen again until much later tonight.
Involuntarily shuddering, still seeing that blade perilously close to her eyes, Oriana went back to focusing on eating her breakfast when she saw Freddys head snap up. He sniffed the air again, his little face twisting as he tried to make sense of what he was smelling. But then his eyes grew wide, his face flushing with excitement, and he jumped off his chair and took off running.
When their mother and father grinned at each other and pushed away from the table, Oriana knew that Toni was home. The rest of the kids followed their parents except for Oriana, Kyle, and Troy.
I guess shes back then, Kyle muttered into his plate of eggs and bacon.
Troy pushed his food away. Finally. Thought she was planning to stay in Russia, she took so long.
Maybe she should have. Oriana scratched the back of her neck.
Yeah, Troy agreed. Because we dont need her.
Right. Kyle nodded. We dont need her. He briefly toyed with his bacon before adding, And we should tell her that to her face.
Agreeing, the three of them jumped up from the table and headed for the front door. To tell their sister how they didnt need her. At all.
Toni had just put Freddy back on the floor after hugging the little bugger off his little feet and she was reaching for Dennis when she was tackled by three insolent bastards. She would have hit the floor, too, if Ricky hadnt been standing behind her. He kept her standing as Oriana, Kyle, and Troy all hugged her tight.
Shocked, Toni immediately looked at Coop. He was no help, though, laughing and turning away from her.
How dare you! Oriana snarled. How dare you leave us alone with that . . . that . . .
Neanderthal! Troy filled in.
He got you guys a workable schedule, didnt he? Toni asked, awkwardly patting the backs of Oriana and Troy while Kyle hugged her waist.
Thats not the point! Troy argued.
But Toni knew what the point was. While Bo could organize anything, he wouldnt be nice about it. He wouldnt take sensitivities into account the way Toni would. Of course, shed known that when Ricky had suggestedhim . . . and that was the main reason shed eventually agreed. Because someone nice would only get run over by the Jean-Louis Parker Family Train.
As Tonis dad always said, When dealing with ancient Romans, you really need a Hannibal the Great to kick their ass.
Her father was a bit of a Roman history buff.
You all seemed to survive, she reminded her siblings.
Barely, Troy muttered.
Toni watched her own Hannibal the Great stomp down the stairs of her familys rental house with his duffel bag. Behind him was . . . somebody.
Youre back, Bo said when he stood in front of her.
I am. Do you want an update on what hap
Later. I need ice time.
Well, thank you for
Whatever. I need ice time.
Okay.
The hybrid stared down at her and Toni stared back, not sure what he wanted.
I need ice time, he repeated.
Yes. I know.
But youre in my way.
Oh. Right. Toni quickly stepped out of the way of the door, pulling her siblings with her. But while she wrangled her sisters and brothers, shed abandoned Ricky and Vic Barinov, whom she couldnt seem to shake since theyd landed in the States.
Hi, Toni! said the somebody with Bo.
Oh. Hi. Um . . .
The somebodys face fell. Blayne.
Right! Right. Toni nodded. Hi.
Are you gonna move? Bo asked Ricky.
Sure. What do you want to see? The Cabbage Patch? And then the crazed wolf began to do the goddamn Cabbage Patch. Right there. In her hallway, with her family watching, and at Bo Novikov.
Pushing Oriana and Kyle behind her, Toni reached over and grabbed Ricky Lees forearm, using all her strength to yank him to her side.
Which left Bo Novikov staring down Vic Barinov.
And it was intense. Like something out of Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom intense. Two bear males squaring off over a deer carcass intense.
Lips pulled back over fangs that extended out of gums, saliva pouring onto the floor as forehead rammed against forehead, and then there was the roaring. Good God! The roaring! It was so instantaneous and rage-filled that Toni was sure they knew each other.
Toni immediately looked to her parents, but they were already moving, the twins in her fathers armsboth girls fighting their father because they wanted to see the bloodshedher mother holding the hands of Freddy and Dennis. They disappeared down the hallway, knowing Toni would take care of the older kids. Yet even though Toni was willing to put herself between danger and the others, she knew she wouldnt have to. Kyle and Oriana would never risk any harm that could stop them from doing what they loved. Cherise was already easing away. Coop was pretty fast when he wanted to be and hed take care of Troy. Delilah wasnt even there and Toni never worried about her anyway.
