Page 17 of His Wild Attraction

I listened quietly, allowing her to finish, and pretending that I hadn’t already read every bit of information I could find on Ellie Maxwell and Gary Peters.

It wasn’t like I could interrupt her. Besides, it was probably cathartic.

Ellie was a survivor. A goddamn warrior. And I was so fucking proud of her.

But I wouldn’t tell her I knew all about it.

I mean, how would I even begin to explain the lines I’d crossed?

I couldn’t.

So I didn’t even try.

“My father was an important businessman. But he was old-fashioned, and he was a lot older by the time I was born. His ideas of what was appropriate for a female were seriously outdated, but I didn’t know any better, and really, my interests were always a bit different,” she said, and I leaned closer.

Maybe she was right.

I never heard her talk about what she liked and disliked before. Those were secret things. Things I longed for her to share with me because she wanted to.

“I didn’t really push to finish college. I had my own reading preferences, and I enjoyed cooking, baking, and crafts. I know I seem simple and maybe even dumb, but it was what I liked?—”

“Hey, don’t call yourself that. But liked? As in past tense?” I couldn’t help but interrupt.

“Oh, well, I don’t know. I mean, I still like cooking. But, well, it’s been a long time since I thought about what I liked,” she mumbled, frowning.

I wanted to reach across the distance between us and smooth out the lines on her forehead.

Ellie should never frown. She should only smile.

I could learn what makes her smile.

“Um, the point I was making is maybe some of the fault for my failed marriage is on me?—”

“No,” I said, suddenly furious. “Don’t you dare blame yourself for anything that happened between you and that pitiful fucking excuse for a human being.”

“I-I just meant that maybe Gary was expecting someone with more sophisticated tastes and business understanding. Not to mention a better inheritance. But my father never intended for me to run the company. Gary assumed marrying me would make him a shoo-in. But it didn’t, and he hated me for it,” she stated.

“Ellie, I think I should probably interrupt you here and explain that I know all about your father’s will and the state of the company. Josef already asked me to dig into Maxwell Mining.”

“He did?”

“Yes. I hope that is okay with you. It’s sort of what I do for Volkov Industries. Acquire businesses in trouble. Root out the problems. Make them better. Make them earn. Sorry, um, please continue,” I said.

“Right,” she began, “so, I don’t know if his intentions towards me were anything other than mercenary, and I feel stupid for not knowing. Leaving him was necessary. He, uh, he,” she paused.

“Ellie, it’s okay,” I whispered her name.

I was caught between wanting her to continue and not wanting it. I couldn’t just sit there and listen to her tell me how this man hurt her.

Not without wanting to kill him.

But Ellie needed me to listen. She needed someone to lean on, and I could do that. For her, I would do that.

So, I forced myself to be still and silent while she had her say.

I watched her, helpless to do anything else, while she wrung her hands together and shrugged. She lifted her tear filled golden green eyes to mine, and my heart damn near broke.

Rage turned my vision red, but it wasn’t directed at her.

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