Chapter 18

He put the newspaper on the table, and I ventured:

“Just two. Why do you lie? You are badly hurt, and it hurts.”

He snorted, but at least he answered me.

“It’s not that serious, trust me.”

“But your friend said it was infected and he didn’t know how you’re still standing. Is it true? Is it that bad?”

“I thought you only had two questions, Johanna. And both are irrelevant, for now.”

Every time he said my name in that deep, thick voice, he sounded more and more intimidating. Once again, I felt the burning in my stomach, that whirlpool that translated into an impatient knot. How did his voice do that to me? Were ordinary people also affected by his “alpha” influence? Plus, with so much diplomacy and his ability to always remain neutral, it was difficult for me to read him as well as Ivan seemed to read me. The next time, I tried not to let the growls coming from his throat get to me.

“Okay,” I agreed, using the same warning tone he had. “I’ll o