No Strings Attached novel (Clara and Ian)

Chapter 45

lan finished scribbling down the word and then let his large hand rest on Clara's thigh, his touch a teasing caress. His gaze was laden with unspoken threats, as if to say, "If you dare make a sound, you won't believe what this hand might do."

Clara wanted to resist, but the fear of Marco discovering her complicated relationship with lan left her feeling trapped. All she could do was lower her head and silently eat her cake, pretending to be absorbed in its sweetness.

lan watched her, a smile tugging at his lips as he felt a strange, tingling sensation envelop him. She was as docile as a kitten, and it sent a shock right through his heart.

His grip on Clara tightened unconsciously. "This student seems pretty sharp," he mused aloud. "How could she pick the wrong guy?"

Marco sighed heavily. "She gave up a promising career in law for that man, and to think, the bastard doesn't even appreciate her. He's been nothing but cruel to her. I'm here to settle the score. I heard he landed her father in jail and is now suing her for assault. I want to see who's got the nerve to mess with my people."

"The nerve of that guy-I'm counting on you this time, lan. I've heard that bastarx has some serious connections, but we're going to take him down together."

The more venomous Mr. Marco's words, the darker lan's expression became.

Anders, sitting off to the side, quickly poured a cup of coffee for Marco, chuckling as he tried to sober Marco up. "Marco, you've had a bit too much to drink. Have some coffee to clear your head." Marco waved him off dismissively. "Anders, lay out the specifics for us. We need to come up with a plan. Clara has been bullied, and we can't just let it slide. Back in the day, she was head over heels for that jerk for seven years."

Before Marco could finish, Clara stood up abruptly, breaking free of lan's grasp. "Marco, my situation is already resolved. You don't need to worry about it."

Marco looked puzzled. "Resolved? How did you manage that?"

"We had a misunderstanding. Once it was cleared up, he agreed to leave my dad alone."

"Really? You better not be lying to me."

"Why would I lie to you? You're back home now, so just enjoy your stay. Anders and I will take you to meet some old classmates and teachers. Let's have a proper reunion."

Marco was reassured by Clara's composed demeanor. He seemed convinced and nodded with a smile. "Well, that's great to hear. It seems that bastard has a bit of a conscience after all. Otherwise, I'd have made sure he paid dearly."

11:13

fan casually raised his glass to Marco. "Dealing with guys like that is my specialty. If you need help, I'm your man." His tone was nonchalant, as if the 'jerk' Marco was referring to wasn't him at all. Anders' face betrayed a hint of bitterness before he excused himself and left the room. Standing in the hallway, he stared out at the glittering night lights, feeling his mood plummet

Anders had sought his father's help to save Casey, but his father had warned him that crossing lan could mean his own downfall. Desperate, Anders had driven overnight to the city to seek out Marco, having heard that Marco had powerful connections in Northbridge that might help stand up to lan.

However, what Anders hadn't expected was that Marco's powerful connection was lan himself.

Feeling a tightness in his chest, Anders lit a cigarette, the flickering flame accentuating his chiseled features.

Just then, Clara's voice came from behind him. "Anders."

He quickly snuffed out the cigarette, turning around with a forced smile. "You came out too?"

Clara stepped closer, tilting her head to look up at him. "Anders, do you look down on me?"

Anders felt his heart contract; his voice came out slightly hoarse. "No, not at all."