No, I’m being ridiculous.
I toss it aside again and pick up a file folder, determined to work on my briefs. But the anger and humiliation refuse to let me go. Fine, anger is an old friend of mine. I can be angry.
Mark humiliated me in court today. Publicly, not only in front of the jury but the entire city of New York. What if the alphas I face in court for my omega rights cases were watching? Or judges?
He needs a piece of my mind because he dared cross that line and took a swipe at my reputation. I have a moral obligation to confront the alpha who thinks he can push me around.
Satisfied with my line of reasoning, I open my phone and paste the screenshot of Mark’s address into my chat with Tony. He won’t ask questions; he never does. He also never shares his opinions. Well, except about me letting anyone but him drive me. He has very strong opinions about that.
“Pick me up as soon as possible. Please.”
The ping back is nearly instant.
“Ten minutes.”
I often wonder where he goes—ten minutes isn’t time to get much of anywhere in New York—but I stopped asking long ago. He won’t tell me. And considering that I met Tony after I got his cousin, a Russian bratva member, off on an attempted murder charge, it’s probably for the best.
I pace while I wait, rehearsing what I want to say. I’ll show Mark he messed with the wrong damn viper.
Somewhere beneath the anger, a quieter part of me shivers at the thought of being near him in his space, how heavy his scent will be there—I shove the thought aside. No, I’m pissed. That is all I am focusing on.
After a few minutes, I lock up my office and take the elevator back downstairs to the lobby. I smile and nod at our night security guard and wait until I see Tony pull up outside the massive window. I slip on my coat, bracing for the chilly night air. Spring is just settling in around the city, and it is still cool in the evenings.
Tony opens the rear door without comment. Once I’m inside, he returns to his seat and hands me a bottle of water through the partition. He looks pointedly at my seatbelt until I click it in place. “You good?” he asks once the car is moving, accent thick.
“Fine,” I say quickly. “Just drive.”
He nods and eases into traffic. The city rushes by in strips of neon now that most of the traffic has cleared out. I keep my hands folded in my lap, fingers digging into my palms to keep me focused. I can’t let my anger fizzle out, or I’ll lose my nerve.
We pull up in front of Mark’s apartment building, and Tony looks over his shoulder. “You need a gun?”
The question makes me blink. I suppose I should have expected that he would think I was going to confront Mark with violence in mind. “Um, no. I’m just going to yell at him.”
He shrugs. “Gun’s faster.”
“I’m not shooting the District Attorney of Manhattan in his own apartment just because he insulted me, Tony.”
“You want me to?”
The question should horrify me, yet strangely, it makes me smile. It’s sweet, in its own way. “No. Just… wait for me, if you don’t mind. Or I can get a cab.”
He grunts in annoyance and scrolls on his phone, dismissing me and my idea of a different driver. I laugh and step out of the car.
I look up at the apartment building towards the tenth floor, where I know Mark’s apartment will be. A thought occurs to me, and I grimace. I didn’t consider that he might have a doorman. How awkward would that be?“Ms. Ava Kendrick is here to give you a piece of her mind, sir. Should I send her up?”
It’s almost enough to make me get back in the car. Except I’ve never backed down from something I’ve made my mind up to do before, and I will not start now. This bastard called me unprepared in front of the entire city.
It’s definitely not because my omega is pushing me harder than she’s ever pushed for anything in my entire life.
I clench my jaw and stalk to the front door, heels clicking on the pavement. The lobby smells faintly of lemon floor polish. There is thankfullynota doorman, so I’m able to walk straight to the elevator and push the round ten button. The doors close, and I face my reflection in the polished steel. I look pissed, which is good. I also look a little unhinged, which is less so.
My omega, traitorous bitch that she is, is practically purring at the idea of being in his space with only his scent to bask in.
Wait.
Will it?
I actually have no idea whether Mark will even be home. Or worse, what if he isn’t alone?
