“Then get in the car,” the man said, pitching his voice low as a group of women crossed the street in front of them, passing Elena with long looks and raised brows.
She didn’t know any of them, but that didn’t mean they didn’t recognize her. Elena hadn’t had many friends in school, and far too many enemies to keep track of. They could be anyone.
“I don’t believe you’ll take me where I want to go,” Elena said, pausing to cross her arms high on her chest as she craned her head back to look at the guard dead in the eyes. Knew it was true by the flicker of unease in his flat, brown gaze.
“If I take you anywhere but where he’s allowed me to, it’ll be my head,” the man bit out, conceding a small step away from Elena to give her space. No longer looming over her, trying to intimidate her response.
“Then I’ll take myself there,” Elena said, giving another abbreviated shrug as she let her arms drop. Steps quick and light, she began heading down the street again.
The surge of elation at her victory was short lived as they fell into step around her. She knew they’d get into trouble over this. It’s not as if she gave them any choice, but that wouldn’t matter. Leon would punish them all for her transgressions, though shedoubted the Beta guards would receive the full brunt of his anger.
That would be saved for the small Omega under his thumb.
Elena’s steps tried to falter, to swing her back around as she thought of the many ways Leon might punish her. She still bore the wounds of his last “lesson.” What damage could he do now that no one would say a word otherwise?
Ducking her head with her resolve, she was more determined now than ever to not be so wholly dependent upon him. She would have to turn to him for so many things now, but her upkeep wouldn’t be one of them. A small, paltry thing to let her pride get snagged upon, but it was the only thing left to her.
Perhaps she could be braver still and hide the money away for some escape. Elena could get word to Jamie somehow, plead for his help. He’d always been there for her. Jamie would never deny her.
Breaths coming fast and hard as this new plan began to unfold in all its brilliant insanity, Elena almost passed the office of her father’s lawyer entirely. She executed a tight turn, nearly barreling into one of the guards trailing her before she slid through the heavy doors into the musty coolness of the law offices.
She knew this route by heart, though she’d only been there the once. The day so fateful it’d been ingrained in her memory. She went to the elevators, pushed the button, and emerged exhausted and wrung out.
Her nerves frayed, sizzling and popping just under her skin until she scratched at her arms to rid them of the sensation.
“I’m here to see Mr. Lamberti,” Elena said to the secretary sitting behind a wide oak desk.
“He’s otherwise engaged, ma’am,” the woman said, giving Elena a long once over before her gaze flicked to the guards. “If you’d like to leave your name and information he’ll?—”
“No, I want to see him now. Tell him it’s Miss Costanzo—I mean, Mrs. Marchetti to see him.”
It was only a tiny stretching of the truth. Omegas were never married as Betas were, but they did take the name of their Alpha when claimed. This woman would have no idea that Leon had yet to fully claim her and that their binding was strictly on paper.
The woman’s eyes widened a fraction. She picked up the phone, punching a number in before a dull tone sounded through the speaker. “A Mrs. Marchetti to see you, sir.”
The secretary murmured something Elena couldn’t quite catch before she smiled wide and gestured at the closed office door. “He’ll see you now.”
“I believe congratulations are in order,” Mr. Lamberti crowed as Elena slipped into his office, leaving the guards behind for the moment. “To what do I owe this honor? I can’t believe Mr. Marchetti would be looking for a new lawyer…?”
“No,” Elena said with a shake of her head. “Nothing like that.”
“Ah.” Mr. Lamberti fell into his chair, the seat groaning under his considerable weight as he leaned forward to press steepled fingers against his chin. “Then what do you want, Miss Costanzo?”
“It’s Mrs. Marchetti now,” Elena said coolly as she took the chair before the desk. “And you said that the remainder of my father’s estate would be mine when I was mated.”
“Of course, of course.”
“Well? I’m mated now, when will I receive the money?”
“I can have it wired this very afternoon.”
“Good. And you have all the information you need for that to be done?”
“Yes, indeed,” Lamberti said, his gaze sliding over Elena in a way she found decidedly uncomfortable. “You can of course come to me for anything, Miss Costanzo. Day or night.”
“I believe this will be the last of the services my family needs from you, sir,” Elena said, rising from the chair. She smoothed the lines of her dress, stepping behind the chair to hide a good portion of her body from Lamberti’s lurid gaze.
What on earth was that about?
