“Miss Costanzo, I don’t think?—”
“Ineedthem burned.” The nightmares edged closer, darkening her vision to shades of gray and black.
“I’ll see to it.”
“Thank you.”
Perhaps the ghosts would leave her alone and the nightmares would be held at bay. With the ashes of her father and brothers scattered to the wind, she might be able to sleep.
Closing her eyes against the bright noonday sun streaming through her windows, Elena very much doubted that.
“What do you mean exactly,” Elena asked for what felt like the hundredth time. As if the lawyer would give her a different answer if she repeated it just once more.
“This is hardly complicated, Miss Costanzo,” Mr. Lamberti said, the nasal whine of his voice rising with his impatience. “Your father’s holdings have been diverted to his challenger, as is custom. They are now the property of someone else. Whatever funds remained in his personal accounts was given over to his family. His wife, Linda, has received her portion of this, and a generous stipend handed out to the Omegas. However, he wrote in his will that whatever remained would go to you, provided of course that you had been mated.”
“But I’m not mated.”
“No, you are not. Therefore, you will not be receiving any of it until you are.”
“I don’t understand,” Elena whispered, crumpling the ragged piece of paper in her hand. Her father’s will. A copy, anyways, that bore the brunt of her distress. Dragging her eyes from the creased folds to Mr. Lamberti, her brow furrowed. “How am I supposed to live?”
“There are no clauses for anything else, I’m afraid. Either you find a mate, or you go without.”
“We’re not talking about whether or not my clothing has designer labels, Mr. Lamberti. There are bills to pay on the house, and?—”
“The house is no longer your concern, actually. You’ll needto vacate the premises within the week.” Mr. Lamberti shuffled papers, not even bothering to look at her anymore.
“A week? Where am I supposed to go?”
“As I’ve already told you, Miss Costanzo, if you’d come earlier, I might have been of more assistance.”
“I couldn’t come sooner. In case you haven’t noticed, I was just a tad indisposed,” Elena snapped, holding up her cast.
Mr. Lamberti grunted, nodding his head to the side, though he made no further effort to continue the conversation.
“So, I have a week to pack everything and leave the only home I’ve ever known. With no money and nowhere to go. And find myself a mate. Do I have that right?”
“Withinthe week. That is in three days’ time.”
“Oh, for Gods’ sakes!” Elena lurched from the oversized chair with a growl, her storming exit hindered by the stilted gait of her still healing wounds.
Jamie was at her side as soon as she came out of the office, hand ready to steady her as Elena limped along towards the big brass doors of the elevator.
“Stupid. Arrogant. Prick,” Elena ground out between panting breaths as she waited for the panels to open.
“How bad is it,” Jamie asked as the doors closed behind them.
Giving up on her act of bravery, Elena turned red rimmed eyes up to her sole protector and only friend. “I have three days to get out of the house. No money unless I’m taken as someone’s mate.”
Jamie’s eyebrows lowered, shadowing the soft brown of his eyes as he studied the panel of buttons. “We can sell whatever they didn’t take. Mostly clothes, but there’s a few pieces of jewelry they overlooked. It will net you enough to get a hotel room for a few days at least. I have a rainy day fund I can dip into.”
“I can’t let you do that, Jamie. For Gods’ sakes, I can’t even pay you now! What are you even to live on?”
“Don’t worry about me. There will always be jobs for me out there. Now head up, kid.” Jamie straightened as the bell pealed, announcing their arrival in the lobby of the huge building. A smooth step forward taken as the door rumbled open.
In an attempt to salvage what little of her pride remained, Elena stiffened her spine and kept her chin high as she followed Jamie into the murmuring din. Alphas flowed through the space, their growling conversation battering her from every side. Their hard stares scorched her skin. Taking in the livid bruises, the ugly cast, and her utter lack of proper security.
“Elena?”
