Her feet tried to stumble. She saved it at the last second, sliding the sole of her shoe around to face the voice. No one should be calling to her in such a familiar way, yet once again her humiliation knew no bounds.
Anthony Marchetti stood amid a group of Alphas, their midnight dark suits a stark contrast to the pale blue shirt and casual jeans he wore. Leon’s younger brother, he was a pale copy of his sibling. He wasn’t powerful, not in the ways that mattered to this brutal society they walked in, and whatever wealth he had was tied tightly in his father’s name.
They’d attended the same school for two years, though they’d never run in the same circles. That was before Leon’s betrayal, before Elena was sent off to the private school for Omegas only. She didn’t remember much about him, other than he’d been mean-spirited back then, quick to throw a punch in the cafeteria.
She’d borne the brunt of his particular version of cruel humor more than once.
“Good day, Mr. Marchetti,” she said, already turning to the doors, ready to make a hasty retreat before he could compound the damage his brother had already wreaked.
“Hey, wait up!” Anthony brushed off the restraining hands of his people, jogging to catch up to Elena. He snorted as Jamiemoved to stand between them. “Am I not allowed to make polite conversation with you anymore?”
“You’ve never made polite conversation with me, Mr. Marchetti.”
Elena never would have expected the faint flush to stain his cheeks a rosy amber, or the way Anthony’s brows drew together as he looked down at the grimy sidewalk. He raked a hand through the stiff strands of his hair, giving them an artful tousle.
When he remained silent, Elena began to doubt what she’d perceived as guilt. Anger, maybe, at being called out for his less than noble actions. Scoffing, Elena laid her fingers on Jamie’s arm and started off again. At least they’d managed to find parking close by. Her hip ached, the deep-seated throbbing coursing down into her leg and up her side.
“I was a stupid boy, Miss Costanzo,” Anthony said as he took a handful of long strides to catch up to them. He kept Jamie between them, making no move to stall their progress. “Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?”
Pain made her careless, impatience bleeding into her voice as she tried to keep to the brisk walk. She wanted out of the city, away from all of its dirt and staring eyes that even now judged her. “What do you want, Mr. Marchetti?”
“I heard about your loss, and I wanted to say I am truly sorry.”
“Thank you. Now that you’ve done your duty, goodbye.”
“Elena, please, will you slow down before you hurt yourself further?” Anthony’s sigh was laden with gruff displeasure.
“No, I can’t,” Elena ground out through clenched teeth. If he hadn’t been there, she could have. She could loop her arm through Jamie’s and use him as a crutch as the agony flashed through her hips.
“Why are you being so difficult? I’m just trying to?—”
“Hasn’t your family done enough damage,” Elena hissed as Jamie opened the car door and handed her inside. Gone werethe sleek black cars with their gleaming chrome. In their place was an old sedan that had seen better days, its once shiny paint dulled to a sullen flatness. There was the smell of musty old things in the upholstery, but at least this one’s interior was intact.
“What are you talking about?”
“Ask your brother.”
Anthony caught the edge of the door before Jamie could swing it shut, his knuckles blanching as he held it open. “What has he done to you now?”
“Ask him. Now let go, people are starting to stare.”
“They’ve been watching.” Anthony bowed his head, pitching his voice low for her ears alone. “I am not my brother, Miss Costanzo. Whatever he’s done, I’ll try to make it right.”
“I’m a blight on society, Mr. Marchetti. There is no fixing it and especially not in three days’ time. Now let go!”
Part of her wanted to give him credit for removing his hand and letting Jamie close her in the stuffy dimness. As he remained standing beside the car though, it became easier to hold onto her anger. Fanning the flames of it as his brows knit while he watched her through the plain window. In the not-so-distant past, he would never have dared to stare at her so blatantly, and especially not in public.
Elena was coming to realize that all the tangled strings she’d hated so much had kept her protected as much as they restrained. Being made to bow and scrape before the leading Alphas might have left a bitter taste in her mouth, but no one would have ever treated her like Mr. Lamberti and Anthony had today. Even her father, so eager with his punishments, had kept her safe.
“Here, kid.” Jamie tossed the bottle of painkillers back to her as he wove the car through the early afternoon traffic.
Elena swallowed two of the pills dry. She wouldn’t break down. Not here. When she could safely lock away the outsideworld, maybe then she would indulge in her tears. There was too much to do.
The drugs were doing a fine job of numbing it all as they pulled up in front of the dark mansion. Elena let Jamie help her out, using his solid presence to bolster her spirit for what was to come next. She wasn’t looking forward to riffling through the past, dismantling what portions of their lives her father’s mates left behind.
“I can start, Miss. Why don’t you get some rest?”
“No. It needs to be done, and the faster we get through it, the better.”
