Chapter Seventeen
Ava
He has to be fucking kidding me.
Any triumph I felt at the email from Mark titled “Plea Offer” evaporated the minute I read the details.
A felony? After three days of me running circles around him and poking holes in everything he had while getting nothing but radio silence at night?
He’s out of his mind. The mayor must really be leaning on him to make an example of Katie.
Rage bubbles up inside me, and it takes me a minute to realize I’m also sweating in my cool office, and my dress is starting to feel itchy.
Did I take my suppressant today? I think back and grimace when I remember that I definitely did.
I really have to figure out a way to have another heat soon.
This is happening more and more, and I’m going to end up with an unplanned breakthrough soon.
Or possibly an overdose on suppressants.
Doubling or even tripling up occasionally, like I’ve started to do, can’t be healthy.
Not that there’s any real research on it other than what my mother does, and I’m sure as hell not admitting to her that I’ve been doing that. She’d flay me alive. People think I’m scary? I have nothing on the matriarch of the Kendrick family.
I push a button in my desk drawer, popping open a hidden compartment.
I snag the emergency bottle I keep in my office and frown at the nearly empty rattle.
I must have been doubling up more than I’ve realized.
I have my bottle at home, but at this rate, I’m going to need to get more very soon.
I wash them down with the drink on my desk and put the empty bottle back in the compartment.
I open a new browser on my laptop and fire up my VPN, navigating to a web-based SMS service to send a text to Vinny. I refuse to call him my dealer. He’s just… my friend. That procures me illegal pharmaceuticals.
“What’s the weather going to be like on Friday? Sunny?”
It only takes a minute to get a response.
“Clear skies in the early evening around 5.”
A quick glance at my schedule confirms I can make that work.
“Perfect.”
That settled, I close the window and return to Mark’s email, reading over it again.
It makes me just as angry the second time.
I glance at the clock on the wall. I bet he’s still at the office.
This late in the evening, there won’t be much traffic, and I can probably be there in less than twenty minutes.
Half of me screams that it’s a terrible idea.
I know I’m already on edge, and with a potential breakthrough heat this close, being around him is the sort of bad idea that makes people into my clients.
But my omega is closer to the surface than ever after the events of the weekend, so before I fully realize what I’m doing, I’m having Tony take me downtown.
The whole ride over, I think about how scared Katie is.
How it’s only been a matter of luck that I’m not in the exact same position.
She just wanted to go to college and walk across campus without worrying about an alpha losing control around her, and to study something she can’t find at the omega academy
By the time I climb out of my car, I’ve moved past furious and into nuclear territory.
And Mark is about to catch every bit of it, even the parts he doesn’t deserve.
I’d feel bad, but he brought it on himself with that ridiculous plea offer, and if I’m honest, because my feelings are hurt that he hasn’t reached out to have our talk.
I stomp into the building, pausing briefly as I wonder which night guard is on duty. I hope it’s Henry; I like him. He’s an older, bonded alpha reaching retirement age, and looking forward to being at home every day with his omega and their slew of grandchildren.
Frank, on the other hand, is unbonded and makes me feel like he’s watching me no matter how much scent neutralizer I have on. I can’t tell if he just has an overly sensitive nose or if he’s a little bit rapey. Either way, I avoid him whenever possible.
Luckily, I spot Henry’s balding head leaned over a magazine. He lifts his eyes as I approach, and they crinkle around the edges as he smiles at me. “Well, well, Ms. Ava. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
I grin back. “Oh, you know—need to give the DA a piece of my mind. Is Mr. Taylor in?”
He sighs and leans back in his chair. “You know he is. You two are a pair of workaholics. It’s not good to go nonstop like you do.”
I duck my head and spread my hands, conceding his point. “I know, but that’s just the name of the game, I’m afraid.”
He hits the button to unlock the security door and waves me forward.
“Now, listen,” he says seriously, “I know you might get real tempted to kill him in whatever battle you’re about to have, because there’s no one else on the floor up there.
But I’m really close to retirement, and I’m gonna ask you to refrain, as a favor. ”
I step through with a laugh and reach across the desk to pat his hand. “Tell you what, if I can’t, I’ll personally pay enough to make sure you and Grace can live out your days somewhere sunny instead of dealing with any headache from little ole me. But I promise to behave.”
He smirks and motions for me to go upstairs.
I’m annoyed that Henry made me laugh and lost me some of my righteous anger, so I spend the elevator ride deliberately digging up thoughts that make me furious.
Immature? Definitely. Do I care? Not even a little. The need to see Mark is thrumming through me. If I walk in angry, I’m in control, and I won’t risk doing something reckless, like climbing in his lap and asking if I can have his shirt.
This morning, I realized the UCLA sweatshirt has completely lost his scent.
I had to throw it in the wash, and until I can sneak something else out of his laundry hamper, I’ve got nothing to wear that smells like him.
The smaller forgotten items I’ve stolen over the last few months—forgotten ties, mainly—line my nest like trophies.
Being an omega is so strange sometimes, I swear.
A thought intrudes, a reminder that if we end up having the talk, I won’t have access to him or his scent anymore. I shove it away because it makes my heart ache, and I’m focused on being angry right now.
My heels click on the tile floor, echoing down the empty hallway as I exit the elevator, and I frown at the sound.
I’m not giving him a heads up that I’m coming so has time to prepare.
Absolutely not. I slip them off and carry them as I pad silently down toward Mark’s office, only putting them back on before I open the door.
I need the extra height for the boost in confidence.
I swing the door open, relishing the look of surprise, desire, and annoyance that flashes across his face before he shuts it down.
He sighs, throwing down his pen. “The plea offer, I suppose,” he deadpans.
“You’re goddamned right, the plea offer. If you can even call it that,” I say, closing the door behind me.
He leans back in his chair, steepling his fingers and looking at me with exasperation.
His hair is rumpled, like he’s been running his hands through it while he works.
His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, and his tie is tugged loose.
It’s so unfair how sexy I find him. My omega wants to pull that tie off the rest of the way and offer my wrists to be tied up with it.
Or maybe tie him up with it. I’m flexible.
Shit. Focus, Ava. This isn’t what we came here for.
Isn’t it, though? I can practically hear her croon in my mind.
“You know that’s a bullshit offer,” I say. “I have this case in the bag. Class E felony with a year attached? Even if you won, which you won’t, the judge isn’t going to hand down that sentencing. She’s a teenager with no record. Does the mayor have your balls in that tight of a vise?”
“Yeah, Ava, he does,” he snaps. I nearly grin in triumph. Good, he’s going to take the bait and fight with me. I need to let some pressure off. “Some of us aren’t trust fund babies with cushy partner positions. We have to worry about things like budgets.”
“Oh, don’t you dare,” I fire back. “Do not imply I didn’t earn every inch of what I have. I work just as hard as you do. Harder, actually, since I do it in heels and with the,” I clutch my chest dramatically, “sheer audacity to have a vagina in this profession.”
“Ah, yes,” he says dryly. “Definitely the vagina that pisses everyone off about you,” he says.
“It’s definitely not,” he makes a wide, sweeping gesture with his hands and rolls his eyes, “this. You get what you want because you bully the shit out of everyone and everything, then retreat to your penthouse to decide your next attack.”
I scoff. “Right. I’m definitely the only bully in this room. You knew that deal was garbage, Mark. And you knew how I’d react.”
He opens his mouth, ready to snap back, then stops. Takes a breath and closes his eyes. “You’re right.”
I blink. “Excuse me?”
“It’s a shit deal because it isn’t mine,” he says. “Harvey had someone in my office send it over. I’ve been fighting with him for the last three hours because of it. I hadn’t had a chance to talk to you yet. I’m in the middle of drafting a new plea.”
“You are?”
He motions toward the paper on his desk. “Misdemeanor possession charge. No jail time. A hefty fine and community service working with you on omega rights cases.”
My anger deflates, and I can almost feel tears pricking at my eyes, making them burn. “Why?”
He makes a motion with his hands and shakes his head. “Because I’m the District Attorney, not Harvey, and it’s a bullshit law. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about those lately.”
I inch closer to him, leaning one of my hips on the edge of the desk. His scent wraps around me, and though it’s a little bitter from being stressed and frustrated, it still soothes me. He eyes me warily, as if he’s not entirely convinced I’m not going to grab the letter opener and stab him.
“What about them?” I ask quietly.
His eyes lift to mine, and his face is serious. I have the strongest urge to reach out and smooth the lines between his eyebrows with my fingers.
“It occurred to me the other day that I don’t really know any omegas. And I’d never stopped to really think about what the omega protection laws actually look like in practice,” he says earnestly.
“How do you think they look in practice?” I shift so that I’m fully sitting on the edge of his desk, one of my legs against his.
“Control,” he says, “wrapped up in a pretty bow so no one has to look at it too closely.” He wraps a hand around my calf, tugging on one of my legs until he’s able to press his body between them. The tension in the room is thickening, and I can feel fire building beneath my skin.
“That isn’t going to make you very popular with the big alphas that like to donate to campaigns,” I whisper.
“Fuck ‘em. There are other ways to raise campaign funds.”
My mouth crashes into his, and I dig my fingers into his hair with a moan against his lips.
“Ava.” He groans my name, grabbing my hips and pulling me firmly into his lap. I can feel him hard beneath me, and I grind against his length. I feel like I can’t get enough contact.
I undo the buttons on his shirt, pushing the lapels wide so I can press my palms flat against the dusting of chest hair. It isn’t enough. Tiny, needy mews escape from my mouth as I kiss along his jaw, his lips, his throat.
He moans roughly, more of a growl than anything.
He stands, supporting my ass with his hands so I can wrap my legs around his waist. I know my heels are digging into him, but previous experience tells me that Mark likes that.
He carries me to the small couch between two tall mahogany bookshelves along one wall.
He drops me unceremoniously onto it, and the look he gives me is direction enough.
I untuck and unbutton my shirt before tugging up my skirt around my hips, revealing my sheer black underwear set and heels.
Mark makes a sound of approval and pauses undressing to look down at me.
His gaze is almost… reverent. Like I’m the most beautiful piece of art he’s ever seen. It makes me feel sexy and cherished.
I reach for him, guiding his cock to my lips. His scent, his taste—it overwhelms my senses until I can’t think of anything but him. My omega is fully in control, and my head is blissfully quiet.