Page 43 of Born to be Broken

Corday turned the knob, finding it was indeed unlocked, and opened the door far enough to point his gun at Maryanne’s face.

Maryanne sniffed and waved her hand at his petty threat. “I saw you skulking around the Omega’s trash heap. Low and behold, it was Enforcer stink she was wearing when she came to me. Now that I smell her on you, I see that I was right, as usual. Let me in, I want to talk to Claire.”

Teeth clenched, Corday hissed, “She isn’t here.”

“Bullshit,” the woman spat, looking over Corday’s shoulder to peer into the apartment.

“You have three seconds to tell me who you are before I shoot you.”

“Oh, shut up.” The blonde pushed past him. “I’m here to see my friend.”

“Claire O’Donnell is not your friend.” But he felt a spark of hope that maybe they were… because he could smell traces of the Omega on the strange woman’s clothing.

He closed the door and watched the woman look around, frowning when she saw no sign of Claire.

Maryanne dumped the bundle in her hands on the floor. “She left these clothes at my place. Feel free to thank me for returning your crap to you.” Moving deeper into the apartment, her chocolate brown eyes looked straight at the pretty Alpha standing in the corner watching her like a hawk. “And what do we have here?”

Running a hand through his hair, Corday said, “That’s my girlfriend, Monica.”

“Nice try, Enforcer.” Maryanne rolled her eyes. “But anyone paying attention knows Leslie Kantor’s heart is pining for Premier Callas.” Smirking meanly, the blonde looked at the woman and teased, “I slept with him twice to get out of jail time. He was awful… You dodged a bullet when he shot down your marriage proposal.”

Leslie’s expression grew dark. “Who are you?”

Turning her attention back to Corday and ignoring the spoiled niece of Senator Kantor, Maryanne growled, “I smelled you in her apartment, I smelled you on her clothes, this room is saturated in her, but she is not here or with her pack… so where is Claire?”

Corday showed his teeth. “What do you know of the Omegas?”

“Who do you think chose the location of their cozy new home? Claire?” Maryanne rolled her eyes when the man glowered. “Goddess save us, you really did think she broke them out all by herself…”

Aggressive Alpha females and dominant Beta males did not mix well, leaving the air full of tension and mistrust.

Maryanne had not come all that way to be disappointed. “I want to talk to her crazy ass. One last time, Enforcer Corday—that’s right, I know who you are—where is Claire?”

Lip curled, shoulders tense, Corday hissed, “Claire is missing, okay? I don’t know where she is!”

For a moment Maryanne looked worried, studied him as if there was more to the man’s outburst. “I don’t think you are lying.” That left the most likely outcome. “Then she is probably dead… or Shepherd has her again.”

And that was exactly why Corday felt such desolation. “I don’t think Shepherd has her.” If Shepherd had her, then the tyrant would know of his own location, the Omegas would be gone, and Leslie’s access to their communications would have been terminated.

“You make a good point”—Maryanne covered her doubt with a cocky smirk—“because if he did, you and I would both be strung up from the Citadel… Unless, of course, we and her little pack of Omegas were offered in trade for compliant behavior. The little twit is stupid enough to fall for that, you know.”

“She wouldn’t go back to him.” There was no way. Every feeling inside Corday knew better. He’d seen what the monster had done to her… what she had been forced to live through. Touching where her ring circled his pinky he walked back to the door, opening it so his guest might take a hint.

Before she left, Maryanne faced Corday one last time. “I know her better than anyone else in the world. I also know she wanted to kill herself… That’s why I am going to pray that she did instead of considering the horrible alternative. Thank you for nothing, Enforcer Corday.”

He slammed the door.

Corday turned towards Leslie, found the outspoken woman awfully quiet.

The strange woman’s warning scratched at his composure. “If Claire is in Shepherd’s possession, if she struck some reckless exchange for our lives, then he knows about you. If all this is true, then every piece of information you’ve uncovered is compromised… useless.”

Leslie looked about ready to break something.

10

Claire was still sleeping, restless under the covers on the bed beside him. It had taken a great deal of effort to get her comfortable after Shepherd had found her holed up in the bathroom vomiting upon his return. Hours of soft touches, bland broth, and her agitated growls eventually turned to snores. Once Claire had finally lost consciousness the thread seemed to harmonize, leaving Shepherd able to work as he lay at her side.

Reports on Enforcer Corday’s movements were less than pleasing. Svana was still holed up in his apartment, and irksome Maryanne Cauley had come calling, looking for Claire.