“Sorry,” I said and gratefully left her office. My heart was pounding in my throat.
One down, one to go.
When I’d asked why I needed to install the software directly on Dr. Davis’s computer, too, Soren had huffed impatiently. “I don’t fucking know. Lachlan said something about local access. Just do your best.” His tone implied he had doubts about my best being good enough.
I’d considered a lot of angles, but the one that kept occurring to me was the most unsavory. There was one approach to talk to Dr. Davis alone in his office that I was pretty certain would work.
I’d recruited Anvi to help me, but didn’t tell her why. I just told her to call the main clinic office when I sent her a text.
“Is this about Bridget, Dr. Manalo?” Anvi asked, her eyes wide. “Do you know where she is?”
Anvi’s worry for Bridget was sweet, but more annoying than endearing in the moment.
I told her I’d spoken to Bridget, that she was having a bit of a personal crisis, but no other details. Anvi’s questions were incessant: What had happened? Where was she? Could she see her? Could she talk to her?
I decided to give her a bit more information. “Yes, she’s staying with some friends. There was a… threat. And she needs our help.”
“Which friends though?” Anvi asked, then quailed at my expression. “Right, sorry. Okay. I’ll do it.”
I explained what she needed to say and then walked out into the hallway.
“Is Dr. Davis here today?” I asked the nurse passing by. I thought he was, after looking at the surgery schedule on the whiteboard in the back office, but I wanted to be sure.
“Yeah, unfortunately,” she said conspiratorially. “He’s really on one today.”
I smiled, but it felt stiff on my face. “I’ll stay out of his way, then.”
Dr. Davis’s office was at the far end of the clinic from the lab. I had never had the misfortune of visiting him, but it wasn’t difficult to find.
I rapped on the door before I could lose my nerve.
“Jesus Christ, I told you people to leave me alone. This is my one break today,” he yelled from inside. I hesitated. “For fuck’s sake, just come in.”
His office was exactly what I expected. Framed photos of him with various professional athletes, including Andrew St. James, lined the walls. There was also a photo of him next to a vintage, cherry-red Ferrari that I’d heard him refer to as his “special lady” during the gala. A treadmill took up one corner of the room, tucked behind his adjustable standing desk. His annoyance was visible, but when he recognized me, his face darkened even more.
“What the fuck do you want?” he asked.
“To apologize,” I said. “You were right about the Omega. She hasn’t bothered to show up in a week.”
He laughed once, an ugly, brutal sound. “These girls can never stop themselves. If she really is going after St. James, though, she’s barking up the wrong tree. I think he prefers something different,” he said with a cruel impression that I guessed was of Andrew’s partner, Gabriel.
I wanted to bark him into a puddle of jelly, but I forced myself to laugh while I pressed send on the message to Anvi. I had to drag this out a little while longer. “Right. I apologize for my… distraction. I wanted to say I am committed to the project, and I hope we can move forward together.”
“Sure, sure, whatever,” he replied. “No hard feelings. It’s hard not to think with your cock sometimes.”
I shook my head in mock embarrassment. “Lisbeth sent over some resumés for new applicants, and I wanted to get your opinion—”
The door opened behind me. The woman who worked at the front desk said breathlessly, “Dr. Davis, someone just called and said that your car is being towed from the parking garage.”
“What the fuck? Towed?” He barreled out of the office, his face as red as his precious car.
I waited just a moment to make sure the woman followed him before darting to his computer. I plugged in the drive, opened the program again, and then left before anyone noticed me.
Adrenaline pumped through my veins. I’d done it. As I made my way back to the lab, I rolled my shoulders to ease the tension that had been building all morning. And along with the relief, I felt a kernel of pride. I’d done what I could to help Bridget.
Anvi looked up anxiously when I arrived at the lab.
“Did it work?” she asked.
