“I don’t exactly appreciate my psychiatrist butting into my professional affairs.”
“Morgan. I’mapsychiatrist, and I’myourfriend. Not your psychiatrist.”
“Same difference. And you’re doing the thing where you say my name repeatedly to humanize yourself. Stop it.”
Gia’s sigh rattles through the phone, the professionalism in her tone falling away. “C’mon. What’s up?”
“It’s this omega. I’m getting… more reactive than I’d like to be.” My thumbnail picks at the edge of the leather armrest.
“Reactive how?”
I don’t like any of the words that come to mind. The silence speaks volumes.
“Ooooh,” Gio croons. “Youlikehim.”
“It’s just areaction. Nothing personal.”
“Mkay, so what has you screaming at people?”
I’m quiet for another long moment. “A close call.”
“Oh hoh, Isee. He must be cute.”
I scoff, lip pulling away from my fangs in a wry smile. “Knew you wouldn’t watch the upload.”
“Wait,thatomega? Naughty!”
“Nothing happened,” I bite. “I made sure of it.”
“Has he noticed?”
“No. Not in a way that matters. Irritatingly self-effacing.”
“Catnip for you.”
“Shut up.”
“Here’s what I think—”
“No, here’s whatIthink. I’m going to hang up because I’m fine and this isn’t a problem.”
“I’m always here to talk,” Gia says.
I end the call.
#
I hit the gym again. Jamie will be back in the room right now, so I skip changing and work out in my bikini. I’d like to see anyone try to say something about it. Those will be their last words.
The gym is the only place I let the beast out. Put it through its paces. It rages today. No matter how much I lift, it wants more, more.
I shift to the treadmill to run it ragged, and clock two five-minute miles. Another hard mile and I finally outrun the damn thing.
I shift to my cool-down routine, and the distance returns. Not as much as I usually like to have, but enough to keep the rage at bay.
I’ve been doing this for thirty-seven years, and I have more tools at my disposal than just the suppressants. Things happen. The formula hasn’t always been as effective as it is now. I never let my guard down.
As I slow to a brisk walk on the treadmill, I pull my pack of suppressants out of my bag and snap a picture of the lot number. I send it to Arthur with the message,get me the QA results for this batch.
