“Ex,” I snap, and break from his hold.
Pierce knows he and his family can control just about everyone. But can he control the mafia?
“I’m only trying to help the woman I love.” He straightens, his mask of entitlement firmly in place as he smiles. “I heard her funding was revoked, and her apartment has been deemed unlivable. She has twenty-four hours to pack and get out. I’m here to bring her home. Get her through this unfortunate humiliation.”
“What?”My head spins, eyes narrowed. “You bastard.”
“Now get out of my way,” Pierce barks at Cormac. “This is none of your fucking business.”
Cormac answers with a low, viciously calm growl. “You may have some kind of pass to walk around this campus because of your name, but touching my student against her will makes it my business. This is your last chance to get the fuck away from her, or I will make one phone call…and you will disappear.”
“Disappear? You and what army? You’re delusional, friend.”
Cormac’s mouth curves upward. But it’s not a smile, it’s something darker. “Your father isRamses Langston, right?”
Pierce’s ego competes with the family recognition given to his father and not him. “That’s right,professor. And it doesn’t matter who you are.”
Cormac steps closer until they’re eye to eye. “It absolutely matters who I am,” he says, his voice steely. “Ask your father about my brothers, the O’Rourkes of Astoria. Or my sister’s husband’s family, the Quinlans of Lower Manhattan, who have marriage ties to Ares fucking Zervas. Then ask your daddy if you should be harassing Cormac O’Rourke’s student.”
Recognition hits Pierce like cold water. He’s up against not one mafia family but three.
Watching my ex sweat this out makes goosebumps break out across my arms. Desire surges through me at how Cormac is handling Pierce. My ex stares at me, running through his options. Mostly, if I’m worth it. A shadow passes his eyes, and he knows he can’t win this battle.
I’mnotworth his disappearance. For now.
“You’ll regret this, Scarlett,” he whispers in my ear.
“No,” Cormac answers for me. “She won’t.”
Pierce retreats, stalks to the door, and leaves.
Silence swallows the space between us. Cormac still hasn’t looked away from the door. His hands are fists. His control is cracking.
“Cormac,” I whisper. “Thank you. You didn’t have to out yourself or your family connections.”
“I’m not outing myself. Powerful men like Ramses Langston know there are underground forces who rule this city.” He turns to face me, looking me up and down.
The fury on his face melts into something softer. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
“No.” I shake my head. “I admit, I was hoping you’d call one of those mob friends like Griffin to kill him.”
Cormac’s cheek twitches like he’s ready to give me alesson in how that mob family operates. Something tells me that the tall guy in the suit who married his sister is the real dangerous one.
My phone buzzes with an incoming message.
Hamilton Medical College Bursar: Notice of funds reversal. Please pay the amount below within twenty-four hours to maintain enrollment and transcript availability.
I gasp at the amount I owe.
“My loan. It’s been revoked,” I choke out. “Can Pierce really do that?”
Cormac reads the message over my shoulder. “With the name Langston, I’m afraid he can.”
Below the school message is another from Kay at the rental property management company, saying there’s been a reported incident in my unit. An electrical hazard, possibly caused by a hair styling device left on. The apartment has been deemed unsafe, and I’m not permitted to live there. I have twenty-four hours to arrange a supervised retrieval of my belongings before access is revoked.
My knees almost buckle. No! How can this be happening?
I consider the call I’ll have to make to Regan and beg for the cat-hair-covered sofa again.