Page 171 of Brutal Collateral

“Did one of your guys hang her, too?” I bark,

Miller shakes his head. “She did that all on her own after hearing about her son’s death.”

I let slip a long exhale, pursing my lips. At least that thread is snipped and tossed away. If I never hear the name Keller again, it will be a day too soon.

Connor gets in Miller’s face, radiating tension. “I don’t know whoyourbrothers are, but we will find whoever the hell is in charge and send them all the complaints against you. How you raped a fucking vice admiral. If you think cult members don’t eat their own, or rid themselves of liabilities, you’re fucking delusional.”

“Oh, look at that.” Rhys holds up his phone. “Is this your bank account at Marshall National? Bye-bye, retirement plan.”

Miller shrugs, looking almost bored. “CVM will take care of me.”

Trace keeps his gun drawn, his jaw ready to snap. He’s seen it all. Mafia. Military. A psycho prison warden with an army. He’s just waiting for my permission to finish this once and for all.

God, I want to. Fuck Ares and this damn deal. I’m ready to throw it all away. I have my wife. I have my crown. I don’t need this bullshit. Everything in me is screaming to end Rand Miller right there, to ignore his threats, his posturing.

I take a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm, to think strategically. According to him, if I kill him, it will call to arms a pack of maniacs who will destroy me and my family.

Fuck, it’s not just about me anymore. Right now, without more intel from Shane, I don’t know exactly what will happen. I’m the head of a family. I have to protect everyone.

And sometimes that means walking away.

“Griffin?” Connor’s voice rings low, a question laced with impatience.

I back away from Miller, my gaze cold and steady. “I need someone posted at this fucker’s door all night until we know what we’re dealing with.”

“On it,” Rhys says.

My enforcer is married, I wouldn’t expect him to do it.

“Me, too,” Connor offers.

Trace still looks seconds away from snapping. With his jaw tightened, his eyes go darker than I’ve ever seen. “Are you sure, Griff?”

“Aye,” I say firmly, glancing at Rand Miller one last time. “Watch your back. I will make good on my threats. Find another woman to marry so you can run for your father’s seat. Buy one. Take the money the committee is getting for the approval and grow up. Stop cosplaying with your stupid cult like you’re five. Shame on you. You’re Navy, you swore an oath to this country first.”

His eerie gaze burns through me, but I turn my back on him, motioning for my men to follow.

The air in the corridor feels even thicker, the elevator downright suffocating. We leave the hotel, each of us quiet. The fire in my gut hasn’t lessened. If anything, it burns hotter with each step, but every inch will bring me closer to home.

To my wife.

On the street, Cormac says goodbye. He puts on a baseball cap and then disappears into the shadows. Lighting up bad guys by jabbing them with poison is his new addiction since he’s been clean for almost a year.

Once we reach my car a block away, Connor says, “Trace, get someone on my sister. Two guys if you have them. I’ll call Grayson myself.”

Shane hops out of my car, looking shaken. “I had no idea.”

I want to grab him and ask him why he never mentioned he found this Crimson Vow Masters cult before. Right, we’re the fucking mob and we eat cults for lunch.

“I need a full report on this fucking cult, Shane. I need you to find someone on the inside who can be bought to kick Miller out.”

“I’ll do my best.” Shane gets closer to me. “You know Miller is going to tell his father not to vote for the project.”

I voice my earlier inner thought, but low so only Shane hears me. “I don’t give a fuck.”

He nearly cackles. “Ares will.”

“And last I counted, he’s got two brothers and a whole network to destroy Miller, too.”

---