Page 184 of Brutal Collateral

With my balance back, I lurch to see down into the yard.“Ava!”

I jet out of the office and rush down the steps, nearly falling tomydeath. My face throbs and blood trickles from a cut above my eyebrow. As I’m racing past the foyer, Zeke opens the front door and pulls his gun, seeing the bruised state I’m in.

“Boss, what the hell happened in here?”

“Ava! Ava fell out the window.” That’s all I say because it’s all I care about. It’s all I can explain.

“What?”Zeke says, following me.

I get to the back patio door and push it open, ready to shatter that, too.

Miller lays face up on the concrete pad, Ava curled into a ball next to him. On the grass.

Falling to my feet, I reach out to touch her with shaking hands. But I only hover. “Ava?”

“Ouch,” she says, trying to move her arms.

“Oh my God, talk to me.”

“He broke my fall, but God, I think I busted a rib.”

“Don’t move, my love.”

Zeke stands over Miller, his gun drawn. “Who the fuck is this?”

“Don’t... Don’t touch him.”

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

“Zeke, call Shane. Tell him to lock down my cameras and get over here.”

“Yes, boss.” Zeke takes out his phone and makes the call.

Groaning crawls out of Miller’s mouth. He’s not dead.

Fuck!

Ava sits up, her expression unreadable, “Ouch again.”

“Stay down, woman.” I lay next to her on the grass filled with broken glass, my pulse still racing. “I’m bringing you to the hospital.”

I’m wrecked with worry that she’s hurt badly. She’s fucking pregnant with my child.

“Youokay?” she asks, her eyes scanning my face.

“Me?” I swipe at my brow, ignoring the blood. “You psycho, you just fell out of a window.”

My eyes flick toward Miller again and her gaze follows.

“Oh God, he’s not dead, is he?” Ava whines.

“No, Miller’s not dead.” I curse under my breath.

Ace rushes toward us at top speed and collapses to his knees in front of Ava. It’s so quick, it’s so sudden, I nearly pull my gun on the guy.

“Boss, it’s okay,” Zeke says, helping me to my feet. “Ace has medical training.”

My non-verbal guard starts a series of checks on Ava that seem to take forever. He uses ASL and I’m shocked andnotshocked at the same time when Ava responds, using it, too.

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