Page 70 of Brutal Collateral

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Ava

Griffin gave me anout. A way out of this marriage insixmonths.

Before I can negotiate any further, he gets a call and turns to have a conversation in another language.

Gaelic, I think. And damn, if I thought his accent was sexy before...

Facing me a moment later, he says, “Get some sleep, it looks like I’ll be out all night.”

He goes into his closet and comes back out wearing a pair of black cargo pants that hug his ass, a black T-shirt that shows every ridge of abs, and a leather jacket that smells as rich as he looks lethal.

“I have to go kill the last two guards who helped keep you in that cage.” The visceral tone shocks me. How he’s seeking revenge for a wife he doesn’t want.

“Okay, then,” I whisper.

“Remember, there are plenty of guards downstairs and outside.” He mocks me, sauntering out of the bedroom.

“They’re no match for me,” I singsong under my breath.

“Stop looking at my ass,” he taunts me back.

Huffing, I bolt into the bathroom to take another shower. I wash my hair with real shampoo, mine that someone packed into my bags. Aunt Helena has house staff as well.

I brush my teeth and moisturize for the first time...ever with all the products I ignored months ago. I catch myself in the mirror and drop the tube, gasping. I’m trying to look goodfor him. For a husband who agreed to divorce me.

I can’t digest any of that, and I’m too exhausted to go through the suitcases except for the makeup bag I grabbed before my shower. I peek into a dresser and take out one of Griffin’s T-shirts. Bringing it to my face, waiting for the scent that already drives me crazy, I keep sniffing, noting I only smell the fresh scent of a dryer sheet.

I get under the covers and sigh. Griffin was right, this damn bed is absurdly big.

I absentmindedly reach for my phone, something I haven’t done for months. Yet, it came back to me. But I don’t have a phone anymore. My old one wasn’t in any of the smaller bags. Ares had restricted my use of it anyway, which is why I didn’t go through withdrawal, I guess.

But alone in the dark, all I hear is the beating of my heart and blood rushing in my ears. I can’t take it, so I push out of the big bed and slog into the sitting room. I practically melt into the plush sofa. It takes a few minutes, but I find the remote and the television program menu. Seeing a different remote for streaming, I grab it to open Netflix.

Worst Roommate Ever.

I laugh, and click it on wishing I had some paper to take notes.

But out of sheer exhaustion, I fall asleep even though my head is about to explode from everything that happened to me today.

***

IWAKE UP WITH GRIFFINhovering over me.

“Didn’t want to sleep without me?” He smiles wickedly at me.

I stretch and notice it’s light out. “You’re just getting home?”

“Aye.” He straddles me, wearing the same clothes he left in.

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