Page 87 of Brutal Collateral

I think of my mother’s favorite movie:On A Clear Day You Can See Forever. I’m getting by one day at a time, no matter what the weather.

“I told your assistant to meet us here in ten minutes,” Kai adds when I don’t compliment the office that quite frankly leaves me speechless with a little bit of imposter syndrome.

Staring at the desk, I turn around. “Assistant?”

“Executive assistant. She’ll answer your phones. Get you coffee. And other things.”

“Like what?” I put down the briefcase I started carrying around to look legit and fold my arms. “Are you saying you hired an assistant who will fuck me if I want?”

Kai’s throat bobs harshly at my tone. “Sir, I know your marriage will be—”

“Don’t worry about my marriage,” I growl.

“Suit yourself.” He walks confidently further inside. “You have your own bathroom. And shower.”

I glance around, only casually recalling other men wearing suits sitting in the offices I passedandthe pretty women perched at desks right outside.

“I will not tolerate any of the men here harassing these women.” I pull Kai in by the collar. “Do I make myself clear? If anything inappropriate is going on, bring that sleazeball to me because he’s getting fucking fired.”

Kai struggles to speak. “I will watch out for that, boss.”

I release him. “Did Troi work in this office?”

“No. His office was uptown. Not as nice as this. He’d had it for years. Didn’t want to move. I terminated the lease and moved everything out. Donated it.”

I wonder if he’s saying that to get back on my good side.

“How often do I have to be in this office?” I ask Kai, considering I gave a guard downstairs a heart attack thinking he can never take a day off again until he retires.

“It depends. I set this up for you because I thought you’d want the image of a powerful CEO.” His eyes bore into mine.

I wonder if he still sees the exhausted guy in a leather jacket and jeans from New Year’s Day dying for a cigarette. Five months and I’ve not caved.

I hide the fact that I don’t want to be a CEO. But I guess that image comes with heading the Irish Mob to throw off the Feds.

“It’s hard to get the taste of blood out of your mouth, isn’t it?” Kai says like he knows me. Heck, he studied me. Stalked me. Found me. And struck. “While we’re finalizing the UN project bid and waiting for approval, you need to look the part.”

“I need to be on the street with Connor, settling scores.” I tug on the suit, although I loved how Ava looked at me wearing it.

Kai just smiles. “I’ll hire a figurehead COO to handle all the business aspects of this deal. Once we start building, there will be reports from subcontractors to go over. Change orders to review. Contractors are notoriously corrupt. I felt it was best to have you positioned to meet with them. Use your kind of...”

“Power?” I ask the man who’s been blessed with that name.

“Exactly.”

I see Kai in this office more than me. An aching to be with Connor on the streets at night gnaws at me.Thisisn’t me.

Just like being a mafia princess isn’t Ava. She wants to be in the field, kicking ass. Like me. She might be the perfect woman for me. She’s not clingy, or needy, and wants her independence.

Fuck, we’re perfectfor each other,but we can’t live those lives.

“Since this will be your office for however long you want to work out of here, and you’re a powerful businessman about to marry a beautiful woman, let’s complete the picture.” He removes a framed photo from his briefcase and puts it on my desk.

All I heard wasbeautiful womancome out of Kai’s mouth.

Glancing down, I see it’s a picture of Ava. “Where the hell did you get this?”

“I asked Ava if she had a nice photo, and then her aunt emailed me a few options.” He moves it around a bit. “I had it printed and framed. Helps reinforce the truce.”

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