Page 88 of Brutal Collateral

“Where are the other options?” I ask, feeling irrational.

The attorney looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “In my email.”

“Delete it. Now. No one keeps photos of my wife on their phone. And how did you ask Ava anything?” Last I checked she didn’t have a phone.

Kai purses his lips. “I stopped at your house.”

“You stopped at my house, without telling me?”

“Mr. Quinlan, I am your lawyer. If you don’t trust me in your home, with your wife, I won’t step foot—”

I hold up my hand, unsure where these feelings of jealousy are coming from. “It’s fine. I was just surprised.”

How do I tell this guy that I don’t trust anyone around Ava without coming off as weak? Like I can’t handle a man looking at her. Maybe because I can’t. I’m slowly growing obsessed with her. Especially since she’s resisting me.

I grab the frame—the source of all this tension—and stare at the photo. That gorgeous woman is a mystery. By the looks of it, it must have been taken right when Ares pulled her out of the CIA. And then forced her into fancy clothes, high heels, and a dye job back to her dark hair.

All before Brandon abducted her.

“Powers, let me ask you something.” I sit at the desk. “Are you happy being the man behind the curtain pulling all the levers?”

“I’m not a threat to your reign, Mr. Quinlan. I like my job.” He turns serious. “Except when it comes to pushing you and Ava to look more like a happy couple.”

“She’s being...difficult.”

“Is there something that will appeal to her?Fashion Weekin London is coming up in June. Maybe Ava would like to travel. I have some investors there to meet with. I could bring her and—” He stops talking when I give him a death stare.

Like I’d send Ava on a trip to London with another man. I’m also getting tired of him talking about her.

Kai’s gaze cuts to the opening glass door. “Ah... This is Wren. Your assistant.”

Wren, like the bird?

The woman strolls in, and I resist an eye roll at how unbelievably hot she is. And not in any debatable way. She’s tall and thin but with full breasts and perfect porcelain skin.

I’m startled that she doesabsolutelynothing for me.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Quinlan.” She struts to me like she belongs on a runway.

“Thank you,” is all I say with a quick handshake that I drop immediately.

Kai clears his throat. “Wren, honey, work through me until Mr. Quinlan is briefed by the department heads.”

Christ, this place sounds like IBM.

Ava’s photo snags my attention again. I’d rather spend my day with her. Seeing how utterly put together this Wren woman is, highlights how broken my Ava is.

I’d rather haveherwith all her imperfections because those flaws make her real. In the shower this morning, I jerked off until I saw stars, wishing my soapy fist was Ava’s tight cunt.

Hadleigh. It was Hadleigh, though, who rearranged my senses.

And I’m not this guy in a suit behind a desk. I’ll sit at one and reinforce my role as the leader of this vicious clan. But I’m handing over this job to someone when we get the contract. I’ll figure out a way for Shane to monitor everything to make sure we’re seeing real reports with real numbers.

I’d rather be on the streets at night where the real power is.

Ava understands that, too.

Wren leaves, glancing at me on the way out. After years of working as second-in-command to a brutal enforcer, the muscles in my face knew only two expressions. Sinister grins and deathly grimaces. I’m pretty sure I just gave my new assistant the latter.

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