Page 24 of Brutal Collateral

“Hello, Ava.”

“My name isLieutenantHadleigh Castille,” I correct him, my heart pounding.

“Not anymore, Ava.” Ares crosses his arms and looks over my shoulder.

I follow his gaze into the vacant ceremony room. Looks pathetic, all this running and avoiding my family for silent valor.

“You haven’t seen me in nine years.” I fold my arms and match his stance.

I’m not short in stature, five-nine according to the last physical, but Ares is six-three. I’m pretty sure I can take him.

“I’m here now. Have a seat.” He points to a row of empty chairs.

“I’d rather stand. I sat on a plane for ten hours to get here.”

“Ava!” he roars, triggering his guards hovering nearby to react. “Sit. Down.”

I’m outnumbered unless I start yelling. But I can’t turn on my family. That’s not who I am. Gritting my teeth, I lower into a metal chair, and a strand of hair comes loose from my tight military bun.

Ares touches the blonde lock. “I’m offended that Alexander covered your beautiful ebony hair.”

I smack his hand away. “What do you want, Ares? Where is Alexander?”

He cups my shoulder, the contact shocking me. “Ava, I’m sorry.”

I bolt out of the seat, dread sweeping me under like a wave. “What happened?”

“Alexander is gone,” he whispers, yanking me back down.

“Gone?”

“Dead. Gunned down.”

The room spins and the roaring in my ears deafens everything around me. Tears leak from my eyes, and I want to cry out. But crying suggests weakness to someone like Ares. “When?”

“Last week.”

“How?”

“Did the military take away your ability to communicate in more than one-word sentences?”

I glare at him in response.

“Great. Not talking at all. That’s perfect. Be mute. You and I have much to discuss, and I don’t like being interrupted.” He grips my hand in a dominating squeeze.

With Alexander gone, I’m terrified of what Ares has planned for me. That’s how psychotic and lethal my brothers are. Alexander kept them in check. But he’s gone.

“Tell me right now how my brother died,” I demand.

“I will tell you tonight. When you’re home.”

Home, I don’t even know where that is anymore, since the last home I knew was Father’s apartment in Lower Manhattan.

Alexander...

“Alex died a week ago?” It hits me. “I missed the funeral?”

“You were on a naval ship in the Mediterranean. Did you want me to send the Hellenic Navy for you?”

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