Page 2 of Brutal Collateral

He grinds his molars. “Thatwill take time. Christou’s men are coming for youtoday.”

A chill races up my spine. Christ, this threat is real.

“Because I’m eighteen,” I whisper, understanding now.

“I need yououtof the equation, sister. I can’t be worried someone will abduct you. We are of pure Greek blood and very high in the organization. You’re valuableto me.” My brother’s gaze cuts to the recruitment office.

I look that way, too, and find a man in a dark suit gleaming with gold embroidery standing in the doorway behind a glass door.

“They’re waiting for you,” he says, his patience thinning more every second.

“Why the Navy?” I ask, stalling.

“Their basic training starts tomorrow. I paid a third party to get you a last-minute appointment. You just have to pass the physical.” He grips my thigh. “Passthat physical.”

“Wait, where do I sleep tonight?” I panic, realizing I’ve never spent the night completely alone anywhere.

“It’s been arranged for you to be driven to the base tonight.”

“Do I even have—”

“Everythingyou need is in that envelope.” My brother taps it. “You must walk in there alone. Getoutof the car.”

I’m utterly terrified and can’t believe I have to do this. I’ve seen movies about basic training for the military. It’s hell on earth.

“But why the military and not a safehouse?” I choke out.

“The Navy will make you into a badass. I would train you myself, but if you stayed in Father’s apartment, you will be in chains by tomorrow.”

Badass?

Me?

“As soon as I’ve decimated the man Father owes money to, and our house is secure, I will come get you,” my brother promises.

“How long do you think that will take?”

He shrugs. “Four years, maybe less.”

I take my last breaths of freedom, it’s clear I have no choice. The wordbadassrings loudly in my ears. I’m the only daughter, but my brothers never treated me like a silly little girl. They toughened me up. I just never thought they’d force me into the military.

“Won’tsomeonetry to find me?” I say, clinging to every second of my old life before I get out of this car and become someone else. “Pay someone to drag me out of here?”

Alexander’s jaw tightens. “Your new identity is secure.”

It hits me, the reason he won’t say my name. To him, I’m already the person in this envelope.

A stranger.

My gaze lingers on the window posters of the recruitment center.

Four years.

“Get. Out. Of. The. Car,” he says one more time.

Willing my spine into steel, I push the door open and get out refusing to say goodbye. I’m not his sister anymore. I’m the stranger whose name is on this paperwork. Someone without a family. Without a past.

Stepping toward the recruitment office, I glance in the envelope and see that birth certificate on top of the paperclipped documents.

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