Page 150 of Brutal Collateral

“No. I won’t let this fester. But I have a confession, too. I knew there was a misunderstanding, and I waited to see what you’d do. If you’d fight for me.”

I close my eyes. “I didn’t. I ran.”

“Why?” He releases a heavy sigh when I don’t say anything. “Marriage is hard, huh?”

“Real ones,” I mutter, looking back at him.

“This is real for me, Ava.” He wraps his arms around me. “I didn’t expect it to be. But it is.”

I breathe in his familiar scent, letting it soothe the last shred of fear that lingers in my heart. In his arms, I feel saferandstronger than ever.

I let all of this settle into my chest.

Griffin is my everything. Husband. Protector. Lover. He’ll stand between me and anything, or anyone who threatens me. And I’d do the same for him, a thousand times over. If he’d give me the chance.

“What now?” I say, feeling better.

“Now, I have to clean this up.” He steps back and takes out a handkerchief to wipe his hands before he touches his phone. “And I don’t mean just get rid of the body and wipe out cameras. His whole existence has to be altered.”

“Good. He did terrible things to Jenna.” I say her name so Griffin understands she’s a person to me. Not a blind score to settle.

“He won’t hurt her again. But you can’t be taking matters into your own hands. I can’t eliminate every abuser, Ava.”

“You’re mad.”

“Damn right, I am!” Griffin barks out.

“You don’t trust me. You don’t believe I can defend myself.”

“I know you can defend yourself. I’ve seen it. But even the best and strongest can be taken down. All it takes is one mistake, one split second, and you’re dead. That’s what I know. That’s the first verse in my bible.”

“I can’t help these women unless I know the kind of danger they’re in.”

“You are helping them. I get you don’t want to be seen as a trophy wife, a hypocrite to women who have to fight off real attackers.”

I choke on a sudden sob, shocked at how he gets me. “How can you tell?”

“Because I know you. I’ve known you since day one. I saw right through you the minute I laid eyes on you. I know every desire in your heart and every soul you want to burn to the ground because you’re just like me.”

“We’re not exactly alike.” Something inside me breaks. “You’ve had your brothers with you this whole time. I’ve been alone. Private school. The Navy. Even surrounded by Brandon’s guards, I was alone.”

“That was then, this is now. You’re not an abandoned lion cub stuck in a cage anymore.I’mthe one you can count on no matter what. Even if you don’t trust your guards, you should always relyon me. I’d move heaven and earth for you.”

“Griffin,” I mutter, feeling so stupid for what went through my head earlier.

Hehasfallen for me.

“Don’t ever think asking for help is weakness. I emphatically admit I need you. And our world needs you. For the sake of saving lives. To stop the bloodshed. You did that, Ava. I couldn’t do that.”

“That’sa stretch for me to believe.” I cross my arms.

“Are you trying to prove something to yourself? Like you don’t need me?” The pain in his voice guts me. “I am your husband, twice over. I married youtwice. I will always fight for you. Damn you, siren. Don’t you know how I feel about you? What it does to me that you will carelessly put yourself in danger?”

“I’m trying. With the guards. With you.”

“Even the strongest people have backup. I have Connor. Trace has Rhys because sometimes shit goes wrong.” He grabs my face. “Let me be your support, give me the honor, Lieutenant.” Him calling me by my old rank weakens me. “I’m your RAVEN team now. We are stronger together.”

“Griffin,” I squeak.

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