Page 159 of Brutal Collateral

“I want your wife, Quinlan.”

“You think I’m handing her over to the Navy for some drummed-up charges by guys who need your daddy’s DOD spending approvals? Sorry.”

He grins. “I certainly don’t want to send her away to Leavenworth.”

I snarl at him. “Then what the fuck are you talking about?”

“My father is retiring, and I’m running for his senate seat.” He folds his hands on his lap. “My campaign advisor says the opposition running against me is fierce. I need a wife. I’ll take yours, thank you very much.”

I bark a laugh. “Good luck running with a Greek Mafia princess as a wife who is marriedto me.”

“I don’t want Ava,” he hisses back.

“Then who the hell are you talking about if—” As the question leaves my lips, I get it.

I see it.

No.

“I wantHadleigh,”Miller jeers at me. “She’s theperfectpolitician’s wife. Ex-Navy. SEAL-trained. Recipient of the CIA Intelligence Star. A hero, once I withdraw my complaint against her.”

Red fury clouds my vision. In my world, men don’t make those threats and survive. I want to strangle him, but there are too many witnesses.

“And if I don’t give her to you?”

He smiles. “You don’t get your funding, and the Naval Masters-at-Arms shows up at your door to arrest Hadleigh. They’ll charge her once her DNA is matched to naval medical records.”

Shane is going to kill me because I should have recorded Miller’s threats.

“Did you see all the names on the proposal?” I ask this dumbass.

“I have staff who read this rubbish.”

“Youadmityou’re making recommendations with no basis in fact.” I shake my head. “Get yourself a copy and look at the names on the proposal. You’re not just fucking with Quinlan Enterprises. You’retoyingwith Zervas & Company. Then make a call to Basil Christou and ask about the Zervas brothers. He’ll tell you the story of what those fucking psychopaths did to his father and all the capos. Ava’sbrothers. Ava, Hadleigh, she’s the same person. Even if I gave her up, you have to askAres Zervaspermission to marry her. Let’s see if you walk away with your tongue.”

I turn around, acting like this meant nothing. Like I’mnotgoing to ring Ava’s neck when I get home for not telling me she tried to kill Miller in a raft exercise. I’ll have to give her a safe word. The way I plan to teach her a lesson goes so far beyond punishment.

I’m going to break her once and for all.

Then put her back together with a key I’m keeping close to the vest so she won’t be able to live without me.

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