Page 58 of Brutal Collateral

“Your brother tried that,” Griffin laughs. “That line of guilt won’t work on me. Brandon was a bastard who Troi never recognized. I share no blood with either of them. I’m related to his wife. I also don’t share his name. And while I can think of plenty of awful things to do to you, putting you in a cage isn’t one of them.”

“What...what kind of awful things?” I ask, feeling excitement pump through my veins.

To my surprise, Griffin takes my hand and puts it on his groin. It’s grown into a thick bulge after putting his hand around my neck.

“Starting here,” he growls.

“I thought you hated me.”

“Oh, I’ll fuck you like I hate you.” He quirks a grin at me. “Something tells me you’ll like it better that way.”

“Did you say something outside about a proposal? I don’t suppose I’m getting a marriage proposal with rose petals and chocolate-covered strawberries.”

His eyes dark, he says, “We’ll talk details in my office. First, you’ll meet the house staff.”

He steps out of the way and my jaw drops.

The old-world architectural charm on the outside has been updated with interior modern features. It still has high ceilings with sleek hanging light fixtures and wide archways with carved moldings. But what may have been a grand marble staircase has been replaced with an open system of steps behind glass.

Ares and my other brothers have penthouses, bachelor pads decorated in gray and stark white for contrast. Cold. Not very warm or woman-friendly.

This place looks like a home.

“Who lived here?” I ask.

“Troi’s wife.” Griffin stops and stares at me. “I found out that in the last years of my Aunt Mary Ellen’s life, she lived here alone. I felt comfortable taking it over. I’m selling the rest of Troi’s homes and apartments.”

“You never met Troi?”

“Not once.” Griffin shoves his hands into sexy trouser pockets. “He was in hospice under heavy sedation with weeks to live when I learned of my connection to his wife.”

Something springs to mind. “I... I met him. At the council meeting.”

I spare Griffin his threat of raping me until I’m pregnant. The man is already dead. And now so are both his sons.

“I didn’t meet your brother Ares until New Year’s Day,” Griffin informs me.

I take him in again and admire his nice suit. But I can’t stop seeing him naked in that shower with me earlier. “And you decided to rescue me on your way to a wedding?”

“We got confirmation this morning that Brandon looked ready to leave that apartment building. The guy who got married is my enforcer. And my cousin. I had to show my face and give an update.”

I fold my arms. “Great message you’re sending about your future wife that you go to a wedding without her.”

“You were there.”

“In a trunk. Even better.”

He leans into me, getting closer than I expected. “You tried to kill me.”

“Touchy, touchy.” I push him off and spin around, but my eyes widen when I’m face to face with an older man in a brown suit and a woman about the same age wearing a gray boxy coat dress with a lot of buttons.

Griffin follows my gaze. “This is Jon and Bridget. They worked for my aunt. Now they work for me. Here in the house.” Putting his arm around me, he faces them. “Jon and Bridget, this is Ava Zervas. My fiancée.”

I watch to see the shock in their eyes. And...nothing. Just a sterile nod. The shit I can imagine these two must have seen living with Troi Keller’s wife. They didn’t even flinch at Griffin’s busted face while he introduced a woman no one’s ever met before as a fiancée.

“Hello,” I say, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden.

Do they know I woke up in a cage, and now I’ll be sleeping in this one?

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