Page 81 of Brutal Collateral

I blink in surprise at the suspiciously Irish name as I shake his hand. “Mr. Conrad.”

“Good to meet you, Mr. Quinlan, but there’s a snag in the project,” Conrad bypasses useless chit-chat.

Air empties from my lungs. “What fucking snag?” I bark to level set that I am not to be trifled with.

“A special envoy from DC, who will brief the Senate Budget Committee for this project, requested a meeting. With all of you present.” Donly glances at each of us. “I need to do a background check on each of you before we have any more meetings. Does anyone have skeletons in their closets that would put them on a Feds watch list?”

“Not me,” Ares says smugly.

“None here,” I answer, my back straight. “None we know of.”

Shane narrows his eyes at my cagey response. I don’t mention I was removed from the Coronado naval base. I don’t think Ewan ever told anyone else. I was his second. That embarrassing failure stayed between us. Now I have to tell Shane to make sure it’s washed from my record.

Donly points to us with a beady gaze. “I’m recommending your contract and using mypersuasionto the other members on that committee to do the same.”

Persuasion costs money so I don’t thank him.

“I’ll see you tonight at my club,” Ares says, standing and strutting away with a wink.

Great, he’s going to get this guy laid.

Shane and I leave, walking shoulder to shoulder but in silence.

At the car, Zeke mentions Connor got picked up by Trace to deal with someone. I tug Shane aside and mention what happened at Coronado, but just the removal part. Not why. And I don’t name that prick who nearly assaulted Ava, who then complainedabout me.

“Looks like I got some records to erase.” Shane punches me in the arm and texts our half-brother Rian, who drives for us, for a ride to his brownstone.

“I’d like you covered by a guard, too, Shane,” I remind him.

He stiffens. “I’ll work on that.”

I’m ready to argue more when I get a text from my credit card company:

Charge Pending:

$62,457.89

One Fine Day Bridal Couture.

To approve click this link...

I guess Aunt Helena convinced Ava to leave the house. She fought like a feral cat, so I stayed out of it. She has their name, not mine. Not yet.

I’m just stuck living with her.

And paying her credit card bills for a lavish wedding dress.

When I get to my car, I go to Google Maps to look up the address for One Fine Day Bridal Couture.

“Gus, detour to this location.” I have to see what the hell a $62,000 wedding dress looks like.

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