Page 10 of Collateral Claim

Endo wrestles it from my hand. “Allow me, luv. You look like you might stab me. It wouldn’t kill me, but it would piss me off.”

I lean in. “Oh, it would kill you.”

Endo lifts an eyebrow as he cuts the baguette. “You’d go for the jugular?”

I shrug. “There are many ways to kill a man with a butter knife.”

With a glint in his dark eyes, Endo licks his lips. “Fuck, baby, tell me all about them.”

I fantasize about snatching the baguette from him and swinging it like a bat over his head. The number of violent thoughts I get around this man is starting to worry me.

“He’s here,” my dad says.

Chapter 5

Poor Wilfred

Scarlett

Wilfred worked for my father for more than five years, which means we’ve known each other for about that long. Yet, the majority of that time, I was working as a resident in the city hospital, so I don’t know him as well as Charlotte does. Since I finished my residency and stayed home more, naturally, I’ve seen enough of Wilfred to get to know him better.

Wilfred takes in the dining room, including my father’s worried expression and a shirtless Endo at the end of the table, then greets me with a peck on the cheek.

“Hi, Scarlett. How are you?”

He’s never greeted me with a kiss before. I’m taken aback and feel heat in my cheeks. I get the feeling Wilfred is staking a claim because Endo is here, but that would mean he’s interested in me. I hope he isn’t. I hope neither of them is, especially not Endo.

“I’m fine, Wil. You?”

Endo bares his teeth and takes a big bite of the baguette, ripping it the way a wolf might rip into flesh.

Wilfred nods at the other two men and joins my dad at the window.

The men wait for me to vacate the room again. “We need to address the elephant in the room.”

“Which one, luv?” Endo asks before he gulps down the pineapple juice. He makes a fist and hits his chest, then burps.

I swear he’s behaving as if he’s uncultured on purpose. Maybe he wants to rile up everyone or provoke us into saying something about his lack of manners. Which is precisely why I’ll say nothing at all.

“We need to talk about last night,” I say.

“Which part of the night? At the party or after the party?” He winks at Wilfred. “I tucked her into bed.”

“You insolent bastard.” My dad marches up to Endo, but Wilfred holds him back.

Maybe it’s best if I drop it and speak with Endo alone.

“Go on, luv. Which part?” Endo leans back in the chair.

I’m momentarily distracted by how incredibly well-built this man is, but I recover quickly and keep my eyes focused above his neck. “We are engaged.” I wiggle my hand with his ring on it.

“Not really.” He winks. “But having met you, I’m open to the possibility, unless”—he looks at my dad, who’s now helicoptering over me—“you’ve already arranged her marriage to someone else?”

My father shakes his head. “Don’t listen to him, Scar.”

“I’m not. If nobody wants to tell me more about this situation, I’m off to my luncheon.”

“You’re staying in the house,” Endo says, his voice sounding like a slam of a gavel.