Corbin (The Theriot Family)

“I want it done tomorrow,” I said.

“Did you listen to the first rule?”

Could he be any more insufferable? “I’m not going to make any deals with you unless I know you can get the work done on time.”

“Are you asking me for a favor, then threatening me?” Beau moved closer to me until there were mere inches between us. I looked up at him, knowing I needed to be willing to meet his gaze. My heart hammered against my chest and, God help me, my cock was growing harder by the second.

Beau looked down at me. He was angry, but there was more than that in his eyes. I was absolutely sure part of him was enjoying this.

“I’m here to negotiate a price for the work. I’m not here to follow your orders.”

“But, you see, that’s part of the price. You have to treat me like I’m someone you need, not someone you can dismiss. I refuse to be treated as less than you because I work with my hands, get dirty, and actually do the day-to-day crime that makes it possible for your family to live the way they do.”

That hit me like cold water in the face. I couldn’t stop myself from taking a step back, then another until I was pressed against the door.

Beau was too close. He was in my space, taking up all the air around me. I couldn’t breathe. I raised my hands from where they were pressed against the cool glass door and pushed at his chest. He didn’t move, not even an inch. He was like a solid brick wall.

“That will absolutely not win me over.” His voice was too calm, and that just made me angrier.

“Back off.”

“Can you ask nicely?”

“I’m not a fucking child.”

“Oh, I’m well aware of that.” He looked me up and down again, stopping to linger on my crotch. These damned jeans were too tight to conceal anything. He had to know how turned on I was. and that made me scared and angry and a whole swirl of emotions I couldn’t even identify. “You don’t own me.”

“No, but I’d like to.” His eyes widened, and he did take a step back, then another. Had he not meant to say those words? Had he not wanted to give that away?

“What do you think Remington would have to say if I let him know that?”

“You want me to believe you’re not a child, yet you need to hide behind your big brother?”

Shit. I’d said the wrong thing. I was too used to depending on my family. I needed to stand up for myself, but it wasn’t like I could fight Beau.

I reached for the gun I’d tucked into my waistband and hidden under my jacket. Before I could chicken out, I pointed it at him. “I said to back off.”

Before I even knew what had happened, Beau grabbed my gun arm and squeezed my wrist until I dropped the weapon. He pinned my arms behind me with one hand and wrapped his other arm around my throat.

“I don’t care who you are. I don’t care who your family is. If you ever pull a weapon on me again, you will suffer for it.” He was holding me just tight enough to keep me restrained, but he wasn’t actually hurting me, though it was obvious he could if he wanted to.

Neither of us said anything for several moments, but I realized he was as hard as I was. His cock pressed against my back, and I fought the urge to rub myself against him. He pressed his lips to my ear, then ran his tongue along the edge. I shivered.

“Stop fighting me. Are you serious about getting this work done?”

“Yes.”

He arched a single brow. “Yes, what?”

“No, I’m not—”

His arm tightened against my throat.

“You won’t hurt me.”

“Are you sure about that? I’ve already told you I’m not scared of anyone.”

That couldn’t be true, not really. If he had stronger allies than my family, I would know about it. He cut off my air completely for a few seconds. When he eased up the pressure, I gasped. “Yes, sir.”

He let me go then, and I sucked in air as I rubbed my throat. Would I have bruises there? How the fuck would I explain that?

“Are you ready to listen to the rules?”

“I’m ready to negotiate the rules.”

The bastard just chuckled. “I think I just proved that’s not really an option for you.”

“Fine. What do you want?” I sounded like the spoiled child everyone accused me of being.

Beau gave me a wicked smile, and I braced myself for his answer. “I want you to work here every day for a week.”

That was not the response I was expecting. “I don’t know anything about being a mechanic.”

“I’ll teach you what you need to know, and I don’t plan to let you tinker around with cars like your brother’s or anything. There’s plenty of paperwork for you to do, or you could always make coffee for me.”