Corbin (The Theriot Family)

Oh fuck. We’d come close to a complete disaster.

“When he approached the building and started pouring it on the ground, I ran to stop him as I yelled for Sam. The guy took off, but he was fucking fast. I thought I had him trapped because he was heading for the back fence, but he slipped right through. He must have cut a hole earlier. That was probably how he got in.”

And, of course, because it was the middle of the day the alarm was turned off. I wondered how long the hole had been there. Could it have been there for days and none of us fucking noticed?

I’d been sure someone was out there the night before. I’d seen the shadows move in a way that wasn’t natural when I’d looked out my bedroom window. I went to investigate, but I couldn’t find anyone or any evidence that someone had been there. Now, I was even more certain of what I’d seen. I must’ve scared whoever it had been off. What the hell would make them come back before the shop closed for the day? Was Guidry or whoever the hell was after me trying to kill me now rather than just trying to run me off or send me back to prison?

“Leland and Joey, I want that fence fixed before you leave today.” I was going to have to figure out how to prevent anyone else from getting in, but I knew until I figured out who was behind this, things were only going to get worse.

“Sure, boss,” Joey said. Leland nodded in agreement.

“If you see anyone else that doesn’t belong here, don’t hesitate to take them out. Based on what’s been happening, we need to assume they intend us harm.”

“Hesitating is a good way to get killed,” Sam said. “I think we all know that.”

“I’m taking Corbin home. I’ll be back in a while, and I’ll keep watch tonight.”

“I could stay with you,” Joey offered.

Company would be nice, but I wasn’t going to put any of my employees in more danger than they were already in. “Thanks, but I’ll be fine on my own.”

When I looked back at Corbin, he was frowning. “I have my car today. You don’t need to give me a ride.”

He was wrong about that. If someone had been watching us, waiting for an opportunity to burn the place down, they’d likely seen Corbin. If they knew who he was and they chose to follow him, there could be a hell of a lot of trouble. I had no doubt he was skilled with weapons. His brothers wouldn’t have let him be that soft, but this was my fight. I wasn’t going to let it touch him.

“Yes, I do. Someone is going after me and things I care about, and if they hurt you, I’ll have to answer to your brother.” The hurt look on his face let me know right away that I’d said the wrong thing.

“Tell Remy I refused to listen. That’s what he would expect of me anyway.”

This was not up for debate. “I won’t let you get hurt because of me.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“This isn’t the first thing that’s happened at the shop.”

“What? You knew someone was after you, but you still thought it would be a good idea to have me work here? Maybe that’s what Remy needs to hear.”

“Maybe we need to work this out between us and forget about your brother.”

“Fine. I’m going home, and you can stay here and get this shit figured out. Let me know when you think it’s safe for a helpless child like me to return.” He walked away, and I stood there for a moment caught between the desire to strangle him, my cock’s insistence that a good hard fuck would teach him a lesson, and a deep need to protect him.

“Corbin!” The little brat didn’t turn around.

I caught up to him easily and moved between him and his car door. He slammed his hands against my chest. “Move.”

“No. I want to know you’re safe.”

“I’m not your responsibility.

“The fuck you’re not. Like you pointed out, I’m the one who demanded you work here when I knew there was shit going down. I’m taking you home. We can take your car or mine.”

“If I’m fucking stuck with you, then I at least want another ride in the Miata.”

I rolled my eyes, but I was more thrilled than I’d admit that he liked my car. “Get your ass over there.”

“Are you always this impossible?”

“Yes. Are you always this stubborn?”

“Since birth.”

I wanted to kiss the smirk right off his face. “And no one’s ever disciplined you?”

I saw him shiver as he walked in front of me.

“Corbin?”

“I don’t need you or anyone else. I can take care of myself.”

The whole ride to Remington’s house I couldn’t think about anything but how badly I wanted to see and feel and hear Corbin’s reactions to my hand slapping his ass again and again and how close I’d come to kissing him.