Corrupt

She got out of the car, left me behind, and according to the doorman, hadn’t left Delcour since getting home that afternoon.

Good. Let her get used to that cage.

The bartender stepped over, carrying a fresh bottle of Johnny Walker Blue Label and a rocks glass, setting it down in front of me. I poured a double shot and tipped back the glass, taking down the whole damn thing.

“Where the hell have you been?”

I tensed, hearing Kai’s voice at my side.

But I just poured another double, not answering him.

I’m just a stupid kid. My chest rose and fell faster, and I shot back the drink, taking all of it down again.

I set the glass down, blinking long and hard.

“Jesus. Are you okay?” he asked, sounding more worried than angry now.

“I’m fine.”

He placed both hands on the bar, leaning in as he peered over at me. “What was she doing there today?”

I downed a third shot, starting to feel the burn in my stomach blanket my veins in a warm buzz. The edges were blurring, and the tips of my fingers hummed.

I shook my head, setting the glass down. Out of everyone in my life—my father, my brother, my friends—it ended up being her that drove me to drink. Her fucking eyes, going from defiant to mischievous to hurt to on fire, and then finally, to broken.

Don’t be alone with her.

“Michael?” Kai prompted.

I let out a hard sigh, running my fingers over the top of my head. “Could you just…” I gritted out, “fucking shut up for five minutes and let me get my head straight?”

“Why isn’t your head straight already?” he demanded. “Because you know, we had a plan. Take everything and then take her, but all I see you doing is dicking around.”

I immediately straightened and darted my hand out, grabbing his collar.

He shoved my arm to the side, shaking his head and sneering, “Don’t go there. I want our little monster, with her big doe eyes, kneeling at my feet, and I’m not waiting anymore. I’d like you in on this, but I don’t need you.”

Not waiting anymore. She just got here! She was in Meridian City because of me. At Delcour because of me. Isolated because of me.

And there were only a couple of more things to take from her. They hadn’t waited that long.

But then I looked away. Yeah, they had. They’d waited far too long.

I pushed the bottle and glass away. “Where are they?” I asked him.

Kai stayed silent, still looking pissed but turned around and led the way.

I followed, the hard bass of the music vibrating under my feet as we walked through the club toward the private areas in back.

Kai and I never fought in the past. I shouldn’t have taken that shot at him.

But for some reason, he kept challenging me, and I felt further away from him now than when he was in prison. What the hell was going on? I expected Damon and Will in my face. Not Kai.

In many ways, he was the same as he’d always been. The thinker, the reasonable one, the brother that always looked out for the rest of us…But in many ways he had changed beyond recognition. He never smiled anymore, he took courses of action he wouldn’t have in high school, even knowing the consequences, and not once did I see him do one thing for pleasure since he’d gotten out. Damon and Will partied, drank, smoked, and buried themselves in pussy the first two weeks they were free.

Kai, on the other hand, hadn’t had a single drink or a woman in his bed. Not that I knew of anyway. Hell, I didn’t even think he listened to music anymore.

He needed to lose control, because I was starting to get concerned about whatever he was bottling up.

Following him into a semi-private area with an L-shaped sofa and a table, I spotted the back of Will’s head, slouched against the couch, and Damon relaxing across the table from him with his hand resting between some girl’s thighs.

Damon was the exact opposite of Kai. He rarely thought about anything he did, and if someone put a wall in his way—justified or not—he came in swinging without hesitation or regret. This had been a useful quality on our high school basketball team. His reputation spread, and just the sight of him by the opposite team got them pissing themselves.

He also more than made up for all the vices Kai wasn’t indulging in.

I stopped next to the couch, jerking my chin at Damon to get rid of the girl. He shifted, taking his hand out from between her legs and nudged her thigh, sending her off.

Kai took a seat and Will sat up, all of them turning their eyes on me. Impatience and agitation were clear in their expressions, and I crossed my arms over my chest, suddenly feeling like there was a wall between them and me.

Because, after three years, they now had a bond that didn’t include me. Everything was fucked because of her.

I narrowed my eyes on Kai. “You okay to drive?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

I nodded, reaching into my pocket and taking out my keys. “Let’s do this then.” I told them. “You guys ready?”

Will perked up, looking at me, surprised. “The mother?”

I nodded again.

He shot Damon a look, smiling.

“How gone do we want her?” Kai inquired, standing up, suddenly back in the game.

“Buried,” I replied. “I want no Fanes for Rika to run to. We’ll go to Thunder Bay tonight.”

“You guys go,” Damon teased, leaning back and putting an arm behind his head. “I’ll stay and keep an eye on Rika. She’s more fun to look at.”

“Have you seen her mother?” I raised my eyebrows, amusement lifting the corners of my mouth. Christiane Fane was still young and fairly fucking gorgeous. She wasn’t Rika, but still beautiful. “You’re coming with us.”