Corbin (The Theriot Family)

What else did I have to offer besides my money, my body, and my family’s power? Was that all there was to me? Maybe Remington was right. Maybe I needed to grow up and figure out who I was.

Shit. This was no time to be getting philosophical. That wasn’t like me anyway. I needed to be focused on facing the enemy in his own home. I had to be prepared to negotiate and win.

When I finally reached Beau’s shop, the gate was closed. No way in hell was I leaving Remy’s car on the street. I was about to call Beau to ask him for the gate code, when the gate slid open, and I saw Beau standing in the front window of his shop, looking as hot as he ever had. I took a deep breath before parking the car right in front of the door. There was no reason for me to be afraid.

Beau might like to pretend he wasn’t afraid of anything, but he knew what would happen to him if he actually hurt me. Remington might be amused by Beau teasing me or refusing to show me the same respect he would Remy, but my brother wouldn’t hesitate to put a bullet through the man if he dared to harm me.

Worst case, I would refuse to bargain with him and have to get the car fixed elsewhere or admit to Remington what had happened. I’d get shit for it, but it wasn’t like the world would end. Remington didn’t expect anything more of me. He thought I would screw up everything he asked me to do, so what difference would it make if I actually had?

No. I couldn’t think like that. I wanted Remy to believe I could do things right, that I could stay focused, that I could even follow fucking orders because if I showed him I could, maybe he’d let me be the one to give the orders for a change.

I stepped out of the car, wishing I’d given myself time to change when I got to Remington’s to switch cars. I was wearing my favorite distressed jeans and a t-shirt with a cartoon rainbow on it. I was sure Beau would think I looked like a kid, and if he wasn’t gay… It wasn’t like he’d say anything rude. He knew what my family would do to him, and he wasn’t stupid. I was absolutely sure of that.

When I walked around the car and headed toward the door of the shop, I no longer regretted my outfit because no matter what Beau thought it said about me, I could tell he appreciated me in it. His gaze moved up and down my body, and he looked… hungry.

He didn’t even glance at the car once despite my certainty he wanted to get his hands on it. Now, I knew he also wanted to get his hands on me. That was a terrible idea, and yet… As I watched him watching me, it was exactly what I wanted to offer. At least I had my answer. There was no way he didn’t like men. No straight man would look at me like that.

“Let’s make a few things clear from the start,” Beau said as he held the door open for me. He didn’t shift out of the way for me to move past him, so my body brushed against his, and a shiver ran through me. I couldn’t stop thinking of all the times I’d fantasized about him. I kept telling myself I was going to stop, but I couldn’t.

I hadn’t thought of anyone but him in weeks. I hadn’t been with anyone because no one appealed to me like he did. He was an arrogant asshole who hadn’t shown me any respect. I couldn’t stand him, and yet somehow he’d ruined me for other men. How was that even fair? I shouldn’t be here asking him for a favor. I should be figuring out a way to punish him for what he’d done. “I didn’t come here to be lectured.”

“If you want me to work on your brother’s car and be discreet about it, you will follow whatever rules I set.”

I pressed my lips together to keep myself from responding. Remington said Beau was the best. I needed this job done by someone who would leave no evidence of what happened. I could tell myself it didn’t matter if Remy found out, but I’d worked too hard to get him to give me more responsibility, and the car was his baby, or it had been before he’d fallen in love with Henri.

“You need to understand that I’m giving the orders here, not you. You need this work done, and I have the skills to do it.”

“You haven’t seen the damage yet.”

He rolled his eyes. “You want me to take out some scratches. I assure you I can get that job done.”