Corbin (The Theriot Family)

The man who’d interrupted me and Beau when I’d been at the shop the first time was behind the counter. He looked me up and down and whistled. “Damn. Rough night? Fucked your car up?”

I shook my head and immediately regretted it. Before I could respond, Beau walked in from the back. “Oh, you decided to show up after all.”

Anger surged through me. “I—”

“Were you out all night? You do realize you’re working a full day, don’t you?”

The man behind the counter raised an eyebrow. “Working?”

“Yeah. We’ve made an agreement. I’m doing Corbin a favor, and he’s showing me he can last a whole week here.”

The man looked at me again and then at Beau. Miserable as I was, I didn’t miss the wariness on his face. At least he knew better than to fuck around with one of the Theriots. “Are you sure that’s a good idea, boss?”

“No. It’s a terrible idea. Look at him.” He gestured toward me.

The other man’s look of concern didn’t waver. “I think he should probably go home and go to bed and—”

“Who’s running this place?”

The man held up his hands in surrender. “You are. Never mind me. I’m going to go look at that Lamborghini.”

“You’ve got a Lamborghini here?” I hadn’t meant to actually say that, but at least it made Beau smile.

“I thought you didn’t know anything about cars.”

“I said I don’t know how to repair cars. That doesn’t mean I don’t know a gorgeous car when I see one.”

“Then learn to show these hotties some respect.”

“I didn’t mean for—”

He held up a hand. “I’ve got too much to do to argue with you about your intentions. I’ve already got to figure out how to punish you for arriving late, hungover, and inappropriately dressed.

“I couldn’t—”

“Don’t you dare tell me you couldn’t have shown up on time. If you hadn’t been out—”

“Can’t you fucking listen? I wasn’t out.” I was sick of him interrupting and thinking he knew everything.

He raised his brows. “Is that how you’re going to talk to your boss?”

“You’re not my boss, not really, and—”

“Then leave and take your brother’s car with you. Maybe, just maybe, if I don’t see you again, I won’t mention any of this to him.”

I wasn’t leaving. “Please listen. I was at Remy’s. I was tired and decided not to fight the Mardi Gras traffic to get back to Metairie, but I didn’t think about needing different clothes, and…”

He glared at me.

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“And you thought the morning would go better if you drowned yourself in whatever over-priced bullshit your brother drinks?”

“He has damn good—” I stopped myself. That was exactly the reaction Beau expected. With him, being scolded felt different than when it came from my family. I felt ashamed instead of angry. I could have done better. I’d told Beau I wasn’t a kid and then… Fuck. I hated having people tell me what to do, but maybe I needed that or… something. Not from Beau, though. I couldn’t need him, but I was afraid I already did. “I made a mistake.”

“You sure did. Now what are we going to do about it?”

I didn’t dare respond. I was too afraid he’d send me away like he’d threatened to. I needed to get Remy’s car fixed, but realistically, I could find someone else. This wasn’t just about the car anymore. This was about me proving something to Beau and to myself, but I’d already fucked up before I’d even started. Would he really punish me? And if so, how?

Nine

Beau

I knew what I wanted to do with Corbin. I wanted to put him over my knee and spank his ass until he was begging me to stop. I wanted his skin reddened. I wanted him to hurt enough to remember it every time he thought about breaking my rules, but that would cross a line.

As if I hadn’t crossed one already. The only thing protecting me right now was the fact that no way in hell was he going to mention this to his brothers because he didn’t want them to know any more than I did. Remington and Lance would be pissed as hell that I’d made their brother work for me, but I could talk my way out of that or make myself invaluable enough that they would overlook it as long as he was only inconvenienced and not harmed. If I touched him… If I beat his ass… If I drove my cock into his tight little ass and—

No. None of that was going to happen.

“Come on.” I gestured for him to follow me.

“Where are we going?”

I liked the edge of fear in his voice. It was so much better than the arrogant shit he’d spouted the first few times he’d come to the shop.

“To the back.” I ignored the sound of protest he made. I was sure he’d follow me no matter how scared he was.