Page 11 of Corrupted

"Are you sure this is the place?" I peered through the front windscreen at the small cottage.

"This is the address my contact gave us," Damon replied. "He's always been reliable before. No reason to think any different now." He didn't look as convinced as he sounded.

"No offence, but we have every reason to think other people might not be reliable right now," I said. "Including your contacts."

I thought about adding, 'especially your contacts,' but didn't. Judging by the expression on his face, he knew what I was thinking. That was enough to get a rise out of him. Or at least a scowl.

I grinned at him. He was adorable when he scowled.

"This is the place," Damon said with more certainty. There was nothing like having his professionalism questioned, to make him double down. "Do you really think I'd bring Mina here if I hadn't sent people ahead to check it out?"

"Of course not," I said. I glanced over to where she sat in the front passenger seat, beside him. She was even more adorable. In a deadly, kick ass kind of way.

The moment I saw her in that cage, I was head over heels for her. Seeing her change from a frightened, malnourished bird, into the confident woman she was becoming, was a delight. She was a bud then. Now she was a flower. The kind that thrived in the face of chaos and death. Not unlike me.

"What do you know about her?" Mina directed the question to Damon.

"Not a lot," Damon admitted. "I guess we're going to find out." He placed his hand on the door handle. "You can stay here if you want to." He knew he had as much chance of her staying behind as night becoming day, but he wouldn't be him if he didn't say the words.

His love language was reminding people they didn't need to throw themselves into the fire. He'd wade in for them.

She rolled her eyes at him, then got out of the car.

I followed right behind her. I wasn't going to let her out of my sight if I could help it. If this went south, I'd put myself between her and any shit that arose.

Yes, I'm fully aware she didn't need me to do that, but it's who I am. I protect the people I love, as much as Damon and Reuben do.

"We could have sent the twins to do this," I remarked. "It is basically their job to be lackeys."

If they were here, they'd give me shit for saying something like that. Lucky for me, they weren't. Although, it was nothing I couldn't handle if they were. The pair were like younger brothers to me. In fact, they were better younger brothers than my actual brothers. Which I'd never tell them, because they'd get huge heads. Given their already healthy egos, they didn't need the boost.

"I want to talk to her in person," Mina said. "If she knows anything, I want to hear it."

"Fair enough, sweetheart." I took her hand and tucked her in to my side, where she fit like we were made to go together. Two pieces in a complicated and sometimes crazy puzzle. "Damon and I understand that, right Damon?"

He pressed his kissable lips together in a line and gave half a shrug, but didn't disagree. He didn't agree either, because he was Damon. He never could, or would make things that easy.

Including our relationship.

I would happily have kissed him again by now, but I was giving him time to process how wonderful the last time was. The electricity that sparked between us was unexpected, in spite of the attraction we'd had bubbling between us for a long time. He'd deny it, but we both knew it was there.

Just like our attraction to Mina was there. And Damon's attraction to Reuben. I can't deny I admired the man, but Reuben was like a brother to me. He was the one person who saw what I could be, when my family turned their backs on me, and no one else gave a shit. I owed him for that, but Mina and Damon held my heart.

Also, watching Damon fuck Mina, and the idea of him and Reuben together was the stuff of fantasies.

I touched my neck, where she'd drawn blood while riding me, my cock deep inside her. Seeing her surrender to the woman she always wanted to be was indescribable. Incredible.

Mina and I followed Damon up to the front door of the cottage and waited while he tapped.

"I can't help remembering the last time we approached a house like this," I remarked.

Mina gave me a look. "If this one explodes, I'm going to be really pissed off."

"Be pissed off at Damon, he's the one who sent people ahead of us. If we die, it?—"

"Won't be my fault," Damon interrupted. "They checked the place out thoroughly. There are no bombs here."

"There are guns though," I said as the cottage door opened and a hand emerged, finger on the trigger, barrel pointed at Damon's temple.

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