Page 95 of Corrupt Me

Preston flinched behind me, but I pressed my hand harder into his chest, careful of his ribs. “He needs medical help. Let him go,” I pleaded. “I told you I would willingly stay.”

The lighter extinguished, and Angelo’s dark gaze moved over my shoulder to Preston. “You’re really going to let a girl sacrifice herself for you?”

“Fuck you,” Preston spat.

Angelo tsked like he was scolding a toddler. “Maybe I should fuck her instead.” His eyes shifted to me, leisurely raking over my body as he sucked on his lower lip.

A new dose of fear slammed into me. One I hadn’t let my mind consider before. The idea my body would be used andviolated by any of these men was a place I refused to go until Angelo gave me no choice.

“I’ll kill you,” Preston said darkly. This time, I couldn’t stop Preston as he charged at Angelo, but the boss knocked Preston to the ground with a single strike. Ice ghost nails raked down my back as I watched Preston hit the concrete, rendering him unconscious and leaving me alone.

Fuck.

Before Preston woke up and made any other stupid mistakes that got us both killed, two of Angelo’s guys grabbed him. “Restrain the idiot,” Angelo ordered the two of them. They dragged Preston’s limp body away, taking him across the warehouse and zip-tying his hands and feet together. They left him in the shadows unconscious, fresh blood trickling down the side of his face.

The tears couldn’t be stopped. They pooled in my eyes, clouding my vision as I stared at a watery outline of Angelo. I had two choices. I could continue being compliant and pray Tristan came back before Angelo broke me, or I could find a way to get to Preston’s gun. Even after I got the weapon, would I be able to use it? Could I shoot someone to protect myself…protect Preston?

As I trembled inside, glaring at Angelo, I knew I could.

Angelo watched me as he snatched a cigarette pack from a nearby table outside the office, pulling out the slim white stick. He put it between his lips.

“You’re heartless.”

“There’s no other choice in this business. The weak get trampled,” he said, the cigarette bouncing with his words as he kept it in his mouth. He held the pack out to me, his brows lifting in offer.

I shook my head, wrapping my arms around myself. “No thank you,” I replied bitchily.

Angelo’s lips curled as he lifted the lighter and lit the cancer stick. “It might take the edge off, sugar.”

“It’s going to take a lot more than a cigarette.” I’d need a damn tranquilizer to get through this night. I glimpsed Preston, envying his blissful forced slumber.

Angelo took a long drag, inhaling the nicotine. “A drink perhaps then?” A puff of white smoke clouded the air around his face, its odor clogging the room.

Honestly, a drink sounded fucking fantastic. “Sure. I could use a drink.”

Angelo snapped his fingers, his eyes never wavering from me as he silently summoned one of his crew members to get us a drink. His members were quick.

Beefcake, the asshole from earlier, handed me a glass with fancy ice and an amber liquid. I took the drink and knocked it back, not considering it could be laced or poisoned until after it was gone.

Fuck it.

Angelo raised a single brow, his scar lifting with the movement. “Better?”

Making a face as the burn worked its way through my system, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “Far from it. You could let me go.”

Beefcake took my empty glass and headed into the office without saying a word, but the leering look he gave me said plenty.

“Clever, but you know I can’t do that. You should come work for me,” Angelo suggested, and I nearly fell over.

Was he actually trying to recruit me right now?

Needing support for my tired and still shaky legs, I lifted my chin and moved to the nearest car, leaning against it. “Why would I do that?”

“Because you can make a hell of a lot more money than with any degree you earn at college.”

“I don’t need money.”

His lips twitched. “Right, your daddy’s swimming in the bucks, especially after the death of your mom.”

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