Page 16 of C is For Corruption (Horsemen #3)

Victoria

I sat drumming my fingers impatiently on the dining table, staring into space as I turned over what limited information I had about what happened to Leighton for what felt like the millionth time.

It had taken a while to get anything out of the guys, especially with Joey now only speaking to me long enough to insult me, which always started an argument between him and the other two.

Az did eventually tell me what they knew, and it sent alarm bells off in my head.

From what I understood, what happened wasn’t in the playbook for anyone on the board right now that they could think of. But something was itching in my mind and driving me crazy, like a puzzle I was putting together without all the pieces.

“Victoria, honey,” Dawn’s voice broke through my thoughts and made me nearly jump out of my skin with a yelp. I turned to her, my hand to my chest as if I could keep my heart from leaping out of my chest. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you, dear.” She smiled at me sheepishly.

“It’s alright, I was just… lost in thought.” I said with a shake of my head. “Did you need me?”

Dawn held out a cream envelope with delicate calligraphy addressed to me, a puzzled look on her face. “This was in our mail, and there’s no return address or anything. It didn’t feel right for me to open it but… well, here.”

I raised a brow and took the envelope from her, turning it over as if I’d find some clue on the outside. “I don’t know who would have sent it either…” I said absently, opening it slowly. I pulled out the elegant six-by-nine card, and my jaw hit the floor.

I stood from my seat so fast that the chair toppled over.

I barely had time to register Dawn’s shocked expression before I was running through the house toward Ian’s office.

The guys had been holed up in there since breakfast, but I didn’t hesitate to barge in without knocking.

The door slammed against the wall as it flew open causing all three of their heads jerked up to look at me.

“I know where Leighton is!” I said breathlessly, waving the wedding invitation in the air. “We have to go… Now. ”

“Whatever it is, no.” Az replied without hesitation. “One, we aren’t going in anywhere blind, and two, you aren’t equipped or trained to handle a rescue mission. You’ll stay here, period.”

“It’s a fucking wedding, Az-hole. His fucking parent’s are marrying him off and we have to stop it.” I shouted, throwing the card at his head.

The weight of the cardstock wasn’t heavy enough for it to do much beyond twist and flutter in the air before landing on the floor a few inches in front of me. I bent over and snatched it up before storming to the desk and shoving it in his face.

“How did you get this?” Az asked, studying the delicate calligraphy outlining Leighton’s wedding details.

“Dawn said it was in the mail for me.” I snipped. “Now can we fucking go? The wedding is in less than an hour, we have to leave now or we won’t make it in time.”

“There’s no way this isn’t a trap.” Az said, moving to pass the invitation off to Craig. “Clearly, the Laurent’s are the ones who found us here, but given Alistair and Cicely’s opinions of the three of us, I doubt they sent this with good intentions.”

Craig studied the invitation, turning it over in his hands much like I had done when I first opened it.

“Even if there was the remotest chance it wasn’t a trap, if we let you just walk into a wedding with Russian Bratva in attendance, as well as his parents…

Leighton would be so pissed he’d beat us to hospitalization just on principle. ” He said, passing the card to Joey.

“But it is absolutely a trap. So the answer is still no.” Az said, deadpan.

“Fuck it. Let her go,” Joey interjected with a shrug. “If she gets her ass killed , then it’s just that much easier for us.”

My mouth fell open in shock. Sure, Joey had been making snide and downright mean comments toward me lately, but this felt different somehow.

My hands clasped against my chest against the jolt of pain they caused me as Az stood from behind the desk and strolled over to where Joey sat.

His body language didn’t give anything away until his fist connected with Joey’s face in a sickening thud.

“I am so fucking sick of the shit spewing out of your fucking mouth.” Az snapped, rubbing the knuckles of the hand he’d hit Joey with.

“Fuck you,” Joey spat, leaning forward and pinching his nose to stop the bleeding.

“I’m sick of all of you being so deep in her fucking pussy you can’t think straight.

Maybe put your dicks back in your pants for a fucking minute and stop playing nice with the whore long enough to see what’s right in front of all our faces. ”

My feet moved before I was aware of them.

In seconds I was standing in front of Joey as he looked up at me in disgust. Cocking my arm back, I let my hand fly, my palm cracking across his cheek hard enough to cause his head to whip sideways.

He turned his head back toward me and stared me down, a clear challenge on his face.

“Enough.” Az boomed. “If you can’t get yourself together enough to not being a piece of shit, then get the fuck out, Joey.

Whatever sick little games you think you’re playing right now, they’re done.

We get it, you’re fucking grieving and looking for somewhere to place the blame, but you’re crossing lines you damned well know you shouldn’t. ”

I stepped back as Joey pushed up from his chair; he gave me a twisted little grin as he briefly moved into my space and then stepped around me. “You’ll figure it out eventually.” he shrugged, moving toward the door. “Play house all you want, I was just trying to save us some fucking trouble.”

Two hours later, Az, Craig, and I were still arguing about me coming along to rescue Leighton.

They’d stressed the dangers and made sure I understood them, and I did.

But I was also getting sick and tired of them relegating me to the sidelines of my life, as if I wouldn’t put it all on the line for any of them the same way they would for me.

“I’m fucking going. We’ve missed the god damned wedding by now, but no fucking way am I leaving one of my men in a fucked up situation. And make no bones about it, you’re all my men.” I snarled, standing on my tiptoes so I was practically nose to nose with Az.

“I will have Craig tie you up if that’s what it fucking takes, Victoria!” He bellowed back.

“I–” Craig started.

“Awww, that is so fucking sweet!” Leighton’s voice rang out, causing me to whip around toward the door.

“I knew I was your favorite. That’s why I’m the only boyfriend.

” He smirked as he stalked across the room toward me, his expression changing into something I’d never really seen on him when he drew close enough to grab me.

“I did not cheat. I saved myself for your eyes and hands, and lips, and—”

My palm connected with his cheek, wiping the serious expression from his face before I knew what happened. “If you ever scare me like that again, I swear to god, Leighton!” I shrieked.

“I was kidnapped, it’s not my fault,” He whined, poking out his bottom lip. “You know I wouldn’t have had a wedding without you.”

“How did you escape?” Craig asked.

Leighton looked at him, then to Az, then back to me. “I’m an orphan now. Ma petit, I need to be comforted!” He ducked down, putting his shoulder against my abdomen before lifting me up and over his shoulder.

“Leighton!” I squeaked as he started for the door.

“We need to talk about this, Leighton.” Az said.

“Not now! Orphan, big sad about it.” Leighton replied with a laugh and continued out of the office, carrying me toward his room as the other two called after him.

“You’re not fooling anyone, L! Be back in an hour for debriefing!” Craig called out the door with a laugh before he shut the door again.

Leighton carried me into his room, kicking the door closed behind him before dumping me onto his bed. “I don’t know, Ma Petit , I’m real, real sad right now. It might take more than an hour to make me feel better about being away for three days, what do you think?”

“I missed you, too, you big idiot.” I giggled. “But we really should try to keep it to an hour or else they might break down your door.”

Leighton paused in the process of pulling his shirt off and shrugged. “They do that then they can watch or join, don’t care.”

“I am not having a group session in Dawn and Ian’s house in the middle of the afternoon!” I quipped.

“So you’re saying that’s a night time only activity. Got it.” He grinned. “I’ll let the guys know during debrief.”

“Oh my god,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“No, babe, I’m Leighton.” He smirked, quickly stripping out of his clothing and stalking toward the bed. “I didn’t push my motorcycle to the limit to get back to you so that you could confuse me with another man.”

“Shut up and come here,” I motioned at him to join me in the bed, shaking my head.

“Strip for me first.” He replied, wrapping his hand around his cock as his eyes darkened. “I want to see you naked in my bed and as desperate for me as I am for you.”

I sucked in a breath from the way he looked at me, the dark need in his voice. Somehow, Leighton could take me from laughing to breathlessly wet in no time. I moved slowly, letting his gaze follow my hands as I reached for the hem of my shirt, shimmying as I pulled it up and over my head.

“Good girl. Keep going.” He said, his voice deep and husky as he pumped his length slowly with his hand.

I bit my lip, hooking my thumbs under the waistband of my jogging pants, lifted my hips, and slowly slid them down my thighs.

Leighton growled in frustration when I laid back in nothing but my panties, and I smirked at him before I started to slide my hands down my stomach.

My fingers played with the elastic band, taunting him as his eyes focused on my hands.