Page 20 of C is For Corruption (Horsemen #3)

“Shut it. I’m talking, you got your monologue,” she snapped, “I know I don’t have the skills to be useful, I’m aware that my presence will be a distraction if something goes sideways and you have to worry about getting me out alive on top of yourselves.

Do you think that I don’t fucking know how useless I’ve been to you all this entire time?

Sure, Joey trained me enough with a gun that I can aim and fire, and stand a decent chance of hitting what I meant to, most of the time.

I’m reasonably sure I can keep myself from getting dragged off.

But if you think I’m fucking going anywhere, Az-hole, you’ve got another thing coming.

I’ve been through hell with you four! And back!

So if your reasoning for me not contributing is because I’ve not got the skills, fine, help me develop them.

If not directly, then give me something to work toward! ”

“Fucking hell, woman, why can’t you just be our peace?

!” I bellowed. Victoria drew back like I’d slapped her, and I could see the wind leave her sails.

“Christ, I didn’t mean to scream that at you, but fuck’s sake, Victoria.

There’s nothing wrong with just being the calm in our storm. We need that.”

“I…” She faltered, looking away from me.

“I’m not trying to… be a problem. I…” I reached for her, seeing the struggle on her face so clearly.

But she pulled away from me. “I want to be your peace, but what’s wrong with me also wanting to be a shield for the men I love?

So I don’t… have to lose any more of you? ”

I cupped her face in my hands, my thumbs stroking her cheeks as I held her gaze.

“You’re not a problem, Love. That’s not at all what I meant by that.

You’re just so busy trying to dive on the sword for us you haven’t stopped to consider that you’ve picked the wrong battle.

One day, you will have the skills to be our shield; I promise you that.

But right now, the best way to be that shield is to be the softness we come home to.

” I slid a hand down and grabbed one of hers before bringing them to rest just over my heart.

“This is what we need you to protect, Love. Not our bodies.”

“Hey guys—” Craig’s sudden interruption caused us both to jump away from each other.

I turned to look at him, where he leaned against the doorframe to the kitchen with a smirk on his face.

“Didn’t mean to scare you. I wanted to go over a few things before it got much later.

I’m tired, and I’d like to catch a little sleep.

I’m starting to get too damn old for this middle of the night shit. ”

I nodded, turning back to Victoria with a questioning look. She raised up on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek, her expression soft. She brushed past me and kissed Craig’s cheek similarly before leaving the kitchen.

“Alright, what did you want to go over?” I asked, motioning in the direction of Ian’s office.

“First, I…” Craig trailed off, his expression thoughtful.

“Neither of you were wrong there, you know? She wasn’t made for this life, but she’s found herself in it nonetheless.

And no one in this life gets to just be a shield.

” His voice was soft as we fell in step with each other toward Ian’s office.

“None of us want her in this, but she is in it. And, Az, we’ve made members of people who’ve been through less… There are—”

“We’re not having this conversation. If the time comes that I have to reconcile with it, I will, but we’re not discussing it. And I swear to God, if you tell her we’ve brought in people for less…"

“I’m not planning on giving her more ammo. I’m injured, not brain dead.” Craig snarked.

I glanced at my wristwatch and saw that it was closing in on three in the morning. Craig wasn’t the only one getting too damned old for these late nights, and I still had at least another hour of reports to work through when we got back to the Innocenti’s.

“Alright, so that just leaves Todd.” I said to Phil before muttering under my breath. “What sort of mobster is named Todd?”

I must not have spoken as quietly as I thought because Phil chuckled before calling the man to stand before us.

He had a similar build to Joey, but his face was forgettable, and I couldn’t help wondering why Phil hadn’t suggested him for the recon jobs I’d assigned already.

I briefly considered calling back one of the others and swapping them out as Todd studied me, Joey, and Leighton, waiting for our orders.

Someone like him could easily be looked over and forgotten by a target.

“Only thing left for now is sweeping the buildings on Elm for any bugs planted in our absence. There’s already a crew securing the area, and another dealing with cleanup. So, it’s your lucky day, Todd, you get the bug sweep job.”

“I’m already on assignment, Sir.” Todd replied.

“What fucking assignment?” I demanded. “I’m the one handing out jobs and this is the only one I’ve given you.”

“Uh…” Todd went pale, his eyes widening as they bounced between me and Phil, and he took a step back with his hands up.

“He’s working for Joey.” Phil interjected.

“Todd, go wait over there.” I pointed at a stack of crates near the farthest visible wall and then turned on Joey. “Why the fuck do you have one of our men on a job only you and Phil seem to know about? One I clearly haven’t signed off on!” I demanded.

Joey drew up, squaring his shoulders as he turned toward me. He tilted his head to one side and sneered. “I wasn’t aware I needed to ask permission to assign a job that I needed done to one of our men.”

“It seems like you aren’t aware of a lot these days.

” I shot back. “In case you haven’t fucking noticed, our organization is in shambles.

We’re back at square fucking one, something you weren’t there to experience the first time.

So, the only job right now is getting this organization back on track, rebuilding and recruiting, not whatever secretive bullshit you’ve got going on. ”

“You’re acting like I’m not aware that we need to be getting our shit back on track!

That’s what I’m fucking doing, and I don’t need your permission to decide how I do that!

” He crossed his arms over his chest and lifted his chin in defiance.

“I might have been around to help with building and recruiting in the beginning, but between you and my brother I was relegated to proving myself for most of that! You can’t sideline me and then use it against me! ”

“You never proved yourself! If Rich hadn’t brought you in, you’d be dead.” I snapped.

“Oooh shiiit!”

“Shut it, Leighton!” I barked out just as the sound of Phil’s palm cracking against Leighton’s skull rang out in the warehouse.

Turning my attention back to Joey, I stepped into his space.

“What you did was get yourself in too fucking deep and on the wrong side of the Golden Devils for slinging dope in their territory. If Rich hadn’t claimed you as one of us, they would have put you down for the slight.

All because you were too much of a fucking child to take your brother’s ‘no’ for an answer. ”

Joey’s arms dropped to his sides, his fists clenched and his jaw tense as he stepped toward me so we were chest to chest. “You fucking liar.” He leaned back enough to shove at my shoulder, his face screwing up when it didn’t have the effect he wanted.

“I know I screwed up as a kid, but don’t make it worse than it fucking was.

I caught some charges, and the Horsemen had to bail me out.

I worked off that debt, and Rich said I worked off my debt.

He put me where he did so I could use my skills for everyone’s benefit.

I know you always wanted his spot, but don’t you put words in his fucking mouth now that he’s gone! ”

I crowded back into his space so that we were nearly nose to nose and dropped my voice to a dangerous whisper.

“No, you got caught by cops on the Devil’s payroll.

Rich sent you to your parent’s to hide out while we sorted out how to pay the fucking tax on money we never made.

You cost us, little brother. But it was a cost we gladly agreed to pay to keep you breathing.

If you don’t believe me, ask Craig. If you don’t believe him…

Well, Helen will be here in a week with our delivery, you can ask her just how close you were to a nine between the eyes. ”

I moved back just enough to shoulder-check him hard as I stepped around him and toward the exit.

The need to hit something was riding me hard after Joey’s insinuations.

He wasn’t in a place to reckon with his misconceptions, but if he didn’t get his head out of his ass soon, he was in for one hell of a shock.