Page 40 of C is For Corruption (Horsemen #3)

Joey

It was late when I returned to my parents’.

I’d spent the evening and nearly half the night checking in with my crew and hunting Jackals.

I wanted to find someone to take out every ounce of frustration left behind from dealing with Victoria all day, and the thoughts that seemed to trail along with me no matter how hard I shut them down.

My mind kept latching on to how inept she was with the gun, and it wanted to believe that nobody could pretend to be that bad that well.

Whenever the thoughts popped up, I pummeled them back, but it was starting to feel like playing whack-a-mole with my mind.

The house was dark when I slipped inside, everything quiet enough for me to know the others had all gone to bed for the evening.

Taking the stairs two at a time, I headed toward my room, ready to crash for the night.

Light illuminating the hallway around my door was the first indication I got that something was off.

Creeping carefully to the door, I peeked inside.

On my desk was a plate of food, and standing in front of the wall opposite the desk was my mother.

Her hands were clasped to her mouth in horror as she took in the wall where I’d been slowly compiling all the evidence I had against Victoria.

“Mom?” I said softly, trying not to startle her.

She flinched and turned to face me, her eyes filled with worry. “What is this, Joseph?” She asked, motioning toward the wall.

“Evidence.” I shrugged, moving further into my room.

Her eyes turned back to the wall, and she shook her head. “Of what, Joey? Because from where I stand it looks like... I don’t know, obsession? Misdirected anger? Something worse?”

“It’s proof Victoria is behind everything, that’s it.

” I huffed, stomping over to the wall. I jabbed a finger at one of the court filings I’d pinned there.

“This shows her so-called uncle had details about Az that nobody should have. This,” I pointed at the paternity test results I’d found, “show Victoria isn’t who she says she is.

And I strongly suspect that this,” I moved to Theo’s paternity results, “was falsified. The map there lays out all of the attacks with dates. Every one of them happened after she either took off or contacted someone.”

My mother moved toward me and placed her hands on my face. “Honey, this is insanity. You know as well as I do that girl had nothing to do with this.”

I jerked my head from her hold, rearing back like she’d slapped me. “You don’t know that!” I hissed. “You weren’t there, mom, but if you just look at what I have here, you’ll see.”

“I am looking, Joey.” My mother spoke softly as if she were coaxing a wild animal.

“I’ve been looking at this wall for hours trying to figure out what in the hell is going on with my son.

None of this adds up to what you want it to.

If any of these pieces connected that way Rich would have known and handled it. ”

“How can you take her side?” I bellowed, too hurt and angry to care that I was probably waking the rest of the house. “Rich is dead because of her, and you’re still falling for her innocent princess act. She’s not the fucking victim, mom.”

“Joseph Dario Innocenti, don’t you dare raise your voice to me.

” She snapped, narrowing her eyes. “I’m not choosing anyone’s side.

There aren’t any sides in this. You’re letting your grief twist you into something you won’t be able to come back from if you don’t straighten up soon.

I may not be a gangster, but I’m no fool.

You’re tearing that poor girl to pieces, hoping it’ll put you back together, but it won’t, son.

You’re going to destroy both of you if you keep this up. ”

“Poor girl? Poor girl?! Are you serious? Rich knew she was the one behind it all when we decided to get our revenge for Az. It wasn’t until she started bed hopping between everyone that he changed his mind.

Even then, it took awhile for her to sink her hooks into him and make him look the other way while she broke us down from the inside.

She made us want her so all of us, even Rich, would be too busy thinking with our dicks to see the blows coming. ”

My mother’s palm cracked across my cheek hard enough to whip my head to the side.

“Don’t you dare disgrace your brother’s memory that way.

” She hissed. “He didn’t stop blaming her for Az being locked up because he wanted to sleep with her.

He stopped believing it because the deeper you boys dug, the clearer it became that that girl was just as much a pawn as the rest of you.

He spent hours on the phone with me talking over everything just to find the right way forward for all of you, including her. ”

“What the fuck, mom?” I shouted, holding my face where she’d slapped me.

“That’s enough, boy.” My father’s voice boomed from my bedroom door.

My eyes moved to him, catching sight of the others crowded in the hallway behind him.

My father strolled into the room, moving to my mother’s side and wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

With him no longer blocking the doorway, Az, Craig, Leighton, and Victoria could see my evidence wall.

When I heard Victoria gasp, I knew they’d figured out what I’d collected there.

“Is… is this what you think of me?” She murmured, hovering just inside the door.

“I don’t have to think when I can see it plain as day.” I spat. “You may have killed my brother, but I’ll be damned if I don’t figure out your end game before you take out the rest of us.”

“I–” her voice caught on a sob and I ignored the way my parents were both glaring daggers at me.

Az stepped around her, gently pushing her back into Craig’s arms. Leighton stepped forward at the same moment, his face twisted in a snarl. Placing a hand on his chest, Az shook his head at Leighton, something unspoken passing between them before Leighton rolled his shoulders and stepped back.

“Last. Fucking. Warning.” Leighton bit out, pointing at me before disappearing down the darkened hallway. Craig tucked Victoria under his arm, and they followed behind him.

Az ran a hand roughly over his face before sliding it into his hair and tugging. Heaving out a heavy sigh, he pinned his eyes on me. “You’re done, Joey. I have half a mind to sideline you until you get your head on straight.”

“Sideline me? Are you fucking serious right now?” I demanded lurching forward. My father’s arm shot out and stopped me in my tracks.

“I’m not. Not yet, anyway. Leighton is right, though, Joey. This is your last warning. Stay away from Victoria, drop whatever this insane vendetta is against her, or else you’re done. If you don’t, I’ll pull your crews, all your access, everything. You won’t be a Horseman if you keep this shit up.”

“Fuck you, Az.” I snarled.

“Go,” My mother spoke, jerking her head toward the door for Az to leave. “We got him. You go take care of Victoria.”

“You go on to bed, Darlin’.” My father spoke, gripping the back of my neck once Az was gone. “I’ll deal with him.”

“Alright,” she replied, patting my father’s chest and kissing his cheek before turning to me. “This isn’t the man we raised you to be, Joseph. You need to find that man and come back to us. I don’t think I can bear to lose two sons.”

My father held me in place as my mother left the room.

We stood silently for several minutes as he studied my wall, never letting go of my neck.

Finally, he let out a hmph sound and steered me from the room.

He used his grip on me to direct me from the house, past my mother’s greenhouse, and into the shed just beyond.

Once inside, he pointed to an empty stool next to the counter, where he’d do minor repairs before grabbing a second stool for himself.

His eyes raked over me slowly from head to toe, and I could almost feel their weight.

It was like he was trying to find whatever he thought was broken inside me so he could decide how to fix it.

I fought to keep still, the feeling that he was peeling me back layer by layer, making me want to squirm on the stool.

“What do you need, son?” He asked finally.

My mouth opened and shut, and I blinked at him. “What?”

“I’m asking you how we fix this.” He rubbed his palms roughly down the material of his flannel pajama pants.

“Do you need someone to listen to everything you think you know and point out the flaws in your argument? Do you need to hit something like you used to when you were younger? Tell me how to help you, Joseph.”

“I need my brother back and the bitch that got him killed six feet under.” I snapped.

My father straightened his back and looked at me. “Well, as much as I want him back too, that ain’t gonna happen.”

“I can still get rid of her .” I insisted.

He sighed and shook his head. “I understand wanting revenge. Believe me, son, I’ve been there, but blaming her because you don’t know who’s truly to blame ain’t bringing him back.

” I opened my mouth to protest and shut it immediately when he glared at me.

“I saw that mess you call evidence. Now, your brother didn’t call me to talk things over like he did with your mother, but your mother tells me things.

Everything on your bedroom wall is something Rich talked over with your mother, except them paternity tests.

Those may be new, but they don’t magically make the rest fit your conclusion. ”

“They prove she lied about who she is. And if she lied about that, she’s lied about everything else.” I insisted.

“Did she know about them? Before you shoved them in her face and shamed her for it?” My father asked. “Don’t lie to yourself or me now, son.”

“Why does it even matter if she knew?” I demanded. “None of this would have happened if she’d never come into our lives. Rich would still be here if she had never–”

“That’s the crux of it, huh?” My father interrupted.

“It ain’t that you think she’s the culprit.

You’re looking at the past trying to find any path that doesn’t lead here.

Why not go further back? If I hadn’t left the rodeo for the factory so me and your mom could put down roots, you boys would have grown up on the circuit instead of Southside.

We probably still would have had our money troubles, but Rich wouldn’t have got it in his head that the way you boys are living now was the only way out of there.

He wouldn’t have ended up murdered because he’d never have been in that life. So, why not blame us?”

“That… that’s a massive leap, Dad.” I sputtered. “We still could have ended up here even if you’d never left the circuit.”

“That’s my point, son.” He replied, looking me over again. “I can see you ain’t ready to really hear what I’m saying, so I’m not gonna keep harping on. You think on what I said, now. Really think on it. I doubt you’ll be jumping to the same conclusions about that girl once you do.”

“Unlikely.” I muttered.

He stood from his stool with a disappointed shake of his head before clapping his hand on my shoulder and squeezing it.

“One last thing before I head on back to bed. You ever speak to your mother the way you did tonight and we won’t be having a discussion with words.

Nobody, not even you, speaks to my wife that way without taking the beating they deserve for it. ”