Page 2 of Corrupted

"While it's even a possibility, we need to consider it," Reuben said. "Gianni, persist with Graves. Damon, tell the twins to go and collect Daze. Have them bring her here for a talk. Mina, you will not go off by yourself again. What we do, we do together."

His expression was firm. Set in granite. He'd take no arguments from any of us, not even from me.

"I was trying to protect you." I raised my chin, just as stony, even though I had no intention of going off alone. Not right now anyway.

"I was hoping it was Kurt who was going to turn up at Clarissa's. If it was him and only him, we'd be having a very different conversation." And Kurt would be dead.

"It wasn't." Reuben's expression was unchanged. "It was an ambush, designed to trap you. If it wasn't for Gianni following you, and Damon working out where you both went, we would be having a very different conversation. The three of us would be trying to figure out how to get you back."

"Which we totally would," Gianni said.

"Only if she was still alive." Reuben's expression softened. "I can't tie you down or lock you up, but I can insist you don't risk yourself like that again."

The love in his tone was obvious, even if he didn't say the words. He didn't need to. We both knew the way we felt about each other.

"You're right," I said reluctantly. "I'm so used to being alone. Before that, I was doing things by myself and for myself. For a long time, I was the only one I could rely on. The only one that was keeping me sane." Or close to it.

"You can rely on us, sweetheart," Gianni said softly. "We can be clowns sometimes, but we love you. We'd do anything to protect and help you. That's what relationships are for. We take care of each other."

"What Gianni said," Damon grunted. "Except the part about being clowns. He can keep that description to himself."

Gianni flashed him a grin. "You know it fits. We just express it differently."

Reuben smirked. "Speak for yourself."

I flinched slightly at the sound of the door that led to the garage opening. It was all the way down the back of the house, but it got me every time. Someday, I'd grow used to it.

I hoped.

My shoulders relaxed when the twins stepped through the door. Both looked exhausted, but cheerful. Nothing seemed to hold either of them down for long. I envied them that.

"Cleanup is done," Hunter reported.

"Speaking of clowns," Damon said under his breath.

"We didn't see any of those," Parker said. "Thank fuck, because I hate clowns." He gave a full body shudder.

Damon snorted. "You're just in time, Reuben has a job for you."

They both groaned when he told them what it was.

"I was hoping for a nap," Hunter said. He exhaled, loud and dramatic. "Just for Mina, we'll do this one thing first. But we expect overtime for it." He clapped his twin on the shoulder and they turned to head back to the garage.

"They usually complain more," Reuben said. He arched an eyebrow at me. "This was exactly what I was saying. We look after each other. Including those two."

I raised my hands in surrender. "I promise I won't go off by myself again, unless I have to."

He arched the other brow.

"I can't promise more than that," I said. "I don't know what might happen in the future. I might have to work alone to save your ass. Or Gianni's, or Damon's. Or even the twins’. But I'll only do it if it's absolutely necessary."

Honestly, part of me was tired of working alone. Not in my job as an assassin, but when it came to the hunt for Kurt. This whole situation was easier, more tolerable, with them to support me.

"We'll make sure any circumstances that would force you to work alone, don't happen." Reuben was nothing if not stubborn. He very much liked things done his way. Or else.

"Yes, we will," Gianni agreed. "We're a team and you know what they say about teams."

"You're not going to say 'teamwork makes the dream work,' are you?" Damon groaned.