Page 48 of Corrupted

I smiled and pushed my phone back into my pocket.

"We just need to hold them off for a little while." I thought for a minute. "Are you ready to be a distraction?"

"If it involves you, I'm ready for anything," he replied. "Even a quickie while we wait."

I grinned at him and shook my head before scooting over to the other end of the SUV. "On the count of three?"

"Three works for me." He scooted up behind me, close enough to place a hand on the small of my back.

I whispered the words to count us down, before we rose and broke into a run. We swerved as we bolted to where, if I guessed correctly, Reuben and Damon were crouched behind a stand of trees.

Shots rang out behind us, but none connected. Somehow, we managed to make it to the trees and behind the thick trunks without being shot.

"Long time, no see," Gianni said to Reuben and Damon. He briefly filled them in on what we saw on the phone in the back of the car.

Predictably, they both looked pissed off as hell.

"We need to get the twins out of here," Reuben said.

Before I could tell him backup was on the way, two dark sedans pulled up behind our SUV. Both were packed with people.

The doors swung open. Daze was the first out. She ducked behind the door, a gun in her hand. Ric was right behind her. Followed by her two other boyfriends and six others, split between the vehicles.

"This really is a party," she called out.

I smiled. "That's what I thought."

One of Kurt's minions called out orders and several split off to approach the newcomers, a couple trying to get off shots before they were fully out of the sedans.

"Fuck off." I recognised my cousin, Phoenix DiMarco, who landed a bullet right between the eyes of one of the enemy.

"Good shot." One of his companions patted him on the shoulder.

I squinted. Was that… I'd have to wonder about that later.

In the corner of my eye, I caught a couple of the minions heading back to their SUV.

"It seems like not everyone wants to join the party," Gianni remarked.

I hummed my agreement. "Spoilsports."

They slid inside and turned on the ignition.

The SUV exploded with a burst of flame and a shower of metal and glass.

"That was meant for us," I said softly.

"As they say in the classics, suck shit." Gianni grinned.

"Seven left," Reuben said.

Apparently the twins had enough of sitting tight. The front doors of the SUV swung open and they all but jumped out, taking out two of the men around them in the process.

"Five left," Damon said. "And they're outnumbered."

Evidently, the minions realised that too. They dropped back behind one of the remaining SUVs.

"I think they're reconsidering their life choices," Gianni said.