Page 13 of Theirs to Corrupt
The few things I discover are intriguing. Former special forces, highly decorated, accustomed to violence and danger.
The information about him and Link tells me that I’m out of my mind for continuing to look them up.
But as I drift off into an uneasy sleep, my mind filled with images of them, one question burns in my mind:
Will I be able to resist them if they come back?
CHAPTER THREE
The Next Day
Link
The sun dips below the Houston horizon, painting the clouds in vibrant streaks of orange. The stunning view is one of the reasons I have office suites on the fiftieth floor of my downtown building. This evening, I barely notice it.
My mind is consumed by thoughts ofher.
Nikki.
The door to my office opens silently, and Pax strides in. His face is grim, a thick folder tucked under one arm.
“You found something,” I state, not bothering to phrase it as a question.
Pax nods, dropping the folder onto my glass-topped desk with an ominous thud. “You’re not going to like it.”
I’m behind my desk, and I lean back in my chair, gesturing to the folder.
But before I can reach for it, Pax moves to the sleek chrome-and-glass bar cart in the corner. The clink of crystal and the quiet gurgle of pouring liquid fills the silence.
“You’re going to need this,” he says, returning with two tumblers of amber liquid and offering one to me.
Bonds whiskey.What else?
I accept the glass, raising an eyebrow. “Bad?”
Pax drops into the seat across from me, his muscled frame dwarfing the modern leather chair. “Worse.”
With a deep breath, I flip open the folder. The first thing I see is a driver’s license photo. It’s her—Nikki—but the name reads “Tessa Tremaine.”
My blood runs cold. “Tremaine,” I mutter. “As in…”
“Axel Tremaine’s little sister,” Pax confirms.
Axel Fucking Tremaine.
I down half my whiskey in one swallow, welcoming the burn.
The man’s name conjures a mixture of disgust and fury.
Almost a year ago, he’d come to me, begging for a loan to finance some “can’t-miss opportunity.”
Because his father was a man I’d known and respected, I considered the idea.
Though my better judgment advised against it, I’d been persuaded.
He hasn’t made a single payment since.
“There’s more,” Pax says quietly.