Conklin's Corruption (#3) (Conklin's Trilogy)
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Authors: Brooke Page
Conklin’s Corruption
The third book in Conklin’s Trilogy.
Brooke Page
Conklin’s Corruption
By
Brooke Page
Conklin’s Corruption
Copyright 2014 by Brooke Page
All Rights Reserved. This book may not be re-produced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. All characters and storylines are the property of the author and your support and respect is appreciated. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.
WARNING
The following story contains mature themes and sexual situations. It is intended for adult readers.
Edited By: Samantha Hondorp
Proofed by: Emily Hamilton
Cover Design By: Perfect Pear Creative
Contact Brooke Page
Email: [email protected]
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
If I were to die right now, in this very moment, I would know one thing: I experienced the most passionate love that could be found, and I was lucky enough to have gotten it for so long. The fantasy of our future would have to be enough to hold on to while in heaven where we’d meet again. I closed my eyes, preparing for the inevitable.
Only God can stop a moving bullet.
Tyler
I sat at my desk drumming my fingers anxiously against the mahogany. It was ten after eight in the morning, and Mitch was late for our meeting. Nathan sat across from me in one of the black leather chairs, his posture relaxed as he studied me.
“Where is he?” I grumbled, resituating in my chair. “I told him 8:00 a.m. at least three times. I texted, emailed, and called him for Christ’s sake. He could have the decency to keep a schedule!”
I ran my hand through my hair trying to calm my nerves. But it was pointless. I was too furious with my younger brother.
He had some real nerve surrounding the house I built for Becca and myself with RJ bricks, and some huge balls to fill them with fucking cocaine. Feeling more agitated with every passing second he hadn’t walked through the door, I stood and made my way to the photos of Wrigley Field being built that Becca gifted me last Christmas.
“You know he’s never on time. Try to calm down, Tyler.”
“I’m so fucking pissed off at him,” I said through clenched teeth.
Nathan sighed and stood up, the leather squeaking as he did so. He made his way to the opposite side of my office, finding the tumblers of liquor.
I heard the ice from the bucket clank against the tumbler then liquid being poured.
Without taking my eyes from the photos I said, “You do know it’s only a quarter after eight in the morning, right?”
Nathan walked over to my desk, leaning against it as he took a sip of the amber liquid. “Yes, Mother.”
“As if our mother would care,” I chided.
Nathan smirked into his glass. “That’s correct. You know I can’t operate without a little bit of the good stuff.”
I smiled to myself. How do you call someone an alcoholic when they can function better with it in their system? I shook my head then checked my watch again. If Mitch didn’t walk through that door in two minutes, I was going to call him and rip him a new one. I began to pace the room again.
“Tyler, try to relax. Mitch shouldn’t have done that, and we’ll make sure he doesn’t do it again,” Nathan said calmly, setting his drink down on my desk and crossing his arms. “How much overall was hidden?”
I let out a long breath of air. “Each brick I found had at least ten eight balls.”
Nathan’s eyes widened. “How many bricks?”
“Too fucking many.” I ran my hand over my face and began pacing again, but this time behind my desk. I took off my jacket after the third pace and set it over my chair. Why was it so hot in this room?
“What did you do with it all?” Nathan asked.
I stopped dead in my tracks and stared at him. “I left it in the bricks.”
“You left it there?” he asked, sounding puzzled.
I scowled at him. “How the fuck am I supposed to know what to do with that much cocaine?”
Nathan shrugged his shoulders. “Call Chino.”
Anger fueled my body at his words. “We aren’t getting involved with him and his drug scheme. Don’t bring it up again,” I growled.
Nathan rolled his eyes and stood tall from the desk to walk over by me. “Tyler, I hate to say it, but I think it might be his to begin with. You said yourself you didn’t trust Mitch to be around Chino and not give in to his deals.”
“I will break his hands so he can’t smoke that shit ever again if he’s dealing with Chino on our properties.” My face must have been red and the veins in my forehead had to have been popping out because I was so livid with my younger brother.
Just as I was about to say something else, Mitch walked through my office door. He was wearing jeans and a hooded sweatshirt with his work boots, holding a cup of coffee. He had a lazy grin on his face, and I wanted to punch his teeth in when I saw him.
“Sorry I’m late. Ran into traffic problems,” he said while yawning.
I glared at him as Nathan walked over to the side of my desk to grab his drink.
Mitch looked between the two of us, an unsure expression crossing over his face. “So, what’s this meeting about anyway?” He didn’t move to sit down but stood only a few feet in the doorway.
“Sit down,” I said in a dangerously low tone. “We have an urgent matter to discuss.”
Mitch raised his brows and walked further into the room to sit down on one of the black leather chairs. Coffee in one hand, he crossed his ankle so it was on his opposite knee as he relaxed into the chair. I just stared, feeling my heart race in my chest.
“Sit down Tyler,” Nathan said sternly. I clenched my jaw and closed my eyes, attempting to calm down enough to hear Mitch’s side of the story. But it was going to be almost an impossible task for me to handle.
“Tyler,” Nathan said with more force. I rolled my eyes at him then plopped down in my chair, rolling it forward so I was leaning over my desk and facing Mitch. Mitch looked up at Nathan as he stood with his tumbler in hand.
“Are you drinking already?” Mitch asked.
“Yes. Now listen—”
“Tell me what you’ve been working on at my house,” I said slowly, cutting off Nathan. My eyes were glued to Mitch.
He gave me a ‘you must be crazy’ look. “What do you mean what have I been working on? I’ve been busting my ass to get that shit done for you in a ridiculous amount of time. You weren’t exactly willing to work within our normal time constraints,” Mitch grumbled. “If something is wrong, I’ll fix it.”
“You’re fucking right you’ll fix it,” I snapped, standing from my seat with my palms spread flat on my desk. “What about the fireplace? What exactly have you been working on with that? Huh?”
Mitch sat back, meeting my glare. “That fireplace is perfect. I laid it myself. Stop being such a prick.”
I clenched my teeth together again, mentally doing all I could to keep my fist from going through his forehead.
“Mitch, stop being an idiot. I saw the RJ bricks,” I growled.
A slow smile crept across his face. “Yeah, I thought they’d be a good touch.”
I jumped from behind my desk so I was in front of Mitch. His eyes were stunned open by my deftness to tackle him. He was lucky Nathan was quick, rushing over to step in front of me.
“Did you really think I wasn’t going to notice them?” I shouted. Nathan had a grasp on my arm.
Mitch stood up, meeting my glare. “Tyler, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I put in a safe box. I figured you’d be happy. Guess I was wrong. What the hell does Becca see in your moody ass anyway?”
The second her name crossed his lips I shoved Nathan to the side, causing him to bump into the wall, nearly knocking down the photos of Wrigley Field. I yanked Mitch across from me and pounded his head into my desk, palming his head with my hand and pinning him in place.
“Jesus, what the fuck, Tyler?!” he shouted as I used my elbow to hold him to my desk. A trickle of blood was spreading across some of my paperwork from Mitch’s lip hitting the desk so forcefully. Even more reason for me to be pissed off at him.
“Don’t ever fucking say her name again, you asshole. Why’d you hide cocaine all over our house?” I yelled in his ear. “Did Chino put you up to it?”
Mitch tried to flail from my grasp, but pure adrenaline was running through my veins. I hated to admit it, but Mitch could do a number on me if we were to get into a fight. He was broader and a touch taller, but with all the rage under my skin, I could hold my own.
“Cooper!” Nathan shouted as he stood tall from being rammed into the wall. Nathan cursed as he straightened his suit jacket. Cooper came through the door and had both hands on my biceps.
I tilted my head backwards, my murderous eyes meeting his. “Cooper, back off,” I growled. “Answer me, Mitch.”
Cooper glanced at Nathan then took a step back.
“It won’t be there for long,” Mitch muffled.
I practically roared as I pulled him back then slammed his head down again.
Cooper was back on me in a nanosecond, pulling me away from Mitch. I shrugged Cooper off and paced the office.
“Damn it, Mitch! I thought we agreed about Chino,” Nathan scolded, adjusting his designer glasses.
“Who the hell said I was working with Chino, huh?” he mumbled through his hand then wiped the blood from his mouth on his sleeve. “You’re a fucking psycho, Tyler!”
I saw red again, my moment of self-control vanishing again as I went to charge him. I grabbed his collar and pushed him against the wall.
“I’m a psycho? Who the hell hides over $100,000 of cocaine in his brother's house? Do you know what kind of danger you brought to MY house by doing that? Indirectly involving MY future wife with your fucking drug deals?”
I felt Cooper’s hands back on me but more forcefully this time. I held my ground though, my forearm firmly placed on Mitch’s neck. “I swear to God, if that shit isn’t out of my house by tomorrow morning I will crush your face in with my fist so you won’t ever be able to smoke or snort that shit again!”
“That’s ENOUGH, Tyler,” Nathan’s said harshly. He nodded to Cooper, his signal to pull me off Mitch. Nathan took a step between Mitch and me. I was breathing heavy, my chest rising unevenly as Cooper still had a firm grasp on my biceps.
“Future wife? Can’t believe she actually said yes,” Mitch snorted, wiping more blood off his nose.
I tried to leap forward again, but Cooper kept a tight grip on me while Nathan raised his hand in front of me. Cooper had saved me from more than one fight back in college this way.