Corrupt Love

by Cee Perkins

  “She?”

  “She. Kidnapped the daughter of an acquaintance, then beat her when she wouldn’t put out. That’s what got me the job. The rest of the shit was what I found when I went to map out her schedule.”

  Cay stared hard at me.

  “What?” I asked.

  “I can’t decide if this is an expansion of your powers, or a decrease in your control. You’ve never allowed stuff like that affect the job.”

  I looked at the bar top and answered, “I know, but...seeing what that woman could do to other people, especially other women, made me want to feed her some of her own medicine. It just wasn’t right, the things I saw. She laughed so hard she cried when one of her customers overdosed on her shit. And she was lacing with antifreeze. It’s like she was trying to make sure to kill everyone she came into contact with.”

  Cay was silent again for a beat. “You’re changing the jobs you take, aren’t you?”

  I looked up and nodded carefully. “I am.”

  “Because of Dan?”

  “It is. I know most people, people like Dan, think that taking lives, regardless of the soul it is attached to, is an unforgivable act. I know that having someone clean up the shit created by the evilest could save hundreds of lives. How does that saying go? Sacrifice one to save the millions?”

  She blew out a breath and looked at the ceiling. “Look, I don’t want you to get your hopes up, but he apologized to Ryan yesterday, and they had a beer after work. Ryan seems to think he’s starting to be a little less rigid in his sense of right and wrong.”

  My heart stopped, then jump-started to twice the speed. “He does?”

  That single, small sliver of hope Dan had given me the last time we talked grew a fraction. Could he ever possibly accept what I do? I gripped the edge of the bar tightly.

  “Corra?” Cay asked.

  Shaking myself, I looked up. “Yeah?”

  “Just...don’t assume anything, ok? Part of me wants to tell you not to give up on him, but part of me worries that if he breaks you, I’ll never have my best friend back.”

  I nodded. “I’m not expecting anything from him. He’s texted me a couple of times, but he’s not suggested we talk.”

  Her smile was cautious and small, but there. She took in a deep breath and said, “Do you need me to look at that?” Nodding to my stomach.

  “Maybe? It happened last night, but I think it’s still bleeding slowly, and it’s deeper than I thought.”

  Cay walked over and I leaned back in the seat again so she could pull off the gauze. “It’s still really red and bleeding, Corra. I think you need to go to the doctor.”

  “Dammit.” I hadn’t heard anything on the news about if the whore’s body had been found, but I was still wary of going to a doctor who would obviously know what the wound was and what causes those types of wounds. I needed someone who didn’t ask questions.

  “Can you get my phone for me? I need to call Salty.”

  Cay went to the living room for my phone and I dialed my brother. “Yeah,” he said gruffly.

  “I need your club doc.”

  “Why?” he asked.

  “Your little bitch last night cut me and it’s still bleeding.”

  “Fuck, Corra! How did she cut you?”

  “I might have decided to get up close and personal with her.”

  “Again, fuck, Corra! What the hell?” Salty sounded annoyed, but I knew it was because he was worried.

  “Just can you please send him to look at it?”

  “Fine. I’ll call you back in five.”

  “Thanks, br—” I didn’t even get to finish my sentence before he hung up. “Well, fuck you very much, too,” I mumbled.

  “What’s his problem?” Cay asked from the stool next to me.

  “I’m not entirely sure, but he was detoxing the last time I saw him.”

  “What?” she asked, incredulous.

  “Yeah. He’d apparently started using on the regular, but some of the money was going missing and he needed to figure out where it was going before the suspicion turned on him. I guess his shitastic mood has to do with that.”

  My phone rang in my hand, and when I looked down, I saw it was Salty calling back. “Was he available?” I asked.

  “Yeah, we’ll be over in half an hour. He said to tell you to lay down on the couch and keep pressure on it.”

  “Ok, thanks, Salty.”

  “Yeah, see you in a few.” He hung up, again, before I could say anything.

  I was in position when they showed up, holding pressure on the worst of the bleeding, though it wasn’t much. “It’s really just seeping. And Cay said it’s red,” I said when the doctor told me to pull my shirt off.

  He moved the gauze, inspecting the long cut. “Fuck, Corra, you didn’t say she carved you like a fucking turkey,” Salty said, sounding pissed again.

  Glaring at him, I said, “Because she didn’t. She got one hit in. And I got the last word.”

  Cay snorted and even the doctor grinned a little. “Hey, Doc, do you have any prescriptions that are good for PMS? I think Salty needs something.”

  “Fuck off, Corra.” He growled from the chair in the corner of the room.

  The doctor spoke up finally, “It’s mostly a shallow wound, but there are a couple of inches here that should really be stitched.”

  “Whatever you think, Doc.”

  He nodded and reached for his bag, pulling out a suture kit and a numbing agent. Ten minutes later, he was snipping the thread. “You’ll be good as new in about four or five days,” he said, gathering the trash.

  “Great, thanks. How much do I owe ya?”

  I paid the good doctor and with a pissy snarl, Salty lead him out of my apartment. I had instructions to be still, so I flipped on the TV and Cay sat at my feet, dragging them into her lap.

  “I noticed I haven’t had a job for Margo lately,” Cay said after a while.

  Flicking my eyes to her, I responded, “Good. I hoped my little intervention helped. Supposedly she’s attending Gambler’s Anonymous.”

  “That was a good thing you did,” she said.

  I just shrugged and kept my eyes on the television. “I didn’t help Margo to get props.” God, I’m such a fucking sap.

  “I know. Doesn’t mean you don’t deserve them.”

  Dan

  “Ok, Mom, I’ll see you at seven for dinner,” I said into the phone.

  “Great. I’ll try out the lasagna recipe I got off Pinterest.”

  I chuckled. “Uh-oh. You sure you wanna do that? The Beef Wellington was a disaster.” Mom had a knack for kitchen catastrophes.

  “Hey, I followed the directions to a T. It’s not my fault the recipe said eight cloves and left off the ‘garlic.’”

  “Sure. Can I bring dessert?” I said, still chuckling to myself.

  “No, I have a chocolate pie,” she answered, sounding smug.

  “That sounds great. I’ve got to get back to this account,” I said, “I’ll see you tonight.”

  “Ok, Danny. Have a good afternoon,” she said.

  Things with Mom were better, and we were both trying to build a relationship. It was easier to have a relationship when both people were putting in the effort.

  My phone vibrated on my desk, this time a call from Ryan. “Hey man,” I answered, organizing paperwork.

  “So I was thinking. I know you’re still on the fence about Corra, but maybe we could try a double date, just to see if maybe—”

  “Corra has apparently moved on,” I interrupted.

  Ryan was silent for a moment. “What?”

  “I sent her a text two days ago, and she hasn’t answered it.”

  “What did it say?”

  “What does that matter?” I asked.

  “I dunno,” he conceded. “But it’s weird she didn’t answer. Cay said she got hurt during training one of the girls she helps, so it’s not like she’s out running around.”

  I sat up quickly. “Hurt?
How? Is she ok?”

  “I’m not sure exactly, something about a hit to the abdomen. Cay said she’d be alright, but she’s been kind of immobile,” he answered.

  Need to see her. Need to make sure she’s ok. “Um...I have to run, I’ve got a meeting. Talk to you later, ok?” I said, then hung up before he replied. I grabbed up my keys and briefcase after sending a short email to my assistant letting her know I was out of the office for the rest of the afternoon.

  The drive over to Corra’s was nerve-wracking. Ryan didn’t make it sound like it was serious, but my Corra was hurt and not answering her phone and what if shesnotreally—

  I took a deep breath and forced my brain to slow down. I nodded to the doorman at the desk, hoping he was too busy with the FedEx guy to stop me. I took the stairs two at a time up to Corra’s floor. When I stopped in front of her door, I took another deep breath, this time trying to get over the breathlessness caused by flying up six flights of stairs, and knocked.

  A few seconds later, the door opened and a wide-eyed Cay stared back at me.

  “Is she ok?” I asked, pushing past and heading toward the living room and stopping just in the entrance to the room.

  I’d seen her only two weeks ago, but it was so short and I was still trying to work through my emotions, so I felt like I was laying eyes on her for the first time in six weeks. She was staring back at me like she was drinking me in as much as I was her. “Are you ok?” I asked before I moved.

  She slowly nodded her head, eyes wide on me, and I rushed forward, wrapping my arms around her tightly before she hissed. “Sorry!” I said, moving to back up, but a small ‘No!’ from the vicinity of my neck held me in place. She felt so good in my arms, solid, perfect.

  “I’ll just...um...go...some…where…” Cay said as she headed down the hallway.

  “What happened? I asked.

  “Just an unfortunate encounter with one of my girls,” she mumbled, still buried in my chest.

  “But you’re really ok?” I asked. I guessed Old Dan was still in there somewhere, being a worrywart.

  I felt her smile against my chest. “I’m perfect,” she answered, gripping my shirt tighter in her hands.

  I breathed a sigh of relief and held her closer, my cheek resting on her head. “Yeah.” And basked in her jasmine scent.

  Chapter 28

  Corra

  Dan’s arms...I’m in Dan’s arms…and he feels amazing.

  Yeah, I was feelin’ no pain. All I could feel was Dan’s solid warmth, his arms clutching me tight to him, the scratch of his dress shirt against my cheek, his heartbeat, sure and steady. I never thought I’d have this feeling again. And god what a feeling. I was whole.

  His hand moved up to sift through my hair and I felt him breathe deep. Then I felt him tense and lean back. No, no, no! Don’t lean back like that! I knew our cuddle time had ended. My heart plummeted to my stomach and I could actually feel the sadness growing in me, bigger, more consuming than the day he left.

  “Corra.” His voice was smooth, velvet. I couldn’t look at him, so I kept my eyes trained on my lap, hoping they wouldn’t fill.

  “Corra, look at me.”

  I shook my head. His hand came to my chin, his fingers lifting my face with a softness I’d never known existed until him. My traitorous eyes started to fill when they connected with his.

  “I’m not going to deny that I don’t agree with your life choices. I won’t pretend that the thought of you doing...what you do doesn’t bother me. But I also won’t deny how badly I’ve missed you, and I also won’t pretend that I don’t want us to try and find a middle ground.”

  The earth stopped spinning. Everything was centered in Dan’s beautiful brown eyes. My heart flew from my stomach into my throat. Was he saying what I thought he was saying?

  He dropped his hand to cover mine in my lap. “Ryan helped enlighten me to...some things that I’d never considered, and apparently the high white horse I was on is actually gray. The man you…” he cleared his throat, “killed...he was a human trafficker?”

  I took a deep breath and blew it out. I had to be 100% honest with him, even though I knew it wouldn’t be pretty in the aftermath.

  “He was, but I didn’t know that until Ryan told me. I used to take jobs from anyone who paid me and didn’t ask questions. I saw the wedding ring on that man’s hand, but it didn’t change my mind.” I could see the wheels spinning in Dan’s head, but I plunged on, “But since I met you, I’ve started hesitating. I still killed that married man, but I looked at where he was coming out of. I could tell that he wasn’t a good man. So even though I killed him, I hesitated. I don’t want to take out people just because someone got mad at them. I’ve only been taking jobs aimed at people who cause destruction and leave despair in their wake. I’m not gonna lie and try to act like I’m suddenly an upstanding citizen and put my scope away, but I’m hoping that the change I’m making to my business decisions could make the way for that middle ground.”

  Dan was quiet for a long time, his eyes heavy on me. I wanted so badly to be in his head right then. He held my heart and my future in his hands. I was afraid, but I knew anything Dan decided wouldn’t come from a place of malice and a desire to hurt me.

  “You’re not going to try for a career change?” he finally asked.

  Looking him dead in the eye, I responded, “No,” and saw a flicker of disappointment in his eye. “It’s not because I want to ruin lives. I don’t. But this is what I know, what I’m good at, and the people I target are not good people. They’re people who would kidnap thirteen-year-old girls, shoot heroin into their blood, and force them to fuck anyone who paid twenty bucks. If I have a skill that benefits the greater good, it’s important to me to put it to use. You may not understand it, and it may cost me my heart, but I can’t leave this business.”

  Dan worked his jaw as he stared at me again. His phone started vibrating in his pocket, but he ignored it, still staring at me. I watched him think hard about what I’d said, but I didn’t see a resolution when his phone started vibrating again as soon as it had stopped. “That’s probably important,” I said, keeping my gaze locked on his features. If this was the last time I would see him, I would memorize every curve of his face, the shape of his brow.

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, glancing at the caller ID. “Mom? Everything ok?” he said.

  I couldn’t hear her side of the conversation, but I watched as different emotions played over his face. Annoyance, confusion, resignation. Then, “Mom, I’m not stupid. At least if you’re going to go back out, give me the respect of not lying to me.”

  He paused, as if he were waiting. Then, he sighed. “Sure Mom, I’ll be right over. Just stay there, ok? Call your sponsor, too. Maybe she’d like some lasagna.” He paused again, then said goodbye and ended the call.

  “I really have to go,” he said, pocketing his phone and standing.

  “Oh,” I said, “but can you come back? Anytime.”

  Dan looked at me again, and said, “I have a lot to think about. I need to go deal with my mom. But...I’m not just automatically rejecting you. I just— I just have to wrap my head around this, ok? I’ll give you a call tomorrow.”

  Deflated, I just nodded my head, not trusting my voice. He reached for my face again, tipping my chin and meeting my lips with his. I felt the electricity of his touch scorching my insides, and his scent surrounded me, like a comforting blanket. He backed away, his eyes intent on mine. “I will call tomorrow, Corra.”

  “Ok,” I whispered.

  He nodded and left through the front door. It was a good minute before I could breathe again.

  Dan

  So at least Ryan wasn’t lying when he said Corra was killing men who were detrimental to society.

  But she was being judge, jury, and executioner. Was that fair? And since she’s decided to change her targets, is she doing her research? I needed that question answered before I felt I could make a competent deci
sion. It still felt foreign to me that I was even considering it.

  My heart was winning the tug-of-war, though, with only minimal fight from my mind.

  I pulled up to my mom’s house at the same time a woman in her mid-fifties I’d seen once before was exiting a sedan parked by the curb. I got out of the car and she nodded to me. “Dan, right?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” I said, extending my hand.

  “I’m glad you got her to call me.”

  “I’m glad she did call you.”

  “Let’s go see what we can do, huh?” she said, and turned up the walkway.

  Mom served the lasagna she had worked so hard on, and I was glad to see that it wasn’t a disaster. Her sponsor dove right into what happened that made Mom think about going out.

  I was physically there, helping my mom get through a stumble, but mentally, I’d checked out. I’d seen Corra, and I knew she was ok, but she still weighed so heavily on my mind. Aside from the obvious moral dilemma I was experiencing, did I also have to worry about her safety? And these girls she’s helping, what happens to them? Where do they come from? How does she find them? How many have there been?

  “…for coming to help me. I can’t thank you enough. You, too, Dan,” I heard Mom say distantly.

  I shook myself and turned to Mom. “I’m glad you called. I’d rather be here supporting you than out there wondering if you’re ok. And I’m proud of you,” I said.

  Mom beamed widely. “Thank you. That means so much,” she said, as she stood from the table and started for the door. Apparently, I’d missed the end of the support group. “I’m ok now, the urge to go out is over.”

  Her sponsor smiled at her. “Having support around you is key in recovery and I’m grateful you have family to lean on. Don’t forget you have friends in the group, too. You’re not alone, Margo, don’t forget that.”

  They hugged and her sponsored walked out. Mom turned to me and leaned in to hug me, too. With touch not having been a part of my life until very recently, I was still trying to get used to it and not flinch. Thankfully, Mom didn’t feel it, and it passed. She whispered, “Thank you so much, Danny-boy. Thank you for giving me another chance.”