Conklin's Corruption

by Brooke Page

  I reached for my phone, scowling to see it was dead. I kept forgetting to bring a charger into the office and would have to wait until I got to my car to plug it in and charge it. I wouldn’t turn it on though, too afraid Becca might have sent me a hate text.

  Although I doubted it. She wasn’t like that. She was always the mature one, normally saying she was sorry first and wanting to talk things through.

  I need to pull my head out of my ass.

  Finally by 11:45 p.m. I gathered my things and headed home for another uneasy night’s rest.

  ***

  My heart leaped out of my chest when I saw the multiple flashing lights along my driveway. I looked down to my phone, cursing myself for not actually turning it on when I plugged it in to charge. What if Becca was trying to get a hold of me? What if she were hurt? I parked in the first spot I could around the cop cars, booking it up the lawn, dodging a few trees to get to my love.

  What an idiot I’ve become! How could I be so irresponsible to let my phone die? With all the crazy shit that has been happening too. My Becs… What if something happened to my Becs? That panicked feeling was in my chest, and I couldn’t reach the front door fast enough.

  Swinging the front door open, I rapidly searched the turning heads surrounding my foyer and living room. There were at least twelve cops wandering around then I finally found my love, curled up in a blanket with tear stained cheeks, her mother and father protectively standing next to her with their arms looped through each others.

  I swallowed the lump in my throat. I should have been here. I should be comforting her right now, not her parents.

  She spotted me, her voice cracking as our eyes met. “Tyler!”

  I ran to her, my arms wrapping around her like a magnet. I nuzzled my head into her hair, the smell of her shampoo calming me along with her presence. She was here; she was okay. My Bec’s was in my arms and wasn’t hurt, at least I didn’t think she was hurt.

  I held her at arm's length, surveying her for anything out of the ordinary or damaged. “Are you okay? What happened?” I asked in confusion.

  She dropped her blanket to her feet and nestled herself back to my chest, squeezing my waist.

  I held her again, waiting for her to answer then looked to her parents.

  “Someone broke into the house, Tyler,” Missy said quietly, holding onto Max’s arm. “We got the alert on our phones and tried to call. Max and I headed out here when we couldn’t reach either of you.”

  Max Stine’s expression was unreadable as he stood next to his wife. I gripped Becca closer, hating myself even more for stalling at the office. The thought of someone in this house with my Becs, watching her, waiting for her, prowling. It made me sick to my stomach and even sicker with rage. Screw RJ. He was messing with my life, even when he was dead.

  “My phone died, otherwise I would have been here sooner,” I mumbled. “I didn’t think to turn it on when I got it on the car charger. Did the alarm not work?” I was confused, Max’s and Missy’s phones only got notifications if an emergency button was hit, not if the alarm was set off.

  Becca buried her head into my chest even more. “I forgot to turn it back on when I got home,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”

  I furrowed my brows but refrained from scolding her. She had obviously dealt with enough tonight, and I was terrified to hear what happened. I was sure she’d never forget again.

  “I didn’t know you usually worked this late,” Missy said looking at me intently.

  “I don’t. Things have just been a little hectic since RJ’s death.”

  She nodded and leaned into Max, whose expression never changed from his blank stare. His look made me swallow the cotton that was forming in my mouth.

  The sheriff walked over to join our awkward crowd.

  “Mr. Conklin,” he nodded towards me, holding out his hand for me to shake. Reluctantly, I took my hand from Becca’s back and shook his hand.

  “Thank you for getting here, Sheriff.”

  “The intruder has been taken to the county. He was pretty high strung, no doubt an addict of some type of amphetamine. We can talk more about pressing charges tomorrow. Becca gave him a swift knee and held her own,” the sheriff said.

  A thousand tiny prickles tickled my skin. The thought of Becca being attacked was horrible. I squeezed her tighter, holding her head to my chest. I felt her tremble, and my insides tightened.

  “Well, I know Becca is in good hands now. We should be on our way home, Max,” Missy said, tugging on his arm. She walked over to Becca, gently patting her head.

  Max slowly followed, then looked me straight in the eyes as he put his hand on Becca’s back. He was passing a subliminal message through his gaze, one that told me I better take care of his daughter, and I better not fuck up again. I had only seen these eyes one other time, and they sent a chill down my spine then as well.

  She still had her arms tightly wrapped around my waist. Finally taking his probing eyes from me, he spoke softly to Becca. “I’m proud of you, sweetie. Call if you need me. I’ll always answer when my baby girl calls.”

  Becca turned her head to face him, giving him a gentle and grateful smile.

  Once his eyes left Becca’s, they were on me again until he and Missy walked out the door.

  “We’ll be out of your home in about twenty minutes Mr. Conklin. I’d like to get another statement from Becca tomorrow when she’s not as shaken.”

  I gave him a nod, more focused on my love. Becca was shaking again, and I hated this feeling. Knowing I could have stopped something from crawling under her skin and causing her so much torment. “Want to go lay down?” I asked quietly with my lips to her temple.

  She shook her head and nuzzled my chest more. “Only if you’re going to lay with me.”

  “I will as soon as the police leave.”

  She shook her head rapidly. It felt like she was trying to burrow inside of me, getting as close as she could so nothing could get to her. I failed as a fiancé, as a lover. It’s my job to protect her, and she was in serious danger tonight.

  “What happened?” I gently asked, stroking her hair. We hadn’t moved an inch since I walked through the door. The police officers had to maneuver around us as they left. I freed my arm for one moment so I could lock the door as they left.

  “I heard a noise, and I thought it was you coming home. I thought the same thing was happening as last night,” she squeaked.

  My stomach churned, remembering how drunk and defeated I was last night. I slipped up with my emotions last night, saying details about the mess my family created that I didn’t want Becca to have any idea about. But she was smart and caught on quickly to her surroundings.

  “Normally I’m extra cautious if I hear a noise and I’m by myself, but I just thought it was you. I walked out into the living room, and he was standing by the fireplace.” I felt tears penetrate through my button shirt, dampening my chest. “Tyler, I was so scared. I didn’t know what to do. He kept asking for magic bricks.”

  I couldn’t keep my body from stiffening.

  Fucking Mitch.

  Becca pulled her head back to look at me for the first time since I’d been holding her. “What are the magic bricks, Tyler?”

  I looked down into her beautiful, probing blue eyes as I bit the inside of my cheeks. I didn’t want her to know.

  She took a deep breath, and disappointment filled her eyes. She turned to go to the bedroom, hugging her body. I followed closely behind her.

  “What else happened?” I asked.

  She halted abruptly just as we entered our bedroom. “I’m too tired to talk,” she snapped.

  I stepped back, shocked by her attitude. She had been clinging to me, skittish and hyper aware.

  “Becca, did he try to hurt you?” I asked with a shaky voice, frightened what her answer might be. “Did he try to… touch you?”

  She whipped around, her ponytail hitting the side of her face. “I told you I was tired, don’t yo
u understand?”

  I flinched, unsure how else to react.

  “Yeah, it’s no fun watching someone who blatantly has something fucked up in their head but won’t share, isn’t it?” she shouted.

  I narrowed my eyes at her. “This is different.”

  “How?”

  “Because you’re terrified. You were holding onto me as though someone were trying to whisk you away into the darkness. Becca, I need to know what happened so I can protect you,” I pleaded.

  “Don’t you think filling me in on your secrets would help me protect myself?” she questioned. “Tyler, if there was a reason for me to be scared that someone could break in looking for ‘magic bricks’ then I might have thought twice about turning the alarm back on!”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat.

  She was right.

  I shouldn’t keep her in the dark, not anymore, and I made the decision to let her in on the Conklin and Chino predicament, at least some of it.

  “Let’s get into bed,” I said calmly, picking at the buttons on my shirt.

  “Of course, change the subject—”

  “Becca, get into bed and we’ll talk. You have a point,” I mumbled.

  Her mouth snapped shut as she dropped her silk robe, revealing a silky yellow nighty that had lace around the top and bottom.

  Holy hell, maybe I should make her put on some sweats.

  “Were you wearing that earlier?”

  Her strong demeanor changed as she shriveled into the bed, covering her body the best she could with her arms and blankets. “I told you I thought it was you.”

  Something deep inside of me boiled. The thought of some sick fuck breaking into my house, ogling my fiancé. He better not have… “Did that fucker try to touch you?” I growled.

  She curled further in the bed, covering her body up to her neck with blankets.

  I ripped off the rest of my clothing, leaving my boxers on as I crawled into the bed with her. Tears were falling down her cheeks again, and that’s when I knew he tried to touch her. I was shuddering at the thought. Rage and anger were filling every inch of my being. I was mad at everyone: myself, Mitch, RJ, fucking Chino.

  “Tyler, he was awful,” she whispered. I pulled her back to my chest, cradling her while stroking her hair, attempting to keep my hands from shaking with anger. “At first he kept his distance, mumbling about the bricks, but then he came on to me, like he had to pay me in sexual-favors for what he wanted,” she sniffled and I pulled her tighter, wrapping my legs with hers. I wanted to cocoon her, protect her from any harm.

  “Oh Becs,” I said, kissing her eyelids.

  “He was so dirty and smelled like sewage; his touch was like a thousand bee stings. His breath was foul and hot. I’m just glad I found the strength to knee him once he got close,” she said shivering.

  She nuzzled her head into my chest more, her hot tears rolling down my skin. “You’re safe now. Don’t be scared. I’ll hold you all night, I promise,” I murmured in her ear. She sighed and took deep breaths as she snuggled closer to my body, getting comfortable for sleep. I melted with her, wanting my anger for myself and everyone else to pass so I could get lost in my love, so I wouldn’t worry about hurting her when we became intimate. All I wanted was to be able to focus on her without some messed up feelings or thoughts popping into my head every five seconds.

  Just as I thought she was about asleep, her soft voice trailed across my skin. “You said I had a point,” she whispered, tracing a pattern on my back.

  I let out a breath of air. I had to tell her. “Chino is paying people on the inside of our company to hide his drugs and money in our unpurchased/empty/vacant buildings. He hides them all over his own properties, but RJ voided his contract with Conklin. From what I’ve learned, my grandfather used to sell drugs with him.”

  She was silent for a long moment, her finger pausing on my chest. “Hides them?”

  I nodded then rolled us to our sides so I could look at her. “RJ invented bricks that double as a safe box. They’re practically impossible to notice unless you know about them. RJ would always sell them to Chino, but he never let him use them on the subs while we were building. He didn’t want Chino’s dirty business to be pinned on us.”

  “Connor said something like that,” she murmured.

  I scowled at her. “Make a trip to see him along with Gage?”

  She frowned. “No, and I already apologized for today via text. Not my fault you didn’t notice it,” she grumbled. “Not that I should have to apologize for seeing him.”

  “Okay, I forgive you. Now about Connor?” I prodded, ignoring her tail end of the sentence.

  “Back when I went to lunch with him. He was warning me how he saw you meeting with Lee,” she said, not looking me in the eye but focusing on her fingers tracing my skin. “He told me Chino has never been prosecuted because he gets everyone to do his dirty work.”

  I frowned. “Don’t worry about this, Becca. Nathan and I are keeping an eye on him. He wants us to become partners on his subdivisions, but we are a firm and united no. I won’t run a dirty business.”

  She kissed my chest then looked into my eyes. “Why was he asking about magic bricks here?”

  The lump in my throat grew bigger as I blinked. I wanted to lie to her, tell her I didn’t know, but that wasn’t the case. I couldn’t lie anymore. She needed to know what was happening. “Mitch installed a bunch of RJ bricks around our house. The fireplace, the porch. I found drugs in them.”

  Becca gasped. “He what? Why would he do that?”

  “I have a feeling Mitch is the main guy Chino is paying to hide the drugs,” I sighed in disappointment.

  Becca sat up and looked down at me with a determined look. “Jamie said he’s always talking about RJ bricks. Now it all makes sense. Have you talked to Mitch about it?”

  “He hasn’t admitted anything.”

  “Well, what do we do?” she asked, baffled.

  “You don’t need to do anything. This isn’t for you to worry about. I’ve already put you at risk telling you all I know. I won’t have you snooping around trying to help fix this. Nathan and I will hire a private investigator to find out who Chino is paying.”

  “And what if it is Mitch?” she asked sadly.

  I blinked a few times. “I’m not sure what we’ll do. But I know he’s playing a part in Chino’s game.”

  She laid her head back down on my chest, fitting her body completely on top of mine, her legs on either side of my thighs. “Tyler, could you get in trouble for this? Is this what you meant about being married to someone in jail?” she asked quietly.

  I kissed the top of her head. “Yes. But hopefully we can figure out where the drugs are and get them out somehow. Nathan and I have this. Don’t worry about it baby doll.”

  She looked up at me and smiled affectionately.

  “What?” I asked, my lip quirking at her thrilled expression.

  “You haven’t called me baby doll in a while,” she whispered. Her words sounded hurt, not matching her face. My heart pounded against hers, guilt for pushing her away thick in my chest.

  “I know, I’m sorry,” I murmured, stroking the silky night gown over her spine.

  She bit her lip, giving me her all too familiar eyes.

  “Becca,” I said softly, pleadingly. “You’ve had a hard night, let me just hold you.”

  “Make love to me. Please Tyler… It’s been way too long,” she begged, finding my bottom lip and sucking on it gently. “I need this. I need you. Please.” She kissed me harder, her hands traveling down my abdomen. My body was already responding to her, and she ground her hips down onto me.

  The warmth of her felt amazing, and my foggy head was still running in a million directions. I wanted to comfort her as she nibbled down my neck and jaw, but I was terrified where my thoughts might go, especially with the intruder finding his way into our house, putting his sticky hands on my fiancé. I clenched my teeth tight as I pictured some sick
o coming on to my Becs.

  Her mouth found my lips again as my hands grabbed her thighs tighter, finding their way to her behind under the silk nighty. I squeezed her butt, and she moaned into my mouth, grinding down harder on top of me.

  “Why aren’t you wearing panties?” I asked harshly with a raspy voice.

  She bit down on my ear then whispered, “Because I secretly hope every night my fiancé will come home and be turned on by me.” She licked along my earlobe then brought her mouth back to mine. Goose bumps trailed down my neck and that was it—she had me. I was going to come at her full force.

  Well, as full force as I could. “I don’t want to hurt you,” I murmured into her neck, kissing my way to the bite mark on her shoulder. My mind still wasn’t stable, and I was terrified I wouldn’t be able to control myself.

  “You can’t hurt me this way. Only your silence hurts me, Tyler.”

  “I told you everything I know,” I groaned, hiking her nighty until it was completely off her body. She leaned back down on my chest once her clothing was discarded, kissing every inch of skin she could find. “I want to know what's going on in here,” she said, kissing over my heart.

  “I love you; that’s what’s going on in there,” I groaned, lacing my hands roughly in her hair. “That’s all that’s ever gone on in there.”

  She nipped at my skin again, as though she didn’t believe me. We stopped talking and both reached to pull off my briefs. I wanted to take this as slow as I could, knowing I needed to keep any upsetting thoughts out of my head. I tried to focus on her lips against my hot skin, the pads of her fingers exploring my arms and chest. Her gentle touch healed me to extremes, and I focused on her tenderness, her passion.