Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 68058 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68058 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
“You thought you could distance yourself from all the criminal shit we grew up with. Now we’re here, and you have a chance to do what you love, but you have to put up with mobsters and assassins and other people you don’t approve of.”
“You make me sound like some kind of Puritan.”
Rogue grinned. “Hardly, but you know you’re a lot more rigid than I ever was.”
“You’ll bend any rules if you think it will be fun.”
“I will, and it sounds like you bent some of your own last night.”
I wasn’t about to tell him it wasn’t the first time. “It didn’t mean anything.”
“The fact that you feel the need to say that tells me you’re lying.”
“I’m not lying. We fucked. That’s it.”
“So it’s not going to happen again? You’re just going to watch him strut around here showing off his hot body and not do anything else about it.”
“Unlike you, I can actually see a man I want and not act on it.”
“Except you couldn’t hold back last night.”
I looked away and grabbed Pumpkin’s bridle. “Temporary insanity.”
“Right.”
“He’s not going to be here much longer anyway.”
Rogue frowned. “You can’t be sure of that.”
“I can hope.”
“Bro, you’ve got to take care of yourself. You can’t just pretend your feelings don’t exist.”
“I’m fine.
“No, you’re not, and you’re not going to be until you resolve this here.” He tapped the side of my head.
“It’s just sex. Isn’t that what you’re always saying?”
“And you’re always telling me to be more careful.”
I hadn’t been careful in any way. Suddenly, I was hit with a flash of TJ licking the cum from my legs. My knees buckled.
“Shit, Rhys. Are you okay?”
“I… No.”
Come on. He put an arm around me and led me to the barn office where an AC window unit sounded like it was fighting for its life, trying to stave off the Texas summer’s heat.
He pushed me toward a chair. I sank into it, and he hoisted himself onto the desk so he sat facing me.
“Talk.”
“I’m in so much fucking trouble.”
Rogue frowned. “What haven’t you told me?”
“Last night wasn’t the first time. TJ and I were together the night before too. We were drunk, and things happened, but now I can’t stop thinking about the son of a bitch.”
“He’s not that bad.”
“He’s a killer.”
Rogue gave me a pointed look.
“I was a marine.” But he was right. I was a killer too. The dizzy feeling I’d had out in the barn returned. I was a killer and a fucking hypocrite. I’d killed my own father.
“So the government is trustworthy enough to decide who you should kill, but TJ can’t make those choices?”
“That’s not… He kills people because they’re his enemies.”
“They aren’t exactly upstanding citizens. How much do you know about his kills?”
I looked down, not wanting to answer.
“You’ve learned everything you could about him, haven’t you?”
I busied myself checking through Pumpkin’s bin of brushes and curry combs. “I needed to know.”
“And?”
“It doesn’t matter who they were. His family is just like the men who ruined our lives.”
“Are they?”
“TJ’s father is not a good man, and his cousin Franco is far worse, and I…”
“Rhys, this isn’t the time to keep shit from me. I know how hard it had to be for you to admit this, even to me. If you’re as worried about things as you must be, I need to know all the secrets.”
“Do you promise not to tell Grant, at least not until we make a plan and I talk to TJ?”
“You’re really worrying me now, but I’ve never snitched on you to Grant, and I never will.”
I sighed.
“I know you can’t say the same, but you did it to save me. I was furious, but I love you for it.”
I stood so I could hug him. “I love you too, Ri.”
We held each other tight for a moment, then Rogue pulled back. “Enough stalling with mushy shit. I want all the secrets.”
“TJ found out his father didn’t send him here for the reason he said. He sent him here to protect him from Franco, not because Franco complained about TJ’s methods but because the motherfucker is making a bid to take control of the family business.”
“Damn. Is his father not in a position to end this guy? And why hide TJ? He seems like he could easily defend himself.”
“There’s a personal vendetta between him and Franco, and his father wants to bide his time until all the lying snakes who’ve sided with Franco reveal themselves.”
Rogue nodded. “Risky, but it’s what I’d do too.”
“Of course it is.”
“What’s TJ going to do about it?”
“He didn’t give me a detailed plan.”
“I’m shocked he told you anything. You must have scrambled his brain. Good going, bro.” Rogue held up his hand for a high five, but I just glared at him until he dropped it and rolled his eyes.