Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 70097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Rhys scowled. “I told him I wasn’t giving a performance, and he needed to get the hell out of here. Madison sent him to work on the fence.”
I wasn’t surprised TJ was willing to do real work. He wasn’t the type of man who could be idle for long, but I didn’t like him wandering around on his own. That wasn’t what his father was paying for. The last thing I was going to do was assume the men who were sent to us were untraceable. Sure, we were remote and not what most people would look for when searching for a safehouse, but anyone, no matter how good they were, could be followed or traced. Otherwise, we wouldn’t need Madison and the rest of the crew here to have a special skill set that had nothing to do with ranching.
“Is he out there alone?”
Rhys shook his head. “Rogue sent one of the hands with him. The new one. I think his name is Jacob.”
That name made me freeze on the spot as my mind was flooded with memories I’d relived a hundred times. I massaged my temples and shooed the lewd thoughts away. The last thing I needed was a hard-on that would make my brother ask all kinds of questions I had no intention of answering. “We don’t have anyone here named Jacob.”
Rhys studied me intently.
Shit. I hadn’t sounded like myself. How had one fucking hookup gotten me so messed up? X hadn’t been kidding about Jacob being trouble. But no matter how much trouble he caused me, I couldn’t be sorry I’d met him and invited him out to my truck.
Rhys shrugged. “I thought that was his name. Maybe I’m wrong. He’s the one that arrived a few days ago. I’ve only seen him briefly.”
“I didn’t hire anyone new a few days ago.”
Rhys rolled his eyes, and we both said, “Rogue,” at the same time.
“If he thinks this is a place he can just bring his friends…” I put down the brush I’d been using.
“Don’t kill him,” Rhys said. “He’s probably trying to help the guy.”
Rhys was right. As a kid and a teen, Rogue had often brought home people he wanted to help. Some of them had been grateful for a safe place to stay and some of them had run off with the little cash I’d saved or something else they found useful.
“You better hope he’s got a good story.”
I stalked out of the barn and tracked Rogue down in a nearby pasture where he was checking on a pregnant mare.
I leaned against the fence and did my best to keep my tone neutral. “Who is Jacob?”
He glanced up, giving me his patented aww-shucks grin. “You said we needed more help.”
“Yes, help that I’ve vetted. Do you realize—”
“Jacob’s not a spy or anything. He’s not going to tell anyone about what we’re doing here.”
“How do you know?”
Rogue sighed. “I helped him escape from Trey Russo. He had no idea who the guy is, and he still doesn’t know beyond a vague sense that he’s into something illegal. Trey manipulated Jacob into a relationship and then wouldn’t let him go.”
“That fucking son of a bitch.”
Rogue nodded. “The fucker managed to find Jacob, so I thought he could hide out here.”
“Without telling me? Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”
“You hadn’t so far.” I got the trademark grin again.
“It took all my self-control not to punch him.”
“This isn’t your personal sanctuary. The people who get sent here are paying big money and—”
“I know you’re not just doing this for money.”
“I’m doing it because I can keep everyone safe.”
“Yeah, and…”
I growled at him. “Because I get to be around horses.”
“So what’s it going to hurt if—”
“Does he even know how to take care of horses?”
Rogue shrugged. “He’s learning.”
“Fuck. You’ve got to find someplace else for him to go.”
Whatever he might have said was lost in the roar of an ATV barreling toward us. The driver came to a screeching stop, jumped off, and ran our way.
“Rogue, I… Did you…”
I stared at Jacob. My Jacob. There. In front of me and in distress.
“Is someone hurt?” Rogue asked. “Where’s TJ?”
“He… he’s killed people.”
Fear made my stomach flip. Had someone found us already?
“How many? Where? Is he hurt?” Rogue asked.
“Not here. I mean in the past.”
I looked away from Jacob and focused on my brother. “You seriously didn’t tell him?”
At the sound of my voice, Jacob turned and truly saw me for the first time. His eyes went wide. “You… You’re…”
I fisted my hands at my sides to keep from reaching for him. “Jacob…”
Rogue looked between the two of us. “You know each other?”
Jacob’s mouth opened and closed a few times. He obviously had no idea what to say.
“Yes.” I wasn’t going to deny it. “We met briefly.”
Rogue lifted his brows and smirked at me. “I see.”