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)
He frowned. “You said you don’t work with the police.”
“I don’t. They’re not the ones who sent him. The situation is a bit more complicated, but I want you to understand that he got dragged into something because of the family he was born into. He did what he could to get out. In order to have a chance at a regular life, he needs to disappear for a while.”
“Why would you let someone like TJ stay here if you’re in charge?”
I was impressed that, scared as he was, Jacob was still willing to challenge me.
“Sometimes you choose to support the better of the bad guys. I mean there are bad guys and then there are bad guys.”
Jacob raised his brows and gave me a look that let me know he didn’t buy that.
Honestly, it sounded lame even to me. “There are crime families that have no rules, no moral code. They’ll kill anyone. They’ll sell anything, including their own children if it improves their power and wealth. Then there are others who work outside the law but don’t look for opportunities to harm people. I control who comes here. There are families I wouldn’t help under any circumstance.”
“Why would you… I mean… Shit, I’m in trouble.”
“I’ll take care of Trey.”
Jacob looked up, locking his gaze with mine. “What do you mean by that?”
“I mean he won’t hurt you again.”
“Would you… Are you going to kill him?”
I shrugged. “If that’s what it takes.”
Jacob closed his eyes and exhaled. “I shouldn’t be here. You were right. I need to go.”
“No. You’re part of us now.”
“What?”
“You know what we’re doing here, and you’ve got someone after you, so you need our protection just as much as an assassin or anyone else who comes our way.”
“I don’t think this is where I belong. I can get a restraining order or—”
“If you thought that was the right move, you would’ve done it to start with. You might not have known precisely what Trey was doing, but you knew involving the police wouldn’t solve your problem.”
7
JACOB
I had known the police couldn’t help me just as surely as I’d known fucking Grant would be unlike anything I’d ever experienced. But I hadn’t realized Trey was in the mob. It still seemed ridiculous. And the idea that the guy I’d been sent out to repair fences with was a mafia hitman was just too much.
I’d gone from a nightmare of a relationship into some fucked up action movie that was likely going to get me killed. I really needed to figure out how to get far away from the ranch.
I looked up at Grant, intending to tell him I wouldn’t stay, but his eyes mesmerized me. I’d been sure I’d never see him again, yet there he was right in front of me, looking even hotter than he had the other night.
“I know your situation is scary, but I promise you’ll be safe with me. You don’t have to worry about me taking advantage of you or anything. I’m your bodyguard, not… anything else.”
“Do you think that’s what you did the other night?”
“What? No.”
“Good. Then why would you…”
“Because you don’t have choices now. You’re here to be protected.”
I wanted to tell him he could protect me and fuck me at the same time, but I couldn’t make the words come out of my mouth.
“Don’t get me wrong, the night we met was… amazing, but I wouldn’t expect you to want to get mixed up with me and my family after what I’ve told you.”
I’d known Rogue was involved in something shady, but I hadn’t realized his whole family was in some kind of criminal organization. “So you… Your family is…”
“My dad was a minion for a mob boss. The man he worked for was pure evil, and the things he had my father do…” Grant’s words trailed off, and for a moment, he looked so pained I almost pulled him into my arms.
He quickly schooled his face, and the blankness of his expression made me shiver. Anything bad enough to make a man as strong as Grant shut down had to be awful.
A mare made her way to the fence, and Grant climbed up and jumped down beside her. He stroked her muzzle, then petted her flank while whispering compliments to her. “She’s due with a foal in three months,” he said as he gently ran his hands over her belly.
I watched, fascinated as he examined her. When he was done, he patted her on the rump, and she ran off.
Grant climbed back over the fence as easily as if it were only a foot high.
“I’m sorry about your father and everything.”
He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Thanks. After my father died, I helped my brothers the best I could. When they turned eighteen, Rhys joined the marines and Rogue joined the rodeo circuit.”