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)
“Are you going to beat me up? I thought you wanted me to quit the rodeo so I wouldn’t get hurt. You’ve got to make up your mind.”
I let go of the fabric and shoved at his chest. He tipped backward in his seat but managed to right himself before he fell over. “I can’t let you go around thinking you’re always right. You make mistakes too.”
I snarled. “Saving my men wasn’t a mistake.”
Rogue sighed. “Of course not. Who thinks that?”
I studied him for a moment. “So you believe I did the right thing? You don’t think—”
“Hell no. I may hate how fucking bossy you are and how you’re probably never going to think of me as a grown man, but I know how willing you are to sacrifice yourself for anyone you’ve taken under your wing. You’re a good man, Grant. Maybe a bit too much of a martyr but a good man.”
I clenched my jaw and balled my hands into fists. I wasn’t actually going to hit him, but I might punch back with words I’d regret later.
The main reason I’d been putting off seeing Rogue was that he often saw me more clearly than I saw myself, and he wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. Rhys would give me silent, judgmental stares, but he wasn’t a shit talker like his brother.
“If I didn’t hold everyone together, who would?”
“I’ve been doing okay for the last few years.”
Rogue was right. He’d done a fine job keeping himself alive with me halfway around the world, but he looked tired and so much older than his twenty-eight years.
I needed to take back control of the conversation. “I’m here to offer you a job.”
Rogue narrowed his eyes, looking just as his brother had before I’d left the ranch. Their countless attempts to trick me about their identities were legendary. It wouldn’t work now, though, they each had too many scars.
Before Rogue could interrupt me, I outlined X’s offer and told him about the crew I’d lined up for the ranch so far.
“You actually agreed to this?”
Heat rushed to my face. How many times had I told him not to get involved with anyone from our past when I’d known he wasn’t listening? I’d done everything I could to extricate him from the world of organized crime. That was the other reason I’d been avoiding him.
“I didn’t have a lot of choices, and I need to take care of my family somehow.”
Rogue shook his head. “You would have found something else.”
“No. There won’t be other offers like this one.”
“Do you really need all that? I could keep you going for a while if I win this weekend.”
“No. I won’t live off you risking your life.”
“Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing? Risking your life to make sure you can support me? Do you ever actually listen to yourself, Grant?”
I blew out a harsh breath. “Are you in or not?” I wasn’t going to beg him to leave the circuit, no matter how much I wanted to. If I had to, I’d keep hammering at him until he gave in. That’s what I’d always resorted to in the past.
“Hell yes I’m in.”
My mouth fell open before I could school my reaction. “Are you playing with me?”
“Seriously? You’re offering me a chance to live on a ranch and serve as a bodyguard for criminals and assassins while breeding top-notch stock. Of course I’m saying yes. It’ll be like playing secret agent on horseback. What could be better than that?”
“I didn’t think you’d ever want to leave the rodeo.”
Rogue grinned. “I loved the circuit when I was eighteen and it was all shiny and new. I got all the women and men I wanted and earned plenty of money.”
“And now?”
“Do you really not understand that I stayed in so I’d have some savings?”
I had definitely not thought that was what he was doing. “I thought you blew all your money on partying.”
Rogue gave me a disgusted look. “Just because I did that the first year doesn’t mean I never grew up. I’ve got plenty of money in the bank.”
“Wait a minute. You’ve been building up savings? For real?”
“Yes. Shocking, isn’t it?” He made a disgusted noise. “I kept bull riding so there’d be something in the bank when you and Rhys returned. If you returned.”
“If we—”
“Don’t you know I worried about you every single day you were over there?”
Tears stung my eyes.
Rogue looked both hurt and disgusted. “You thought I was drunk off my ass or high and didn’t give a damn about you, right?”
“I… No. I just thought…” I gestured at the RV. “Why are you living like this when you have savings?”
“That money’s for the future. I don’t need more right now. I’m on the road most of the time.”
All this time I’d thought he was living for himself, but he was trying to save me as much as I wanted to save him. “You don’t have to ride those damn bulls anymore. I’m back for good, and I can take care of you now.”