Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 70162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
“That’s a shame. Your brothers haven’t been out of the marines long. It would be sad if they had an accident here after surviving what they did in the desert.”
Of course he knew my fucking weakness. I would never let him or the assholes he worked for come after my brothers. “What’s the job?”
“I thought that might pique your interest.”
“I’m curious. I’m not saying I’m getting involved.”
“There’s been a fucking fed sniffing around here, looking into our takeover of local business.” Ghost. “Word is, he’s acquainted with your family.”
“Interesting.”
“You’re going to deliver him to us.”
The hell I was. “And then what?”
“And then you disappear from my life again.”
“Bullshit. I know how this works. If I do this job, you’ll call me next time you need something handled.”
“This is a one-time deal. This fed has been sneaking around your ranch, keeping tabs on you. You should want him eliminated. Or have you turned snitch?”
Teddy really needed to die. “I’m no fucking snitch.”
If they knew Ghost had been at the ranch, then they had been watching, and that was so not good. I would have to tell Grant so we could deal with it. I could gain us some time by pretending to accept the job.
That’s not what Grant would want you to do.
Grant didn’t get to make all my decisions. I wasn’t going to let these assholes harm my family or Ghost.
“I’ll bring you this guy, but that’s it. I worked for the Carlottis. I don’t work for anyone else.”
Teddy huffed. “You’re missing out on a lot of solid money.”
I didn’t need the money now, but I wasn’t about to tell him what was really going on at Paradise Ranch. “I’m out after this.”
“Then get this done. Fast.”
He hung up before I could say anything else.
I shoved the shower handle so hard I was lucky it didn’t come loose. Water poured out, and I stood waiting for it to get hot. I wanted it scorching. I needed to feel something other than the churning in my stomach at the thought of how I was going to get out of this.
Grant was going to be furious with me for not turning him down immediately, but he’d never worked with these people. He didn’t understand how to maneuver with them.
I showered, letting the water burn my skin, scrubbing hard like I could wash away the disgust I felt at the thought of working with Teddy again.
Finally, I shut off the water and stood there dripping and shivering. I stepped onto the bathmat, reached for a towel, and dried myself. I had to steady myself with a few deep breaths before wandering toward my dresser to find a pair of boxers.
I considered grabbing a pair of sleep pants so I could walk down to the kitchen and get another piece of the cake Jacob had made for dessert. He’d brought my dinner out to me in the barn, but I’d been through a lot since then, and I was hungry. Cake sure as hell wouldn’t solve my problems, but it would do a little to make me feel better about not seeing Ghost that night—and the agreement I’d just made to bring him in so he could be tortured and killed by the Russos.
I’d just found the pair of pants I wanted when an arm came around my waist and a hand clamped over my mouth. I fought like hell, but my captor was too strong. I couldn’t break free.
14
GHOST
I was insane. That was the only possible explanation. I was sneaking around outside a barn that smelled like shit and animals and sweat. I had never had any desire to see a horse give birth, but I was listening to a play-by-play of exactly that because I was hoping for a chance to fuck the man delivering the foal.
If I needed sex so badly, I could have just gone to a bar instead of driving all the way out to the ranch, moving around in the dark where there were men who wouldn’t mind beating the shit out of me or even… No, I’d like to think Grant wouldn’t actually kill me. He had reluctantly accepted my help, but it was clear he hadn’t gotten over what had happened in the marines or with Brandon’s traitorous ass.
I stayed behind the barn, thankful for my ability to stay still and silent even when my mind was screaming for me to charge in. I’d never moved on an enemy early, and I wouldn’t screw up my chance to have what I wanted tonight.
When the foal had been declared healthy and Rogue was getting cleaned up to head back to the house, I started to move through the dark again.
I was hidden behind the curtains in Rogue’s bedroom before he got there. It nearly killed me to stand still and silent, knowing he was undressing and getting ready to take a shower. When his phone rang, I listened as closely as I could, but I could only make out some of the words.