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)
“What other cool things can you and Rogue do? Did you have your own language as kids or something?”
“Not that I remember, though Grant says I was the only one who could really understand Rogue until he was almost three, and I did most of the talking for him. Now we can read each other easily. It’s not mind reading. I can’t hear the words he’s thinking or anything, but we just know things. It’s not too different from people who’ve been married forever and can say whole paragraphs with eye contact and facial expressions.”
Why in the hell was I now wondering how long I’d have to be together with TJ before we had a similar connection or if it could ever happen? It wasn’t like I really knew what long-term relationships were like.
“Are you all right?” TJ asked.
Damn, I was so tired I hadn’t even tried to hide the disappointment I was feeling, knowing he would leave and I’d go back to occasional hookups. I still didn’t think I had the time or inclination for a real relationship, but TJ made me think about it. “I’m fine, just really tired. I should go on to bed.”
“Without any more licking?”
I raised my brows.
“You know you never get enough.”
“True, but I don’t get enough sleep either.”
“Fine, I’ll have mercy on you this time.”
23
TJ
I was about to head out to help Rhys unload a truck full of straw bales—something I never thought I’d be doing. It was a damn fine workout, and the longer I was at the ranch, the more I saw the charm of all the open space, fresh air, and hard work. Horses, though, were still not charming. I gave them a wide berth.
As I checked myself in the mirror to verify I looked as good in the cowboy hat I’d gotten in town as Rhys seemed to think I did, my phone rang.
When I glanced at the screen, I saw a name I’d been expecting and dreading—my father. Things would be worse if I ignored him, so, after taking a deep breath, I answered the call.
I expected anger or at least the superior tone he always used with me. What I got was something I’d never heard, the sound of fear in his voice.
“Arturo is missing.” Arturo was my half brother, the youngest child my father had with my stepmother. He was only thirteen.
“Is Franco responsible?”
“Who else would take him?”
I could give him a long list of people who had it out for him, but not many of them would dare to kidnap his youngest child, and even fewer would succeed.
“I know what’s going on.”
“Yes, your aunt told me she betrayed my trust.”
“You need help.”
“I need to show strength.”
“You need to win.”
“And you’re saying I can’t do that on my own.”
“I am.”
“How dare you?”
“If you could, then you would have taken out the Cafaros and Franco already. Instead, you want me, the son you’ve dismissed, to go save the son you actually love.”
“You would never speak to me like this if you were standing here in front of me.”
I wouldn’t have before, but now that I’d had a chance to get some distance and see how a real family acts, I think I would. “I have contacts working on this with me, and that is nonnegotiable.”
“Are you challenging me now?”
“No, I’m helping you. Don’t be so stubborn that you lose everything because you won’t let me.” He blew out a long breath. Had I finally gotten through? “You wanted me to be strong. I am. Now let me do my job.”
“Your job is to extract information when I need it and to kill when I order it.”
“And when you can no longer run the family? No one can lead if you won’t teach us to do more.”
“You have X poking his nose into our affairs.”
“I do.” I was glad he’d realized. That showed he was paying attention. “We’ll find Arturo, and we’ll punish Franco and anyone else responsible.”
“If they hurt my boy…”
“They will regret it. I swear to you. I’ll be on my way as soon as I let Grant know I’m leaving.” And Rhys? Would I have the nerve to face him? Would it be easier if I just disappeared from his life?
“No. You stay right where you are. I told you. You’re not leaving the ranch until I tell you to.”
“I’m not leaving Arturo at the mercy of—”
“Use your contacts to find him. They will go through you because I don’t know how many of my lines of communication are compromised.”
“I could coordinate better if I was there.” I should go. I could find my brother and forget all about the fantasies I’d begun to have about staying at the ranch permanently, about Rhys truly being mine.
“I won’t have you even more at risk. If Franco finds you, he’ll kill you.”