Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Why don’t you try doing what they say?
That’s not…
Just try. I heard the words in my brother, Biagio’s, voice but not the angry one he usually used with me—the softer one from when we were younger and he wanted me to believe he could make things okay. He was an asshole sometimes, but I wasn’t any nicer to him, and he still put himself between me and our father when I needed protection. I hadn’t really deserved it.
“I’m not going to serve Carlo something that could give him an allergic reaction or even something he hates. He’s not a prisoner. He’s here so we can keep him safe.”
“Because he—”
“Grant.”
Jacob’s voice was sharp, and the room went eerily still.
Grant blew out a long breath, then turned to me. “Answer his question.”
I bit back the words I was trying to, and simply said, “I don’t have any allergies, and I’m not a picky eater. I won’t eat snails, though.”
TJ sounded like he was choking. “I don’t think you have to worry. Snails aren’t on the menu here.”
Jacob smiled. “No, I promise they’re not. I made beef tips and gravy over rice tonight, and there’s salad, assuming you’re better at eating vegetables than some people around here.”
Grant frowned at him. “I eat plenty of vegetables.”
Jacob huffed.
“My nonna didn’t believe in anyone refusing vegetables or any other part of a meal. I can’t promise not to be trouble, but I won’t be trouble for you.”
Grant snarled. “Leave Jacob alone.”
“Fucking caveman,” Jacob murmured as he opened the fridge. I just smiled.
When I heard footsteps, I turned and saw two men who had to be identical twins.
Grant snarled at them. “I said you two could meet our guest”—he couldn’t have put more sarcasm into the word—“tomorrow.”
“No way. I wanted to size up the runaway tonight,” the one with slightly longer hair and the bigger smile said.
He held out his hand. “I’m Rogue.”
I accepted and shook. “Carlo.”
“That was an impressive trick you pulled.”
“At least someone appreciates how I used my opportunities.”
“It might be more impressive if you hadn’t gotten lost.”
That comment came from Rogue’s twin.
“This is my brother Rhys,” Rogue said. “He doesn’t seem to have any manners today.”
Rhys scowled. “I don’t have to be mannerly to someone who causes us this much trouble.”
Jacob rolled his eyes and gestured for me to sit down. “The rest of you can get out of here. I’ll handle this.”
Grant frowned. “No way in hell.”
“I’m going to make sure Carlo has plenty to eat, and then I’ll show him to his room. If you want to interrogate him there, that’s fine.”
“I don’t trust him around you.”
“He’s not going to hurt me. He didn’t hurt Blade, did he?”
“I never want to hurt anybody. I just wanted to be left alone.”
“Do you have a death wish?” TJ asked.
“I don’t want to be locked up.”
“Then show us you can behave, and we won’t have to keep you in a cell.”
Rogue rolled his eyes. “My big brother likes dramatics. Are you going to run again?”
I considered that. Now that I’d seen what it was like to navigate on my own out here, I knew getting away wasn’t going to be as easy as I’d thought. “I’d rather be here than get eaten by a tiger or whatever roams around out there.”
“We don’t have tigers here,” Rhys said. “Bears, yes. Mountain lions, yes.”
“So you’re saying you want to stay?” Rogue said.
I thought about Blade, about the look on his face when he’d let his gaze run over me, about the primal way he’d driven into me, totally giving into his need. “Yes.”
“Good.”
“You’re just going to take his word for it?” Rhys asked.
“I don’t see why it matters if he runs off and gets himself eaten by a tiger.”
Rhys practically growled. “There aren’t any tigers.”
“Whatever. Why should we care?”
“Exactly,” I said, but I knew why. If X was involved and they fucked this up, there would be hell to pay. I studied Grant for a moment. He could probably take Lucien in a fight, though Lucien likely had a lot more resources at his disposal, but from what I’d heard, nobody took on X.
“Don’t y’all have something to do?” Grant asked, looking at his brothers and TJ.
“I thought you needed our help to secure this dangerous prisoner,” Rogue said.
Grant flipped him off, and the three of them headed out the door, laughing.
Seeing them act like assholes to each other actually made me miss my brothers, something I didn’t think was possible now that we were all grown up.
Grant glared at me. “I expect you to do whatever Jacob asks. I’ll be right down the hall, and if I even think he’s upset, I’ll come back, and you won’t have to wait for a tiger or anything else to rip you apart. I’ll do it myself.”
“At least you’re direct.”