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I started to protest, but I’d planned to be honest. “Yeah, we do.”
He sucked in his breath, and I turned to face him. The fear in his eyes made me close the gap between us and lay my hands on his shoulders. I’d really fucked this up. How could he be so innocent after being with Trey? “You will always be safe with me. This ranch is a safehouse.”
He frowned. “Like witness protection?”
“Not exactly. Our operation is most definitely not sanctioned by any law enforcement agency.”
“What about the military? I thought you were in the marines?”
“I was, but we’re not sanctioned by the military either, though if we were, I wouldn’t be able to tell you.”
“But you’re not? Really? I need you to be honest with me because I—”
I stepped even closer and cupped his face. I’d not even gone a minute without putting my hands on him. “I will be as honest with you as I can. You can trust me, and while he might be a pain in the ass, you can also trust Rogue.”
Jacob seemed to realize how close I was. He stepped back, and I let my hands fall from his face. I had to give him space.
“Trey’s family runs an organized crime ring.”
“That’s not, like, just a thing in the movies?”
My heart skipped a beat. He was so beautifully innocent, but the other night, he’d let me defile him. I didn’t deserve him, but he was stuck with me now. “No. It’s very real. Those organizations are the ones who send their men here when they’ve done something to draw the attention of law enforcement or if another family is targeting them. Sometimes they come here as a place to cool off.”
Jacob rubbed his hands up and down his arms like he was cold despite the heat of the day. “So all these men you bring in are killers? All the other hands and everything?”
I shook my head. “The other guys in the bunkhouse are just ranch workers and guards who know how to keep their mouths shut, and not all our guests are killers. Some are victims, and some were trying to do the right thing. Have you met Evan?”
“No.” Jacob’s voice was brittle. I saw a mix of fear and anger in his eyes.
“He wanted to get away from his mafia family, and he was working with law enforcement, but they couldn’t protect him, so I brought him here.”
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 arebad 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.”
