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I failed to hide how hurt I was by the harshness of their answer.
“She’s young and wasn’t trained properly when she should have been,” Rhys said. “I need a very experienced rider to work with her first. Later, though…”
Grant glared at him. “He doesn’t need to be around the assholes out here.”
“Are you going to lock me in my room?”
“Watch out. He might just tie you to the bed.” Rhys tried and failed to hide a smile.
I made a strangled sound, and I was sure my face was bright red.
“That is e-fucking-nough out of you.” Grant snarled. “But keeping Jacob in the house isn’t a bad idea.”
Anger replaced my embarrassment. “What? No.”
“There’s plenty that needs to be done in there.”
“Can you cook?” Rhys asked. “Because Grant is hopeless, and he won’t prioritize hiring a chef.”
“Yes, but—”
“Perfect.”
I shook my head. “I want to work with the horses.”
“I want you where I know you’re safe.”
“Then send me to some other safehouse.”
He scowled. “No.”
I’d known Grant was stubborn. He’d expected me to do exactly what he said the night I met him at his truck, and I had. But this wasn’t just a hookup. This was my life, my safety, my ability to trust.
Rhys looked back and forth between the two of us. “Why don’t I take Jacob to the house and offer him one of the guest rooms?”
“Fine. Jacob, don’t leave the house without me or one of my brothers.”
“Well, that answers the prisoner question.” I couldn’t keep the disdain out of my tone.
Rhys scowled at his brother. “Did you tell Jacob he was a prisoner here?”
“I told him he was staying here so he wouldn’t get killed, just like the rest of these assholes.”
“So I’m an asshole now?”
“No. I didn’t mean that. Shit. Rogue’s to blame for you being here, but this is the safest place for you, and I… I want you safe.”
Rhys snorted, and Grant gave him another of his icy stares.
“Would you like to come with me?” Rhys asked. “I promise you’ll be more comfortable in the house than where you’ve been staying.”
I had no doubt about that. If the house was as well maintained inside as it was outside, it was going to be like paradise compared to most other places I’d lived. The bunkhouse was more similar to the standards I was used to.
Was I really going to do this? Did I have a choice? I took a slow deep breath and glanced at Rhys, then Grant. Grant gave me a firm nod. I knew he was telling me this was the right thing, and he would keep me safe. I didn’t know how he could communicate so much with a simple gesture, but I heard his message as plainly as if he had spoken it.
Could I trust him, though?
My instincts told me I could. I thought again about the way he’d tended to the pregnant mare. His hands had been so gentle. A truly evil man wouldn’t treat a horse like that. Trey would never even touch a horse. He might get some dirt on his precious suit.
