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“You’re not going to be able to keep it a secret.”
“TJ contacted X.”
“What? Grant’s going to fucking kill him.”
“Yeah, but it’s a good thing he did. The dead guy was FBI.”
“Fuck.” This was bad.
Rogue laid a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll handle this. We’re not going to let some trigger-happy feds take us down.”
He was right. We’d fight this somehow. No way had we gotten this far only to be brought down by fucking law enforcement. This ranch was everything we’d all wanted—except for the having to babysit criminals part, but that was a price we’d all agreed to pay.
“We need to get Grant and head back to the house,” Rogue said.
I did not want to break this news to my brother, but the alternative was going to the house to grill TJ on specifics. “I’ll get Grant. I’m sure he’s still at the barn.”
“All right. I’ll see you at the house. Everything will be okay.”
Rogue was trying to convince himself as much as me. He deserved the same from me. “Yeah, it will.”
I had to give Grant and Jacob a few minutes after walking in on them with their pants down. That was just what I needed to add to an already stellar day. While we waited on them, TJ gave me and Rogue more details, then we brought Jacob and Grant up to speed.
We all agreed it was likely we had a traitor at the ranch. How else would the feds be onto us so soon after we’d opened our operation?
Jacob suggested he could be part of our plan to draw the snitch out. TJ agreed with him, but Grant threw a fit.
I didn’t like taking TJ’s side, but we could use Jacob’s help. When Grant looked to me, I steeled myself for his response. “Jacob’s plan does make sense.”
I hated how much my dick liked the smirk TJ gave me. “So you agree with me?”
“Even assholes are right occasionally.”
“You’ll eventually learn I’m right about a hell of a lot of things.”
TJ’s voice dropped in pitch as he spoke, and heat ran over me. He held my gaze, and I refused to look away. I was thankful I was seated so no one could see how potent my reaction to the bastard was.
“Jesus.” Rogue had a disgusted look on his face. “Either get a room, go outside and fight, or shut up.”
I felt my cheeks turning red. I hated how easily TJ riled me up. Rogue had it right. I’d be just as happy to punch him or grind my dick against his. I really needed to get away from him.
The tension lessened when Jacob pushed back his seat and said, “Is anyone else hungry? I thought I’d make us some lunch while we finish talking.”
“I’m starving.” TJ winked at me, which tipped the scale toward me punching him.
I rose, ignoring TJ’s laugh. “That would be great, Jacob. Thanks.”
* * *
I walked toward the back of the barn so I could dump out a bucket of dirty water. I froze when I reached the door because outside, only a few feet away, a shirtless TJ was chopping wood. I watched the muscles of his back flex as he raised his arms and brought the ax down viciously, easily splitting the large log. He was angry at someone or a lot of someones, and he was taking it out on the wood. I set the bucket down and leaned against the doorframe.
My knees felt weak as I watched his powerful body go through the chopping motions again and again. Sweat rolled down his back, and he occasionally used his arm to wipe the dampness from his forehead. His jeans hung low, his well-formed ass keeping them in place.
He was perfection. And he was making a display of himself whether he intended to or not. I needed to walk away. I needed to forget just how gorgeous he was, how fucking powerful he was. I needed to stop thinking about how it would feel to have him on top of me.
I hated how much I longed to be handled as roughly as he was handling that wood. I would fight him if he tried it, but it would be fun as hell. I wanted him to use me, to be hard and rough, but I’d only give in once he’d proven his ability to subdue me.
I forced myself to focus on the bucket in my hand and dumped out the water like I’d intended. TJ must have heard because I felt him watching me. Instead of turning around and walking back into the barn as if I wasn’t mesmerized by his half-naked body, I looked up, and my eyes met his.
