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Jack’s ranch is more beautiful than I’d imagined. Hills roll for miles and mountains rise in the distance, as tiny cottages dot the long dirt road that travels the expanse of his property. A winding creek meanders behind the cabins and rows of fences corner horses and cattle into place in the open field.
The front porch rocker is the perfect place to take it all in.
“Are you feeling any better this morning?” Jack settles his large body in beside me before passing over a steaming cup of coffee. “You slept for nearly forty-eight hours. Bryan was getting worried about you.”
I lean my head back and sip the dark roast coffee. I’m going to need about fourteen scoops of sugar before I can take another gulp.
Wow, that’s bitter!
“What’s that face about? You don’t like the coffee?”
I choke, wishing I’d taken a smaller sip. “No! It’s like drinking battery acid. How do you swallow this shit?”
He ignores my short tirade and takes another sip of the steaming hot caffeine.
“Have you seen Bryan? He was still asleep when I came down.” I set the coffee on the table next to me and study my brother. He hasn’t been right since the FBI asked him to step back a year ago. Though, if I’m being truthful, he’s never really beenright.The man watched a murder happen, and I’m not sure he even had a reaction.
“Confused,” he finally replies. “You should tell him what’s going on. He deserves answers.”
I swallow hard, wondering how much my brother knows. It’s probably everything. While I like to think I’ve learned from him, he’s the real human lie detector. “He wouldn’t understand. I’m sorry I dragged you into this.”
Jack rolls his head to the side, then drags his gaze back again. “Do you remember when Dad died? There was a huge rift about where you’d go. When I got old enough, I fought to be the one to take care of you. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that Grandma wasn’t going to be the greatest fit. She had the best of intentions, but she was checked out. And now I see how it’s truly affected you.” His statements are so unemotional.
“If this is another lecture about how I’ve disappointed you, I’m not sure I can take it.”
He sighs. “Bryan couldn’t stop talking about how this Liam guy looked at you and how you looked at him. He’s convinced he’s the fourth wheel in some polyamorous love box. I think you need to give himsomething. He’s the kind of guy that needs that shit.”
I sigh and go back to watching the ranch. Horses whinny in the distance as wind blows across the porch. I need to change the subject. I can’t think about Liam and Dex or I’ll ball myself up and sleep for another two days.
“I haven’t even asked how you are.” I reach my hand toward Jack. “We never really talked about the whole early retirement thing.”
He chuckles under his breath, then stares out at the mountains. “It wasn’t early retirement, Beth. They cancelled me like I wasn’t their best fucking agent.” His words are biting, and agitation filters through his fingers until he’s scratching against the wood grain of the rocker. I never noticed we both have the same tick.
“Can you appeal it?”
“No. I wouldn’t want it, anyway. They made their choice.”
I bite the inside of my cheek and look toward him as he scrubs his hand down over his beard. Maybe I should stop asking. I think I’m only irritating him more.
“There are a lot of guys out there. Where did you find them all? I didn’t think there were this many people in Montana.” I laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
He looks toward me, his gaze dark as always. “Most of them are ex-cons.”
My gaze widens. “Oh. Is that like… illegal?”
His brows narrow. “Illegal? They’reex-cons. So, no. They needed a place to stay, and I wanted a ranch. They work cheap, and pretty fucking hard.”
Before I can leap into the endless amount of questions I have for my brother, whose life I apparently know nothing of, Bryan slides the porch door open.
“You’re awake. I was about to have one of Jack’s guys check you over.”
I narrow my brows and twist toward Jack. “Yeah, I think I’d be okay skipping that exam. Do you have doctors on sight too?”
Jack nods.
“Cool. Are they fresh from prison or…”
Jack grins and stands from the rocker. “You’re a pain in the ass. Talk to your fiancé.”
