Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 68058 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68058 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
By then Rogue and Colton were there, lifting a still unconscious Arturo from the car. Rogue pressed a hand to Arturo’s neck to check for a pulse.
TJ gripped my hand. “Is he…”
“He’s alive.”
There were no obvious injuries. TJ and I knelt, and he gently shook his brother’s shoulder. “Arturo. Wake up. It’s okay now.”
His eyelids fluttered open. “TJ?”
“Yes. It’s me.”
He closed his eyes again, and we didn’t try to wake him.
“He’s probably been drugged,” I said. “We need to get him to a doctor.”
Colton was kneeling by Franco, using zip ties to secure Franco’s wrists and ankles. “I can take care of this fucker if you want to stay with your brother.”
TJ considered his options, then shook his head. “No. The sooner I get answers from this piece of shit, the sooner I can put him in the ground where he belongs.”
He turned to me. “Will you take care of Arturo?”
Rogue laid a hand on my arm, and I knew that he’d as good as read my mind. “Rhys isn’t going to leave you, but I swear to you, I will protect your brother and see that he’s given any medical care he needs. I’ll make sure he’s comfortable and has whatever he wants.”
TJ looked back and forth between the two of us. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” we answered in unison.
“Jesus. Come on, then.”
“You really thought I was going to let you do this by yourself?”
He kicked the restrained Franco who was just starting to stir. “I could handle this fucker on my own.”
“It’s never wrong to have backup.”
He snorted. “Tell that to my father.”
“I have a lot of things I’d like to tell your father.”
“I bet you do.”
TJ and I tied a struggling Franco to a chair in the shed we reserved for nonranch business, not concerning ourselves with whether we cut off the circulation to his hands or feet. It hardly mattered since he wasn’t going to live much longer. He was still fighting when we finished as if he actually thought he could free himself.
TJ slapped him hard enough to make the chair wobble. When it settled into place, Franco remained still. He and TJ glared at each other, then Franco attempted to spit on TJ. That earned him a vicious punch to the gut.
“I wouldn’t keep that up if I were you,” I said. “It’s over. The faster you cooperate, the faster we can send you to your final reward.”
TJ snorted. “I’m looking forward to imagining you in the lower rungs of hell.”
Franco started struggling again, and the chair toppled over. He howled when he landed on the arm I’d shot.
TJ sneered down at him. “I suppose if you’d rather lie down, that’s acceptable. It’s just as easy to carve you up in that position, wouldn’t you agree, Rhys?” He looked over his shoulder at me, and I nodded my approval.
I’d told him I’d never tortured anyone, but I’d lied. I’d done what I had to do to get info more than once, but I’d never enjoyed it. That afternoon, I saw how gratifying it could be in the right setting. That thought should have terrified me, but it didn’t. I just kept watching my man work.
Once Franco had lost a few fingers and had the bullet extracted from his arm without the benefit of anesthesia or a skilled surgeon, he became more cooperative. It took less time than I expected for him to give up the names of his minions. I recorded the whole confession.
When it was done, TJ stood and looked down at him. “How long do you think I can draw this out, cousin?”
“D-draw it out. Y-you said you’d kill me quick.”
“I lied.”
TJ’s enjoyment had gone on long enough. It was time to end it. I stepped forward and laid a hand on TJ’s shoulder. “Look at me.”
When he did, I cupped his face. “Is torturing him more really going to make you feel better?”
He bit his lip as he glanced back at the now-sniveling Franco.
“Will hurting him now be good for you, or would you rather end him and then celebrate your victory?”
TJ held my gaze for the space of several breaths. Then he lifted his weapon and fired a series of shots through Franco’s chest. The gun clattered to the floor, and he pulled me into his arms.
“I love you, Rhys.”
“I love you too. I didn’t think we’d be confessing this by your cousin’s corpse, but somehow it does seem fitting.”
I felt him smile against my lips before he kissed me.
31
TJ
We wrapped Franco’s body in a tarp and dropped it into the bed of one of the farm trucks. Colton would see to the disposal. Once we’d cleaned up, we used the shower X had thoughtfully installed in the shed and dressed in extra clothes that had been stashed for us.
I wanted to be alone with Rhys. He’d been right. I didn’t need to spend hours punishing Franco. I needed the bastard gone so I could celebrate with the man I loved. Before I could do that, though, I needed to check on my brother, bring the rest of the crew up to speed, and call my father.