Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 69474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Beau pulled Travis into a hug as soon as he got into the house, and I knew things were going to be all right. I also knew I was going to have to let Travis go and let his brother be his main protector. Until then, I was going to make absolutely sure Travis was watched over every second of the day.
Beau offered Travis a job at his body shop just like he’d told me he would.
“Are you serious?” Travis asked. I hated how shocked he was that anyone could forgive him.
“I wouldn’t joke about shit like this. I’ll make you work your ass off, but there’s a place for you there as long as—”
“I don’t betray you.”
“As long as you want to be there. Fuck, Travis. I should’ve come for you. I should’ve fought for you.”
I peeked through the door, needing to see Travis’s reaction. He was shaking his head and wiping his eyes. “I should never have believed Rob.”
I wanted him to tell Beau about what Rob had done to him, but he didn’t say anything else about that situation.
“I found a place for you to live down the street from the shop,” Beau said. “It’s a garage apartment, and I know the guy who owns the main house. He’ll work out a payment plan with you.”
“Wow. Thanks.”
An apartment. That was good. Getting Travis out of my house was what needed to happen. I’d come so damn close to losing control with him today. I wouldn’t last much longer. If Beau hadn’t called… No, I wouldn’t think about what might have happened then or how part of me really wished it had.
I wanted to keep Travis with me, but I was willing to let him go as long as we kept a guard on his apartment.
“The owner might not want me there,” Travis said. I tensed. Was he about to tell Beau?
“Why not? You told me you weren’t using, and—”
“I’m not.” The fierceness in Travis’s voice made me smile. I was damn proud of him.
“Some of Rob’s enemies still want revenge. He pissed off a hell of a lot of people. Now that he’s gone, they might come for anyone who was associated with him.”
“And that means you?”
“Yeah, so if you want to take back the offer or…”
“What I want to do is make sure you stay safe.”
“The best way to keep you, Corbin, and everyone around you safe is for me to leave.”
Beau shook his head. “That’s not how we do things here. I finally have you back. I’m not sending you away.”
“I sent you to prison.”
“Rob sent me to prison.”
“I helped.”
Dammit, why did he have to say that. Why couldn’t he tell Beau the truth? Why couldn’t he accept the truth himself?
“What did Rob do to you?”
I hated the stricken look on Travis’s face.
He glanced at the office and saw me watching. Shit. I shook my head, hoping he understood I truly hadn’t told Beau anything.
“What do you mean?”
“Whenever I mention him, you looked scared and like you want to run away.”
“I’m really glad he’s dead, and I’m sure I’ll never see him again. That’s all I want to say.”
“I want to know what he did to you. I know there are things you’re not telling me.”
“There’s no point in telling you now. It’s over. He’s dead. You’re alive.”
“And so are you. I intend for us both to stay that way.”
I should’ve given Beau more credit. I should’ve realized he’d notice something was off with Travis if they talked about Rob at all. I wondered if that had been part of the reason he’d asked Blackjack to look into things for him.
If Beau truly still believed Travis chose Rob over him and that he willingly worked with Rob to send him to prison, I didn’t think even what Travis had done the night before would’ve turned Beau around so quickly. He had to know something.
“You’ll take the job and the apartment?” Beau asked.
Travis smiled at his brother. “Yes, as long as I’m not going to be putting the homeowner or anyone else at your shop in danger.”
“If we went too long without some shit coming up at the shop, everybody would be shocked and maybe a little bored. My friend with the apartment isn’t going to mind. He’s also an ex-con and not used to living a safe life.”
Was Beau putting Travis in even more danger by arranging for this apartment? He better not be.
Calm down, Dax. What are you going to do about it? Buy Travis a cute little house in a safe little neighborhood? Or keep him here, lock him up, and claim him as yours?
That was damn tempting, but I’d already decided against keeping him here, and Travis wouldn’t accept a gift like a house, not even if I assured him it was just something I would buy for anyone I considered family or a friend. That’s what Travis was, family and a friend. That’s all he was going to be to me. Beau was making him a good offer, and I would make myself celebrate it with him.