“It’s our grandfather,” Colt said quietly in the darkness of the room.
“You don’t have to—”
“We want you to know, so you can understand.”
Colt sat on the edge of my bed, and I smiled at the closeness.
“Our grandfather was about to lose the farm, I guess sort of the same thing as your aunt and uncle. We needed more money than we could have possibly found in the short period of time we needed to find it, so we went to people who did. Bad people.”
My brow went up in surprise. “Are you two related?”
Roman chuckled as he sat on the other side of my bed, facing me. “Nah, we just call him grandpa because he’s an old fart, and he took us both in.”
“Roman’s mom worked on his ranch, and my pop was the town drunk,” Colt said coldly. “We both were alone early, and Jake Stoneham took us both in like his own. So when the bank came after him years later, we did what we had to do.”
“And now we’rehere, at this fucking place,” Roman growled. “Where girls come to get trained and learn how to be mistresses for fucking rich old guys.”
“I didn’tcomehere, I was tricked.”
“Yeah, well, that’s the new direction,” Colt said bitterly. “Jeb’s got new clients — the kind of real pieces of shit who want toownwomen.”
I shivered. “And that’s where I’m going?”
“Not a fuckin’chance,” Roman answered roughly.
“We’re not going to let that happen, Johanna,” Colt said fiercely, his hand dropping to my knee beneath the sheets.
I liked it there.
“Why are you being so nice to me?”
“Because you don’t deserve to be here.” Roman moved closer, his hand going around me and stroking my bare back, which warmed me.
“Coming here of your own volition, choosing this life? Girls come here that I wonder about, but shit, I’m not going to judge. They’re here because they’ve made that decision and saw a chance to move up in their own way. Butyouweren’t given that choice. You’re too good for this place — to damn pure and sweet. And thisisn’ta life for you.”
“I don’t want it to be,” I said softly, crumpling slightly.
“Wewon’tlet that happen,” Colt growled.
“How?”
They were quiet.
“We’re working on that.”
Roman’s hand stroked my back as they started to rise from the bed. “You should get some sleep.”
My hand shot out and grabbed his before I even knew it, holding him tight. “Will you stay here for a bit?” My voice felt small, vulnerable.
I also realized how dumb it sounded the second I said it.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean for—”
“Of course.”
The two of them sat back on the bed, moving close to either side of me, and I instantly blushed as the warmth crept into me.
“Close your eyes, angel,” Colt murmured in my ear as they slowly pushed my head back to the pillow. “Close your eyes.”