Page 53 of Cowboy's Sinful Bargain

"They ugly."

They probably were, but they were also proof that Miko had survived whatever horrors caused them.

"We all have scars, Miko. Some physical, some emotional or mental. It's how we deal with them that makes a difference."

Miko's head tilted back so he could peer up at me. "You have scars?"

"My Pa was an alcoholic that beat my Ma every day until she just finally gave up one day and died. I was about fifteen at the time. He'd knocked me around as a kid, but when I grew bigger than him, he stopped. On the day we buried her, I beat the crap out of him, packed my stuff, and walked away. I never saw him again."

"Where he now?"

"I heard a few years back that he had tried to pick a fight with the wrong person and ended up in a coma. He died a couple of weeks later."

"I sorry."

I smiled as I pressed my cheeks against Miko's head. "We all have scars, Miko. None of them are pretty. All you can do is accept that it happened, learn from it, and move on."

"First Uncle preferred this method of punishment, but he used others. I quickly learned not to disobey the rules, but sometimes that didn't even work. Others would break the rules and the blame would fall on me. First Uncle never believed me when I said it wasn't me. After awhile, I just gave up."

I clenched my hand into a fist and rested it against his naked back. "Did your grandfather every whip you?"

"Only once," Miko replied. "I snuck out of the compound to go to a street festival. I was spotted by one of the family and dragged back. I think Grandfather whipped me that time to remind me never to sneak out again and get caught. If I hadn't gotten caught, he wouldn't have done anything even if he had known."

I still didn't think that was a good reason to whip someone, but I could see how it could happen.

"You know we don't whip people here at the ranch, right?"

I had to be sure he knew that.

"How do people get punished if they break the rules then?"

I let out a little snort. "They usually get fired."

Miko's brow flickered. "Fired?"

"I think rules is the big issue here, Miko. The ranch doesn't have a lot of them. Granted, there are things you shouldn't do simply because it isn't right, but beyond following the laws of the land, there's just not a lot of them. If you do something really stupid, you'll get fired and asked to leave the ranch."

Miko pushed himself up into a sitting position, the blanket pooling at his waist. "What rules?"

"No stealing, not hurting others, don't hurt animals, don't set a fire, stuff like that. Common sense stuff. We don't have archaic rules here, Miko. This is not feudal Japan. It's a ranch in the heart of Montana."

"You'll tell me if I break the rules?"

"I don't think you will simply because you're not the type of person to want to harm someone else or their property, but if a situation comes up, I'll tell you. I promise."

"No leaving?"

I shook my head. "You'll never be asked to leave, Miko." I swear to that on a stack of bibles if that would make him feel better. "Just be yourself and you'll be fine. And if you are ever unsure, ask me. I'll tell you."

"Hai." Miko smiled as he settled back down next to me, lying his head on my chest. "I ask."

Just then Miko's stomach grumbled.

I chuckled when his face flushed red. "Why don't I show you the delights of a shared shower and then we'll go down and get something to eat?"

"Kouki, too?"

I didn't groan.

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