Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
“We’ll come back with you,” Forrest said, and Felix followed behind him. We walked down the path to the house. I pushed Genny, and she told us all about her progress in rehab. I truly was proud of her. She was so strong, and so positive where I feared most people would crumble. The scent of smoke lingered in the air, a heavy reminder of how close we came to disaster. With every step that it invaded my lungs, I vowed to double down on looking for who was hurting us.
Humans were one thing to injure. But our horses?
Those evil fuckers had just declared war.
Paris
One week later
I ran into the venue, passing hundreds of women dressed to the nines and men decked out in suits, all drinking champagne. The sun was shining, the air warm. It was a great day for riding. I pulled out my phone and called Benjamin, flashing the security guard my pass as I rushed down to meet Jean Pierre, who had invited me to watch the competition from his private box.
“Hey, Jasper,” Benjamin, my groom, said.
“Hey, Ben. How is he?”
Ben laughed. “I promise he’s good, Jas. I’ve just ridden him and he’s great, not shying or spooking. Jumped well. He seems back to normal. A true professional.” I relaxed, exhaling in relief. Ben had been with me for years at this point. Henry loved him, and I didn’t trust anyone else to take care of him.
Henry and the other horses had been shaken up for a few days after the attack. I’d decided to stay the week at home to help settle him back down and be there if the police or Phillip needed anything. I felt immense guilt about leaving him right now, but Hallie, Sage, and Atticus had swept again in the individual competition yesterday here in Paris, and I was going to make it just in time to see Hallie jump in the team event with Huxley.
“Perfect,” I said to Ben. “Keep checking in. Let me know if he’s safe.”
“I will, I promise,” he replied.
“The extra security is with him, yeah?” I asked.
“Yes,” Ben said. “All ten of them.” There was a note of dry humor in Ben’s voice, but I knew he would keep Henry as safe as I would.
“Okay, talk to you later,” I said and hung up. I searched for Box Ten, all the time thinking about home. The fucker that had been caught committing arson had been arrested and was going to be charged, but he still wasn’t talking. Phillip was working on the burner phone. He’d indicated last night that he might have something, a lead, finally, but he wasn’t telling us more until he knew it was concrete.
As bad as the entire situation was, a lead would at least bring hope that this shit show was about to be blown wide open.
Reaching Box Ten, I knocked and let myself inside. Jean Pierre was stood against the rail, watching whoever was jumping. “Jasper!” he said and came over to shake my hand. He put a glass of champagne in my hand and gestured to the balcony. “You’re just in time to watch your new superstar.”
I sipped at the champagne and looked out to the arena. The venue was at the Champ de Mars, and every time I came here, I would look up to the Eiffel Tower, the arena at its feet, and think how bloody lucky we were in this industry to jump at such an epic place.
Camille Dubois cantered out of the arena, waving to her home crowd. She was smug, as always, but on one of Jean Pierre’s horses she’d made good time and was clear. I wasn’t a fan, but she was an excellent rider. I couldn’t fault that. She’d stayed far from Hallie thus far. I’d promised Hallie I wouldn’t interfere for now, but if she said anything to her again, I’d make my feelings known.
“Can Hallie beat that time?” Jean Pierre said and nudged me. In that second, Hallie was introduced, and I fixed my gaze on my woman trotting out into the ring. She was dressed in her olive-green Knighton Cavaliers show jacket, her raven plait hanging down her back.
Fuck, but she was beautiful.
Hallie had no idea I was here. I wanted to surprise her. The bell sounded and Hallie pushed Huxley into a canter. I gripped the champagne glass so tightly that I worried it might smash. But as soon as Hallie cleared the first fence, I relaxed. Huxley looked good. He was calm and moving steadily. Hallie, as always, was as fluid as water.
I pulled out my phone and couldn’t resist taking her picture as she sailed over fence five directly in front of the Eiffel Tower. I had the exact same framed picture of me on Henry on my study wall from a few years ago. I looked down at the picture, running my thumb over Hallie’s face. When I refocused on the round, it was to see Huxley stumble badly after fence seven. He had cleared it, but I saw Hallie pull him back slightly. Even from here I could see the look of concern on her face.