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)
Then there was Hallie. Lively, rebellious, beautiful Hallie, whose reputation may have just been ruined because of the way I looked at her in front of a woman hell-bent on destroying any rival she believed she had. All because I got fucking hard watching Hallie jump.
I couldn’t seem to do shit about the threats to my family and business just yet, but I could make sure that any rumors about Hallie and me would be put to rest. The last thing she needed as a new rider on the circuit was snide whispers about her fucking her boss. She was too good of a rider to be the subject of ridicule for her private life. And if Alexis smelled blood in the water, she would attack. Like any apex predator seeking dominance, she couldn’t seem to help herself.
“Jas!” I looked behind me to find Forrest running to catch up with me. Unbeknownst to me, I’d been heading in the direction of the outdoor arena where the Knighton Equestrian shoot was taking place. Seemed I really couldn’t fucking keep away from Hallie right now.
I schooled my features so my cousin wouldn’t suspect anything and waved my hand at him. Forrest fell into step with me. “You heading to the shoot?” Forrest asked. “Atticus has been there a while now.”
“On my way,” I said, without stopping.
Forrest grabbed my arm. “What’s up your arse?”
My heart was still beating erratically, but I just said, “Alexis Hobbs just left.”
Forrest grimaced. “Shit. That’ll do it,” he said. “Is she taking the new foals when they’re ready?”
I nodded. Then just to give him some explanation for my shitty mood, said, “She offered to buy Golden Oaks again and practically offered to ride my cock too, so just another regular meeting with the infamous Hobbs heir.”
Forrest sighed. I felt my cousin’s gaze boring into me. I swear, I felt his grin aimed my way, like there was a disturbance in the air. I swung around and faced him. “What?”
Forrest folded his arms over his chest. He shrugged. “Nothing. I’m just disappointed that I haven’t found you in a better mood.” I glared at Forrest harder. That used to work on him when we were kids, but now we were grown, I didn’t intimidate him at all. “I’d heard a bit of information I thought might have put a spring in your step.”
I stayed glaring at him. Forrest eventually cracked. “Thought it was interesting that apparently you sent Sage Miller and Atticus on their merry way last night, only to have Hallie Oakley model some solo shots for you. Alone. In the warehouse. Unplanned.” I exhaled slowly through my nose. “And,” Forrest said, not bothering hiding his shitty, smug smile this time, “you gave her a ride home. Just the two of you. For an hour. On all those dark roads . . .”
“Is there a question in there, dickhead?” I snapped. My pulse raced. I’d been so stupid with Hallie. So fucking stupid. What the hell was I thinking? I was being too obvious with her. I was a grown fucking man, not a teen with a crush. I had to put an end to this.
Now.
Forrest studied me closely, making me feel like a rat in a lab. “What’s going on, Jas? Do you like her?” His humor had ebbed, clearly seeing my icy response, and now he was truly looking into my fucking soul like only a loved one could.
I turned and walked away. Forrest followed. I had to stop this. I looked over my shoulder. Forrest put his hand on my arm and spun me around. He was frowning. “No one would begrudge you some happiness, you know?” I rolled my eyes. He was talking about Hallie, and I literally couldn’t listen to this anymore.
To knock him off the scent, I said, “I’m not the hearts-and-flowers type, Forrest. And neither are you, so don’t be giving me shit over something you know isn’t in our DNA.”
“Jas—”
“Leave it!” I snapped, cutting him off.
Of course, he didn’t. “You know, Atticus has been telling me that both Hallie and Sage have a lot of admirers on the circuit. She leaves for Doha in a couple of weeks.” He shrugged. “There’s a lot of rich, good-looking bastards who’ll be interested in her. You’d be okay with that?”
That shouldn’t have bothered me as much as it did, but the tidal wave of jealousy that crashed through me at Forrest’s teasing words was all-consuming. But it didn’t matter. Nothing could happen.
With every step to the arena, I grew increasingly agitated. Why, in a matter of weeks, was I letting all my perfectly constructed walls crumble? It only took my phone ringing to push me completely over the edge.
“Yes?” I answered, curtly.
“The new lead we had has gone dead.” Phillip, my PI. Instead of feeling let down, my blood tipped to boiling temperatures.