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)
I hated it. I hated being this prick, but I couldn’t allow her to like me. I couldn’t like her back. Just look what was happening in our industry, the suspicions I had set off in Alexis. “You’re too fast on the approach. He’s too under the jump, and on the circuit, that’ll cost you time or points.” I waved my hand again. “Do it again,” I snapped, and this time I saw ire flare on Hallie’s face at my censure. As expected, her short fuse had been blown.
But she did as I said. In fact, she did it three more times. As she landed on the fourth, she drew Huxley to a stop. She was only meters away from me. “You need to practice more,” I said, my words tasting like acid coming off my tongue. Hallie undid the chin strap of her hat and pulled it off. Her hair was in a braid, and she looked unworldly. But her kind, turquoise eyes were no longer soft, they were like granite as they scored into mine.
“I practice all the time,” she said, her accent holding a pissed-off tone. “I lunge Huxley, work out, and leave no stone unturned. I can’t possibly practice more.”
“This isn’t the Under-25s,” I said. “This is the mainstage. With the most experienced riders in the world all clawing for the top prize money.” I pointed at Huxley. “You’re riding our horse and you’re representing our brand, so you need to measure up. And quickly.”
“Fuck, Jas,” Forrest muttered beside me. “Enough. It’s a bloody photo shoot. She’s jumping for a damn picture, not competing.” His voice was hard. Good. He was pissed at me too. That’d be three this morning alone.
Leon, who had been on the other side of the arena, came over. He was scowling at me. He’d clearly heard everything too. “Take a walk, Jasper,” he said.
One thing was for sure, I was the owner of this stud farm and the CEO of Golden Oaks, but the training arenas were Leon’s. And right now, I was fucking over his most promising rider. The fact he was like another cousin to me was the only reason he could speak to me like this on the land I owned.
I could feel the heat of anger pulsing off Hallie as I stayed rooted to the spot for a few more seconds. When I turned to her, her face was flushed, and her breathing was heavy. I hated myself. And I was pretty sure Hallie Oakley now hated me too.
Good. That was what had to happen. When Alexis sniffed around now, all she would hear is how much of a dick I was to Hallie. Zero romantic interest.
“Fix it,” I snapped at Hallie, and turned away.
Even Forrest didn’t follow me this time. I practically ran to my home study, slamming the door behind me and immediately pouring myself a large whisky. I slumped down to my chair and tossed my hat on the desk, knocking the whisky back in one. I stared at the oak top of the desk, my eyes blurring as I became lost to my thoughts.
Who the fuck have I become?
It was amazing how fear and pain could curdle a soul. I wanted my old life back. I wanted morning hacks with my cousins and chasing wins at the Grand Prix. I wanted family dinners and traveling with family. I wanted Lord Henry being in center spotlight where he belonged.
I wanted my sister to be okay.
I wanted my dad to be alive.
Blinking, I wiped away the tear that slipped from my eye. I clenched my jaw and chased my self-pity away. But when I pictured Hallie’s hurt, her angry face, I just wanted to go to sleep and wake up when all this shit was done.
But I had to protect her, and being close to me, in any way, shape, or form, only brought people bad luck.
Opening the desk drawer I always kept locked, I brought out today’s offering. Unfolding the letter that had arrived in this morning’s post, I read the typed words:
All you love will be destroyed.
Everything you built will be torn down.
You will have no one left, and no empire to rule.
I will destroy you, like your father did me.
Taking out a file from the same drawer, I placed the newest letter inside. The file was getting full. Flipping to the back of the pile, I found the letters my father had kept hidden in the same place. Threats just like this, but more personal. Ones against his life, Genevieve, and me.
My cousins knew about my father’s letters. But they didn’t know they had never stopped after he had died or that they were now coming to me. I didn’t want them to worry more than they already were. And Genevieve, I’d kept everything from her. She had the kindest, purest heart I knew, and I didn’t want anything to change that.