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 have to stay here,” I said, annoyance slipping into every word. “I must look after things here in England. And Knighton Equestrian is busier than ever.”
Atticus rolled his eyes. “Forrest’s season doesn’t begin for a while yet, and if possible, he has a bigger pole shoved up his arse than you, so I call bullshit on that. And you have a laptop. Knighton Equestrian can be managed remotely. That’s how you’ve always done it in years past.”
“Genny is here too—”
“Again, so are Felix and Forrest,” Atticus cut in. “She also has Geraldine, and by the looks of it, you’ve hired the SAS to protect Golden Oaks and our team abroad, so I’m not sure what you think you could do to protect them all more than trained specialists could.”
Sometimes my younger family members were the blight of my life. And more than annoying when they ripped your reasons for not going somewhere wide open. I’d spent days convincing myself I was better off here. And in walks Atticus, smashing all my excuses to smithereens.
Atticus got to his feet. “I need to pack. The private jet is tires up at ten tomorrow morning. I hope to see you there.” He walked to the door.
“You won’t,” I said sternly.
“Okay. Then see you when I get back,” he said, and left the office with his usual dramatic flair.
When he was gone, I locked the door behind him, then moved back to my desk. I replayed the last line of today’s letter in my head.
I am watching you.
I ran my hand over my forehead and stared out the window. The place was a rush of activity. Everyone had either already left for Doha or were prepping to go.
I hadn’t seen Hallie since the night in the vet barn. My pulse fucking raced as I recalled how she looked in her cowgirl getup, that long, raven hair wild around her. Her stunning turquoise eyes as they fell on me behind her.
I’d fought going. I’d fought the apology I gave her. It was better that she disliked me. It was better that we didn’t get too close. But after what she had done for Dahlia, there was no way I wasn’t going to thank her in person. By saving Dahlia that day, she had saved my sister. I didn’t want to even imagine what would have happened if Dahlia had had to be destroyed.
Genny would have been destroyed too.
Hallie didn’t understand the gravity of her help that day.
But I did. I also understood the gravity of the hold she had on my heart. Right now, that was the bigger battle for me to overcome. A ghost of a smile pulled on my lips as I thought back to finding her in the vet barn. I knew she’d be there. If there was one thing I knew about Hallie, it was that she cared for horses more than anything. She was a night owl and didn’t care about breaking the rules. My gut told me she would have sneaked into the barn to see Dahlia even if she hadn’t been allowed. When I entered the barn and Katie told me she was already there, it was the first full breath I’d taken that day.
When we’d begun talking, my suspicion that Dad’s accident wasn’t an accident at all had been on the tip of my tongue. In that moment, I’d wanted to tell her everything. But I’d refrained. She was here to ride, not shoulder my problems. I didn’t want to drag her down with me.
But I had wanted to open up to her. I had wanted to. For me, someone so closed off and insular, that had shocked me to my core.
My body relaxed and a smile graced my face when I thought of Hallie’s training the past couple of weeks. While I was around the property, I found myself watching her train from far-off vantage points so she wouldn’t spot me. I watched her practicing her breathing on the approach and lowering her hands when she jumped at speed.
Hallie had taken the advice I’d given her to heart until she’d mastered it. She could not have been more prepared for the big leagues. She had worked hard, and if I was being honest with myself, going to watch her train on Huxley had become the highlight of my day.
I was in real danger, I knew it. Because after our talk in the vet barn, after the way I’d kissed her forehead, she had consumed my every waking hour.
The thought of not seeing her around Golden Oaks for a while made a pain shoot through my chest and ignited every instinct I had to follow her. I thought of the letter again. I was worried if I went on tour, then whoever was threatening me would see my fondness for Hallie. Worried about the likes of Alexis Hobbs, who had already latched on to the fact I liked my rider. Worried about the leeches like Camille Dubois and all the other rivals I had gathered over the years who would do anything to see my reputation sullied.