Chapter 0147

“That’s so weird,” Daniel whispers, all in a rush, and then collapses back onto the bed.

I smile at Daniel, laughing a little, but then my laughter fades as I look carefully at the dress in my hands and wonder...well,

wonder if I maybe got too used to this. Maybe I haven't thought enough about how weird this actually might be.

As I study the dress I consider that Kent controls pretty much every aspect of my life now. He decides what I wear, what I do all

day, where I go, where my money comes from, where my sister and my father live. And while I've accepted a lot of that as part of

living under a mafia boss's roof and enjoying the luxury of my situation...is this really what I want for my life?

I sigh, tossing the dress onto the bed, looking at it. It’s a delicate, pretty thing - where was Kent imagining me going in that

dress?

Did I want to go there?

I shake my head.

“Okay, Daniel,” I say, clapping my hands and making him groan at the noise. I laugh and move to the side of the bed, shaking his

shoulders and making him wake up. “Go away! You've outstayed your welcome! Leave me alone so I can get changed!”

“No!” He shouts into the pillows, laughing too. “I want to sleep! Leave me be! You just get changed — I won't look.”

“Get up!” I shout, laughing and grabbing a pillow, which I start hitting him with. “I'll see you in twenty minutes at breakfast, lazy.”

Daniel grumbles his assent and climbs out of bed, stretching and yawning. I see him eye the white box as he heads for the door,

and then he brings his eyes to mine, curious. I just shake my head. “You don’t want to know, Daniel.”

“You're right,” he murmurs with a sigh. Then, he blows me a little kiss, heading next door to his own room to get ready. He pulls

my bedroom door shut behind him.

As soon as he closes it, I move to my wardrobe, my mind made up.

Even though I just said that I'd meet Daniel at breakfast, I actually have no intention of doing that. I pull some of my riding clothes

out of the back of my wardrobe, as well as my shiny black boots. Then, I hastily get ready for my day, eager to get to breakfast

before anyone else does.

Or, more accurately, past breakfast, and to the garage.

Because today, I have no real desire to hear what Kent has planned for me in that blue and white dress. Today, I want to do

precisely what it is that I want to do. And today, I want to see my horse.

Forty minutes later, after successfully evading everyone but Jerome, who I made give me keys to the car, I pull up to the stables

just as the sun is coming up. I park the Lexus in the spot closest to the barn doors — the one usually left open for Kent. But today,

I decide, it’s for me.

I give some of the workers a happy smile as I rush down the aisle to Heathcliff’s stall, pulling open the latch to the door as I beam

at my pretty boy.

“Hey, handsome,” I murmur to

Heathcliff, who gives me a happy

little whinny and huffs atsryboe)

ering fora sion ob ige him,

pulling a sugar cube from my pocket

that I snatched from the espresso

bar when I snuck into the kitchen for

just one sip of coffee before I ran for

the garage. Please read the original

content at .

“Did you miss me?” I softly ask my

horse, scratching his forehead

they working chy hay down his neck.

“Imissed you.” Please read the

original content at .

And then I take the little box of

grooming tools off the shelf at the

top of the stall and ehtawouO""!

shing heathbi’s coat until it

shines and braiding his mane. I take

my time with it, relishing the feeling

of having all day to do this, to do

precisely as I please. Please read the

original content at .

But also, a little thrilled at the anticipation that...Kent isn’t going to like this.

That I’ve defied him, again. Avoided him, again.

And that I have every expectation of seeing him later, all pissed off at me. Worked up into a fury.

Just how I like him.