Chapter 0078

“I’ll follow your rules, Kent,” I say quietly, keeping my face blank. “But in exchange, I will be treated with

respect in this house.”

He opens his mouth to reply but I interrupt him, holding up a finger.

“And,” I say, continuing my small list of demands. “I’m not going to be held here like a little caged pet. I

understand that you have to keep me safe, but I can’t spend my whole life sitting in my room upstairs.”

My face softens then, betraying, I think, a little of the misery that I sometimes feel in his home. “I’m a

whole person, Kent,” I say softly. “A real person. I need to have a little bit of freedom. A little bit of a

life.”

He stares at me for a moment, considering, and then gives me a small nod.

I nod as well and then turn, heading out the door and down the long basement hallway towards the

steps. Just as I reach the bottom, I hear him call my name again.

I turn to see Kent standing at the door to the little records room, considering me carefully. I raise an

eyebrow, curious about what he could want.

“Go and get dressed,” he says, his voice even. “I can’t take you to the stables, but I’ll send someone

else with you.”

My face brightens instantly and I bite my lip against my joy, not wanting him to see quite how happy

he’s made me. I feel as if I’ve gained a little bit of an upper hand here, and I don’t want to waste it.

Still, I can’t be rude.

“Thank you,” I say, dipping my head before dashing up the stairs to get ready.

Twenty minutes later, I skip down the stairs to the main floor again and then look around. The door to

Kent’s office is closed, but I hear a whistle and turn towards the kitchen.

There, leaning against the wall, is Jerome. My face breaks out into a smile – Jerome, good. He’s

always nice to me, and funny to boot.

“Are you ready?” he asks with a grin, standing up straight.

“Yup!” I say, hurrying down the hall with a big smile.

He pauses, the left side of his smile deepening as he looks at me, taking in my excitement. I stand in

front of him for a moment, wondering why he’s looking at me like that – what he’s waiting for - and then

Jerome just laughs, shaking his head and moving towards the garage.

“Come on,” he says. “Let’s get going. Not every day that I get an assignment to go play with horses in

the country.”

“Oh,” I say, following him into the garage. “Are you riding too?”

“No,” he answers, holding the passenger side door of one of Kent’s Escalades open for me. “No way

Kent would let me ride one of his precious thoroughbreds.”

He closes my door then and comes around the car, opening the driver’s seat and climbing in.

I consider Jerome, suddenly curious. “Sounds like you know what you’re talking about, though, if you

know their breeds.”

Jerome smirks at me as we pull out of the garage. “I spent four years on the rodeo circuit as a

teenager,” he says, “which is another reason why Kent won’t let me touch a horse. He knows I know

what I’m doing, but he doesn’t want anyone riding his herd like a cowboy would.”

I laugh as Jerome circles a hand above his head, miming a lasso.

“Wow,” I say, shaking my head at him and grinning. “I had no idea Kent had such…variety amongst his

ranks.”

“Stick with me, kid,” Jerome murmurs, giving me a friendly smile. “I’m full of surprises.”

With that, we head down the road, and I study Jerome as we go. Had I just never noticed it before? Or

is Jerome kind of…cute?