Chapter 0093

I gasp air back into my lungs after a moment of real fear when I couldn’t pull any in –

It aches as it fills me, having been so roughly knocked out of me in the first place –

God damnit, I think, shaking a little with the shock of falling off a horse for the first time, of the sudden

violence that caused it –

I roll over on the ground, pulling myself to a seated position, pressing my eyes closed as I work to

steady my breath.

Someone is there next to me, almost instantly – I feel a hand on my shoulder, a tremulous voice asking

if I’m okay –

When I open my eyes, I’m shocked to see it is Kent kneeling next to me, concern written in every line of

his face.

“Are you serious?” I shout at him, anger mixing with the fear running through my veins. I brush his hand

off my shoulder. “We would all be fine if you didn’t rush in here like a crazy person! What the hell –“

Suddenly, I remember my horse and spin my torso around, looking behind me to see Heathcliff at the

other side of the arena, looking at us with wide and frightened eyes.

I push myself to my feet in a moment, heading towards him –

“Fay,” Kent says behind me, grabbing for my arm. But he’s too slow, and I’m able to pull out of his

grasp, glaring at him over my shoulder as I hurry over to my poor horse.

Behind him, I can see Jerome starting to stand up as well, a hand on his jaw, looking anxiously

between us.

Still, I don’t have time for that. I slow myself as I cross the ring to Heathcliff, knowing that he’ll shy again

and be further spooked if I run at him in a rage. So, instead, I force myself to adopt a casual stroll,

talking soft nonsense to him as I approach.

I see the horse physically relax when he sees how calm I am – or at least, how calm I’m pretending to

be. When I hold my hand out to him, he stretches his neck forward, pressing his nose into my palm,

trusting me. I take a moment, then, as I take his reins in my left hand, to stroke his neck and tell him

how pretty and wonderful he is, hoping to calm him even further.

But the whole time I’m being nice to my horse, I’m getting angrier and angrier inside.

Who the hell does Kent Lippert think he is?

Well, something inside me prompts, the most dangerous man in the city, for one.

But I quickly dismiss the thought because seriously, who the hell storms into a riding lesson and

punches the instructor?

I glance at the two of them, then, and see that they’re standing right where I left them, Kent staring

worriedly at me. Jerome, though, is anxiously looking at Kent. He could very easily lose his job over

this, we both know it – just because he put his hand on the wrong girl’s knee.

But who the hell was Kent to decide who could put their hands on my knees?

He’s not my fiancé, or my father. He’s just some jerk who thinks he owns me.

God damnit, but I hate him right now.

I try to continue keeping my body calm as I walk Heathcliff forward towards the gate at the entrance to

the arena, which is still standing open. As I pass him, Kent puts out a hand, apology on his face. I know

that he’s sorry – but not because he hurt me, or Jerome. No, Kent is sorry because he lost the control

that’s so damn precious to him.

“Fay,” Kent calls after me, shaking his head, but I ignore him, walking Heathcliff towards the stables.

I pass Jerome in the same manner, giving him a dirty look as well. He still presses his hand to his face,

which is expressionless as he watches me pass.

But he knows better than that, and so do I.

I’m no cowgirl, even if I wanted to be. It’s an impossibility.

Jerome looks worried, as he goes, and catches my eye, but he doesn’t say a word to me.