Chapter 0097

I can’t stop smiling at my sister as we slowly walk around the fenced paddock of the stables, Heathcliff

happily walking alongside us, my hand loosely holding the lead to his halter. Janeen, unfortunately, is

less happy about the company than Heathcliff is.

“Are you sure he’s not going to like, rear or something?” She asks, looking at my horse from the side of

her eye. “Or kick me?”

I laugh at my sister. “Seriously, Janeen, calm down – he’s a big softie! And he needs his exercise.”

Janeen narrows her eyes at him as Heathcliff looks at her curiously. When he reaches his nose

curiously out towards her she flinches back, making me laugh more.

“So, he just…bought you a horse?” Janeen asks. “No questions asked?”

I shrug. “Money is…different, in these circles. They have so damn much of it that giving people

expensive things is more about the gesture than what the thing itself is worth. Or something like that.”

Janeen raises her eyebrows at me, smirking a little. “Look at you, little rich girl.”

I wrinkle my nose at her. “Don’t be jealous.”

She laughs at that. “I’m not jealous, Baby Fay – I’m making stacks on stacks at the club every night.”

She flicks her hair back haughtily. “Maybe I’ll get a horse of my own.”

But she flinches again when Heathcliff gives a little whinny, making me laugh again.

Janeen and I spend the next few hours together, walking Heathcliff around the property. We let him run

and roll in the arena as well before taking him back to his stall for a good grooming. I’m pleased when

I’m able to convince Janeen to take part in brushing Heathcliff at least, giving her a curry comb and

showing her how to use it.

While we work, we talk. I tell her all about my life in the Lippert house, about meeting my biological

father, about Kent’s warnings about my place within the mafia world. I don’t hold anything back, grateful

to again have a sister to whom I can tell anything.

“I’m sorry,” I say, at the end of it all. “About…what I said to you, and to dad, when we first found out

about all of this stuff. It wasn’t fair, and it was just Kent doing his Mafia Don thing, trying to get control of

me.”

Janeen just shrugs. “Don’t worry about it. Dad and I figured it out, a few days later, when we cooled off.

You know we love you – nothing is ever going to change that.”

I feel tears prick my eyes as she says that. I did worry. I had been so cruel, and I wondered if they’d

ever forgive me. It’s so refreshing to my spirit to know that they forgave me immediately and were just

waiting for a way to get back into my life.

“So,” Janeen says, frowning a little and leaning against the stall’s wall. “What changed? Why did

Lippert suddenly relent and open this doorway for me to be back in your life?”

“Well,” I say, studying my horse’s flank instead of looking her in the eye. “I don’t know, honestly. The

last that Kent and I talked he was livid with me, telling me I’m his and I’d better fall in line. And then

today, you’re here?” I look up into her face, confused. “He blows hot and cold on me. I honestly don’t

understand.”

I frown when I see Janeen’s mouth pulling up into a little smirk as she crosses her arms, looking me

over.

“What?” I ask, confused.

“What is the deal with you two?” She asks, her smirk deepening. “I mean, you’re engaged to this Daniel

guy, but all day our conversation has been Kent Kent Kent.”

“Well,” I say, scoffing a little bit, “Daniel’s not really in control of the family and hasn’t been making a lot

of decisions about my life – that’s all been Kent. Honestly, Daniel is really nice to me –“

“Really nice to you?” Janeen says, raising an eyebrow now, adding to her skeptical expression.

“Honestly, the way you talk about Daniel, he’s just some nice little puppy you play with sometimes. The

way you talk about Kent, though,” she laughs a little bit, shaking her head at me. “Are you sure he isn’t

the fiancé?”

“Ew, Janeen,” I say, arranging the features of my face into an expression of disgust that, if I’m being

honest, I don’t actually feel. “He’s like…old.”

She shrugs. “Some of my older gentlemen are my best clients.”

“Well,” I say, tossing Heathcliff’s comb into its bin and facing her directly. “Kent is not my client. So, you

can end that line of thinking right there.”

“But why not, though?” Janeen says, leaning forward and smiling eagerly at me. “I can tell you like him

– and he’s hot –“

“Janeen!” I say, getting upset and stomping my foot like we’re four years old again.

She laughs, but backs off. “Okay, sis,” she says, coming and putting an arm around my shoulders.

“Whatever you say.” She pulls me with her out of the stall.

I open my mouth to protest further but she waves me off, looking towards the front of the stables.

“Look, I have to be getting back so that I can help dad with some stuff before work tonight.” She turns

back to me then, looking me from head to foot. “You going to be all right, if I leave you here?”

I shrug. “I’ve survived this far, I’ll probably make it a few more days at least. Do I get to see you again?”

She gives me a smile. “Yeah, that’s part of the deal. Kent is going to let me see you on the regular,

which I think is good. I miss my little sister. Any messages for dad before I go?”

I feel tears spring to my eyes again when I think of him. “Just tell him I love him?” I say, sniffing and

working to hold them back. “And that I’m okay?”

She pulls back, then, looking me seriously in the eye. I nod eagerly, feeling every bit the little sister

then, following my big sister’s advice. “I’ll be careful,” I say, giving her a smile.

What ever could have made him do it? I head home, eager to find out.