Chapter Six
Rosie sniffles into the phone, her big blue eyes glazed and spilling fresh tears down her cheeks. “But I miss you.”
“I miss you too, bug,” I tell her softly, but my voice feels raw. It’s a feat to keep myself steady and calm for my daughter after how this evening played out.
My dislike for Calvin has grown into something violent. I want to fucking hurt him for how he treats his wife, wipe that smug fucking smile right off his face.
“I will be home soon,” I promise her, though I’m not sure exactly when I’ll be returning, not when I want to tear this place apart to find all of Calvin’s dirty secrets so I can take him down.
“Tomorrow?” She squeaks.
“I can’t tomorrow,” I tell her, “But soon, and you can call me anytime you want.”
Her bottom lip wobbles, “Okay, Daddy.”
“You’ve got to get some sleep now,” I glance at the clock. It’s already nearly midnight. My daughter had woken up crying, and Beth didn’t know what else to do but call me.
“Yeah,” Rosie whispers, still crying.
It breaks my damn heart.
Mentally, I go through my calendar, trying to figure out if I can spare a couple of hours to head back to the ranch to see my kids.
They’re over an hour away and with their summer clubs and my schedule here, I won’t be able to do it during the week.
Maybe I can head back early over the weekend for the day… I’ll figure it out though.
“Sleep tight, bug,” I swallow thickly. “Love you.”
“Love you too.” She hangs up the phone, and I stare at the blank screen for a moment before I drop it onto the table and scrub a hand down my face.
I’m feeling entirely too tight, my gut churning with everything happening here.
This contract is going to come to an end, but how am I meant to leave knowing what I know?
That’s if he doesn’t fire me first, which is entirely possible with everything that occurred only a few hours ago.
I get little sleep, though I try, tossing and turning in the unfamiliar bed, listening to the sounds of crickets from beyond the window. Before the sun even breaks the horizon, I’m up and out of the cabin, too restless to try to lie there any longer.
No one is around this time of the morning, and my steps seem to echo across the ranch as I make my way to the stables.
I don’t go straight for Dottie though; I check on every horse, running my eyes over their bodies, looking for anything that could be amiss.
They seem healthy, looked after, but that doesn’t ease the concern I have for them.
Dottie is waiting for me when I finally stop at her stable door.
“Morning,” I say gruffly, voice full of gravel.
Her lips smack against my hand, ears twitching, her trust starting to build with me.
I lift my hand and run it softly down her nose, and when she doesn’t pull away, I reach for a peppermint I have in my pocket and give it to her.
When morning light filters into the stables, I take her out to the training ring, and instead of being on the outside of the fence, I go in with her. I don’t get into her space; I simply lean on the gate, letting her come to me if she wants to.
Behind me, I hear the door to the house open, and I turn my attention that way, finding Juni in her robe and a coffee in hand.
She looks toward me but quickly turns away, giving me her back.
My brow twitches in confusion, but when Cal steps out and leans down to kiss her, I realize why.
His eyes meet mine above her head and a bitter grin lifts his mouth.
He says something to her, and she disappears back into the house while he heads this way.
My fingers curl into my palms and, as if sensing the switch in me, Dottie trots toward me, her ears pinned back.
For a minute, I think it’s me she’s gunning for, her tail swishing, but she bypasses me and shoves her body against the fence, huffing out warning grunts as her wide eyes pin Cal to the spot.
I’d laugh if I wasn’t so fucking angry.
She’s protecting me.
Cal shakes off his spook and continues toward me, but Dottie does it again, ramming herself into the fence hard enough that the sound of the metal vibrating echoes across the ranch.
“I’m starting to think she’s not fucking worth it,” he growls, his jaw ticking with his agitation as he glares toward the filly who gives just as good back.
It’s better than the fear she was showing toward him, but really, she just needed something to give her that bite. If that’s me, then so be it.
“You don’t want her; I’ll buy her from you.”
“Give it the week,” he sighs. “If she’s still like this, she’s all yours.”
“Mmhm,” I grunt, turning my back on him.
“Listen,” he doesn’t attempt to come closer, not with Dottie watching his every move. “I wanted to talk about last night and apologize.”
Guiding Dottie back to the middle of the ring, I turn to him, “Is that right?”
“That was out of character for me.”
Bullshit.
“It just caught me off guard. We don’t entertain guests all that often and, well, my wife is a very beautiful woman. Any man would feel threatened if they saw another man getting that close.”
“She had a burn,” I grind out.
He rubs the back of his neck, and I have to admit, his acting is good; he actually looks guilty.
“No hard feelings, yeah?”
I look behind him to the house where I know she is just behind that door. I can’t see her, but I imagine she’s right there, in that faded blue robe, her blonde hair pulled over one shoulder. “Not sure I’m the one who is owed an apology.”
“Ah,” he shrugs, “all is forgiven there. Juni and I are solid.”
I smell the lie, but it doesn’t mean the words don’t hit me in the fucking gut. She’s a married woman; I shouldn’t even be thinking about her like that, but that hasn’t stopped my mind from wandering. It certainly isn’t what she needs. No, she needs freedom. A safe place to land.
Not sure I’d ever be able to provide that for her anyway.
My life is too messed up as it is.
“Good to know,” I reply with a bite.
Each day bleeds into the next; I work with Dottie; I try not to knock Calvin out, and Juniper avoids me. I’ve seen her every day, if only briefly, but there’s a change in her. I don’t know the woman well enough to fully understand everything that makes her tick, but like calls to like.
There is a sadness in her.
A bone-deep sorrow that has her feet dragging and her shoulders low. She’s pale, tired, and won’t even look in my direction. Every time I have tried to talk to her, she shuts herself away.
I already know it’s Cal and not her.
Dottie has improved dramatically, though only with me. Anyone else goes near her and she either turns back into that anxious filly I met the first day or her aggressive streak comes out. She still needs more work, but this ranch isn’t the place to find it.
When I leave, I’m taking her with me. I don’t care how much money I have to spend to make it happen.
“Yeah,” I reel off the address for Darcy, “if we can make it today, that would be great.”
“I’ll be there in a couple of hours,” Darcy says. “Anything I need to be aware of?”
“She’s young, scared and reactive. Do me a favor though, bring me a trailer when you come up.”
The vet chuckles, “Alright. See you soon, Silas.”
I hang up the phone and run my hand down the young Appaloosa’s body, watching her muscles twitch in response.
I’m hoping with me here, Darcy will be able to give her a good check over, maybe get some bloods done, although I’m fully prepared for it to go sideways.
Darcy is a fantastic vet, has a way with all animals, even though she isn’t that way with people.
With the lead rope, I guide Dottie back to the stables to get her ready in the examination stall, a much bigger space so people can get out of the way should something go wrong and get her rigged up to the harnesses to prepare for Darcy to arrive.
It’s good practice for her anyway, and I make sure to soothe her every time she flinches at the sounds that surround her.
From beyond the door, I hear light steps and a soft mumbling, feminine and raspy, and a glance outside shows Juni, talking to herself as she heads to Ginger’s stall. It’s the first time I’ve caught her alone since the night of the dinner.
Patting Dottie, I slip out of the stall. “Juni.”
She freezes, her shoulders pulling high.
“Are you okay?” I ask her, her back still to me, long blonde hair falling in soft curls down her spine.
“Fine,” she squeaks back.
“You’re lying.” I accuse.
She looks over her shoulder, “You don’t know me well enough to know when I am lying.”
“But you are lying,” I cock my head, studying the dark shadows under her eyes. “Has he hurt you?”
She looks beyond me before bringing her eyes back, “No.” She whispers.
“Why do you stay, Juni?” I take a step closer.
“Don’t,” she rasps, “stay there.”
My eyes narrow, but I do as she asks and plant my feet. “Let me help you.”
“I can’t,” she swallows hard, “Please just stop.”
I scrub a hand over my mouth, my fingers twitching to reach for her, but she’s just too far away. Not physically, but in every other aspect.
Reaching into my pocket, I pull out my wallet and then one of my business cards, showing it to her.
“If you need anything,” I tell her, “Anything at all, call me. I’ll get you.”
She watches me tuck the card beneath a bucket that looks like it hasn’t moved in months, but doesn’t say anything as she turns away and disappears into Ginger’s stall.