Chapter 7 #3
“Touché. I guess we’re not that different.
My father let me date, but only men from his business.
Men who wouldn’t dare to cross him. Men he was sure I wouldn’t fall in love with.
He held off selling me for a long time. When I finally started talking about leaving to find a husband, suddenly he announces that I’m engaged to Ricard.
” She turned and walked to the window. “I thought I was going to be sick right there. Luckily, I wasn’t.
Father would have punished me for that. But his punishment would have been better than being tied in any way, shape, or form to Ricard. ”
He sat on the edge of the bed nearest the window. “So what happened, then?”
“I excused myself, went up to my bedroom and packed. Then I called my friend Margareta Alieva. I left through the servants entrance. My father never would have looked there. He was of the opinion that the servants were below us and never would have visited their entrance. It was perfect for me. He wouldn’t have missed me for a couple of days.
Margareta rented a car for me and I drove as far away from New York as possible.
I couldn’t take any public transportation because they definitely would have checked it first.
“I could only drive so long before I had to stop. I used cash for everything and never signed in as my real name.”
“You did everything right. How did Ricard find you?”
“I don’t know. He and my father have contacts everywhere. Maybe someone saw me and reported back to them. Someone like your friend Janine’s father.”
“I admit, I don’t want to think that, but it is possible, especially since she brought him to the barbeque.”
She put her hands on her hips. “Oh, ya think?”
Adam narrowed his gaze and furrowed his brow. His upper lip curled up slightly at the corner. “This isn’t my fault. If I would have known, I never would have invited her.”
Millie widened her eyes and her brows lifted as she tapped her chest with an index finger.
“So it’s my fault? Maybe you’re right. You should never have married me—never brought me here—never made love to me or gotten me pregnant.
That’s all on me. You had nothing to do with any of that.
Ricard coming here is also on me because I’m what he wants.
Maybe you should just give me to him and be done with it? ” She pushed past him.
“Where are you going?”
“Out.” She didn’t slow, just kept walking until she was downstairs and then went right out the kitchen door.
When Adam tried to follow her he got caught up and delayed by his guests.
Millie went to the barn and saddled the sweet mare she’d ridden before.
“Hi, Venus. How are you? Ready for a bit of a ride?” I probably shouldn’t do this.
Perhaps I’m being fool hardy, but I’m just so angry.
My life is imploding and I just want it to stop.
If I ride north to his mother’s favorite place, I should be safe. Ricard can’t get to me there.
She remembered everything Adam did when he tightened the saddle on the horse.
Millie led the mare out of the stall, leaving the little colt behind.
“We’ll be back soon. Don’t you worry about that, little Star.
” She mounted and headed out the way that Adam had taken her before.
It really was the only way she knew to go and somehow his mother’s spot seemed like the perfect place for her right now.
Maybe she could come to some understanding about Adam.
Why did he suddenly want to blame her for everything?
Or did he? Was she just feeling paranoid because Ricard had found her and was staying so close?
And yet, she wasn’t afraid that he would capture her and take her back.
Adam had so much security, no one who wasn’t family could get in.
Except for the barbeque. Apparently, everyone was allowed access to the ranch then.
She rode until she came to the river and then she followed it upstream to the waterfall and beyond to the quieter section that Adam had brought her to. This was where his mother liked to come to be alone and to think. Millie sincerely hoped she wouldn’t mind if Millie did the same thing.
Millie dismounted and then sat beside the lazy river.
She needed to think more than anything and that wasn’t happening at the ranch.
Nothing about today had gone the way she’d hoped.
She really was surprised that Ricard would come to the ranch—to a barbeque no less—with someone like he did today.
It was only by the grace of God that he didn’t see her.
She had to admit, Adam remained calm when Ricard cornered him in the house.
Was she wrong to go off on Adam like she had?
He was doing so much to keep her safe. He gave her a home at the ranch and then brought in all those security people just for her.
She was scared. And she knew fear was part of the reason she’d gotten so angry. He was doing the best he could and she needed to recognize and acknowledge that fact…acknowledge him.
What had she done? Was she so self-centered that she couldn’t see what he was going through? Yes, she guessed she was. She started to stand when she heard hoofbeats and looked to her left.
Had she been wrong and Ricard or Viktor found her?