Chapter Twelve #4
As I waited for my scotch, a hand rubbed up my back.
And it was not a friendly touch, but one that spoke of intimacy.
For a moment, I entertained it was Hallie, only to realize that was daft.
I immediately turned around, only for annoyance to fill my every cell as Camille Dubois from Team France stood there.
“Camille,” I said, pulling away from her. But Camille wouldn’t be deterred. One thing I’d say for her, she was as tenacious off a horse as she was in the saddle.
“Jasper,” she said, her tone all breathless seduction.
Camille was a highly attractive woman. Red hair, green eyes, tall and slender.
But she was also a man-eater. Foolishly, in my early twenties, I’d fucked her.
To me, it was a one-night thing. It was for her too, until I made it clear I didn’t want anything further, and that sparked some kind of internal competition within her.
When she befriended Alexis, it was like they made a game of who could wear me down first.
Almost as though I’d conjured her to my side, Alexis sidled up next to me too.
Fucking great. I peeled Camille’s hand from my chest, keeping her away from me by her wrist. “Hands to yourself, Camille,” I said forcefully, but not raising my voice.
The last thing I wanted was to make more of a scene. Alexis smoothed her hand down my back.
“Jasper. I had it on good authority you weren’t attending the tour.” I caught Alexis flicking her glance in Hallie’s direction. “I wonder what caused this sudden change of heart?”
I pushed Alexis’s hand off me too and stepped out of both their grips.
“Business, Alexis,” I said coldly. “Nothing more. You should know about that. You seem to be trying to acquire as many of them as you can.” I stopped myself from saying more.
Excitement lit Alexis’s eyes, loving the fact that she seemed to have an opponent.
“You were fun once,” Camille said, interrupting Alexis and me from a stare-off, holding her glass of champagne out to the side. There was a pissed-off edge to her fake smile—strained and determined.
“You’re right. I was once,” I said in agreement. “Unfortunately for you, now I’m a miserable fucker.”
Camille came closer again just as Leon handed me my scotch, reaching between me and Camille and blocking off Alexis completely.
I wanted to fucking kiss him in that moment.
Alexis stormed away, but Camille brushed Leon’s arm aside and wrapped hers around my neck.
I tried to push her away, but her lips met my ear, and she said, “I’m staying in the Regent. Room two hundred and four.”
“I don’t fucking care,” I said through gritted teeth.
I looked up and saw Hallie on the dance floor with Sage.
I was momentarily dumbstruck to see her body moving so perfectly to the beat.
But when she turned in my direction and saw Camille wrapped around me, pain and hurt immediately radiated from her shocked expression.
Hallie blinked, and momentarily stopped dancing, only for Jake fucking McGowen to sidle up beside her and place his hands on her hips. Hallie spun, looking suddenly so small on that dance floor, but she smiled at Jake and, tearing her gaze from me, began dancing with him.
Fury, thick and strong, overcame me. “Get off me,” I said to Camille. When she didn’t, I wrenched her arm from around my neck with force. “I told you to get the fuck off me!” I said loudly and pushed her back. People stopped talking around us and stared our way.
“Prick,” Camille said in her heavy accent, and strutted away from me.
I ran my hand down my face. What the fuck was I doing here? When I saw the head of the FEI approaching me and Douglas McNulty, from an Edinburgh-based stud coming up from my right, I just needed to get the hell out of here.
I glanced to the dance floor again, and Hallie was still there, Jake holding her hand and spinning her around.
She was laughing. The sight was breathtaking.
Hallie rarely laughed around me. I was a cold fucker to her, and more often than not, I was either pushing her away or blowing hot and cold.
I fought the need to storm over there and let my fist fly at McGowen’s face.
But I wouldn’t. This was Hallie’s big chance, the start of her high-flying career.
One I knew she would excel at. I couldn’t thrust her into the rumor mill, especially with the likes of Alexis and Camille here witnessing it. They’d make Hallie’s life on tour hell.
Plus, I was fucked up. My life was fucked up. And I couldn’t stand in her way, though as I headed for the exit, I fought every urge within me to turn back. As I burst into the thick humidity outside, I walked toward the Knighton Equestrian stock trailer. I just needed some fucking space.
As I threw the door open, I went inside and started kicking piles of saddle pads out of my way. When I’d exhausted myself, I crouched down and put my hands on my head.
Then the door opened behind me.