Chapter Seventeen #2
I looked around. The dance floor was crammed, and a bead of sweat ran down my face. We’d been dancing awhile, if the increase in capacity was any indication.
Sage held my hand and pulled us across the dance floor until we arrived back at our VIP table.
She glanced over at the bar and froze. When I followed her gaze, I saw Atticus talking to a striking Spanish woman in a gold dress.
The woman said something to Atticus, and he put his arm around her waist, then left through the back of the club.
Acting like she hadn’t seen anything, Sage grabbed a new bottle of champagne and quickly poured us each a glass. “Sage?” I said, checking she was okay, when people sat down at our table.
I looked up in confusion, only for annoyance to fill my veins at the sight of Alexis Hobbs, Camille Dubois, and Jake McGowen.
Sage stilled and narrowed her eyes at them.
As much as Jasper and others had warned us against them, they hadn’t had much to do with us.
A few snide comments here and there when in the practice ring, but we never socialized anywhere they did, so we’d managed to avoid them.
Up until now.
“Ladies,” Jake said, nodding his head. Jake was Switzerland to me. Jasper hated him; they had history. But he’d only ever been kind to me and Sage. His choice in friends, however, left a lot to be desired.
“Jake,” I said.
Sage was less amiable. She scowled at them all, showing exactly what she thought of them joining us.
“Hallie, Sage,” Alexis said, her posh English accent grating on my last nerve. I adored most British accents, but for some reason, I hated hers. “Fancy seeing you here.”
Camille looked anywhere but at us. She almost seemed bored by our presence.
“Alexis,” I said in return. Sage still said nothing. Alexis didn’t seem to care and made herself a gin and tonic from the drinks laid out at our table.
“Say,” Alexis said, sipping her drink and relaxing back on her seat, “Did you all hear that Devon Smith was caught fucking his eighteen-year-old groom? Too bad his wife turned up to surprise him in Shanghai.”
Jake shook his head. “Devon has been cheating on that woman with anything that moves for years. That’s not exactly groundbreaking.”
Alexis raised her eyebrow at Jake. Leaning forward, she said, “I guess.” She paused, then said, “How about Gemma Montgomery from Canada sucking Roger Sykes’s cock under his desk just so she didn’t lose her place on his team?
” I hid my shock at that. If that was true, it was awful.
Gemma Montgomery had just turned twenty years old.
Roger Sykes owned a stud farm in Montana, a really good one, and was at least three times her age. And married with kids.
Jake ran his hand down his face as though he was tired of this type of conversation. Camille was now playing on her phone, completely checked out. I couldn’t help but admire her beauty, but it made me sick to think that Jasper had been with her.
“Actually,” Alexis said, pulling my attention again.
This time her gaze slammed to mine. “It seems Montgomery isn’t the only one fucking her boss to climb to the top.
” I stilled. The breath left my lungs, and my heart quickened to double speed.
Sage leaned into me, a silent signal that she had my back.
Alexis fought a smirk, and Camille lifted her head from her phone, only to place it in front of me on the table.
When I looked down, there was a grainy picture of me and Jasper walking one evening beside the Huangpu River.
We weren’t holding hands—Jasper had his in his pocket.
But I was smiling at something he said. And the way he was looking at me . . .
Like he loved me.
In any other circumstance, I would have asked for this picture to keep.
But right now, fear raced down my spine.
I wanted to hit myself. I was strong, goddammit.
I wasn’t shy and meek, and I certainly wasn’t scared of bitches like Alexis and Camille, but having my biggest secret at risk of being exposed . . . it made a statue of me.
“What?” Sage said, laughing. “You think some grainy picture of Hallie walking with Jasper one night in a public place is somehow evidence of them fucking?” Sage flicked her hand in dismissal. “Y’all need to get a life.”
But Alexis never moved her eyes off me. This woman had a reputation for being a tyrant in the industry, and she’d clearly set her sights on me as her next target.
Finding my voice, I said, “We were discussing the course, Alexis,” keeping the wavering out of my voice. “Nothing more. There’s no juicy story for you here.”
“Now kindly, or not so kindly, fuck off from our table,” Sage added, pasting a sugary-sweet smile on her pretty face.
“This might be the only picture there is, but people have been talking,” Alexis said.
“Alexis,” Jake warned. She ignored him.
“Jasper’s sudden appearance at this year’s tour when he’d made it clear he was staying away.” I kept my face neutral. “The way he comes to see you before you jump.” Then Alexis smiled. “And the fact that he sneaks into your room most nights, not coming out until morning.”
Blood rushed through my head, creating deafening white noise in my ears.
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.
Alexis wasn’t done. “The riders we have spoken to have made it perfectly clear that if it wasn’t for your Knighton sponsored horse, you wouldn’t have even made it to a five-star event, never mind a tour. ”
“But you’re pretty, exotic even,” Camille said, her French accent wrapping around the vowels. “And Jasper Knighton has a weakness for pretty, exotic things.” She shrugged nonchalantly. “I should know. I was that for him too once.”
“Hallie is one of the best riders in the world and you bitches are just jealous,” Sage said.
I wanted to scream, I wanted to tell them to eat shit and die, but their words had paralyzed me.
I never thought it would bother me if people thought I got to where I was in any way but through talent, but right now, it felt like they’d burrowed into my soul and put my biggest insecurity on display for everyone to judge.
I said nothing, but Sage jumped to her feet. She held the bottle of champagne. I saw our security guards begin to approach. “Get the fuck out before I smash this over your butt-ugly faces.”
Jake jumped to his feet. “Alexis, Camille, let’s go. You’ve done your damage.” Jake walked toward the exit without looking back. How had he just sat there like that and let them say this shit?
Sage stepped forward, and I honestly believed she was going to strike them with the glass bottle in her hands.
As the guards reached the table, Alexis waved them off like they were nothing.
She got to her feet, as did Camille, and smoothed her dress down like she hadn’t sat at our table just to shred me—and I think threaten me too.
“He’ll tire of you soon enough,” Camille said.
“He always does. You’re not the first pretty face that’s caught his eye.
You certainly won’t be the last. He’ll cast you aside.
You’ll lose your sponsorship, and without a horse that can do everything for you, you’ll be back at auntie’s equestrian center in Florida, watching those of us with talent conquer the world while you’re teaching eight-year-olds how to trot. ”
“I’m not with Jasper,” I eventually said, some bite in my tone.
Camille smiled. “Of course you’re not, Cherie.” She walked away.
“See you in a few days,” Alexis said, and left too. I remained seated, stunned.
Sage sat down beside me. “You okay?” she said, searching my face.
Lowering her voice, she said, “They have no evidence. That picture was innocent.” I nodded, but I was taking nothing in.
I never thought I’d care if rumors started about me, but hearing other riders on the circuit were saying it too made me feel sick.
Like every clear I had achieved so far meant nothing.
“Hallie,” Sage said, sternly. “You’re a fucking amazing rider. Do not let those hags make you think otherwise. They’re jealous. And it’s not Huxley that makes you a good rider. It’s you.”
“I know,” I said, but without conviction.
In this moment, I felt like that little raggedy ranch girl again, looking at an unattainable dream I never knew I had. I had fought tooth and nail to get where I was, but now with a few rumors, all that was diminished?
I hadn’t realized Sage had spoken to our guards until she came back to the table. “Our car is outside. We’re going home.”
I didn’t argue.
As we sat in the car, Sage tried to talk to me, but I shut down. We’d been careful, right? That picture was innocent enough, like Sage had said. “She said someone has been saying he sneaks into my room at night.”
Sage rolled her eyes. “She doesn’t know shit. Anyone could pluck that accusation out of their ass without proof. She had nothing concrete. She’s just trying to fuck with you, with our team, in any way she can.”
I turned to Sage. She held my hand. “We’re winning, Jasper won’t sell her Golden Oaks, and she’s pissed. She’s trying to take us down. It’s what she does. She’s a bored bitch who gets her kicks being a dick to others.” I nodded again, but there was still a sinking feeling in my chest.
We arrived at our hotel and took the elevator to our rooms. When we got to my door, Sage followed me inside. She wasn’t leaving me alone. But when I got to the living area, and saw Jasper sat on my couch waiting, I froze.
Jasper’s welcoming smile faded as I just stood there. “What’s wrong?” he asked, instantly aware of my mood.
Sage spoke for me. “Alexis Hobbs, Jake McGowen, and fucking Camille Dubois.”
Jasper’s face clouded with thunder. “What did they do?”
Sage squeezed my upper arms. “I’ll let Hallie tell you.” My best friend came to stand in front of me. “You okay?” I nodded, but I could see she knew it was bullshit. “Nothing they said was true. You know this.” Sage kissed me on my cheek. “Call me if you need me.”