CHAPTER 10
ANDI
I decided to take an extra day to drive because I’m struggling to sleep at night. It’s been three days since I last saw Callum. I miss him horribly, but he was the one who decided Ria had to be his focus. I don’t blame him, she needs to be. But my heart doesn’t understand.
While I was on the road, I called Ridley to let her know where I was. She told me she’d tell Lia I was safe. The issue now is I’m staring right at my best friend Ty, and Butcher, who’s straddling his bike, waiting for me.
I open my door and get out. I’m exhausted and just want to get some sleep, but I have to deal with this first.
Ty walks up to me and pulls me into his arms. “He showed up an hour ago, been waiting right there for you. He’s not the one, is he?”
I called Ty and told him everything. I talk to him like I do Lennox.
He knows I’m in love with Callum. He knows Callum broke my heart.
What he doesn’t know is that my stalker is after me.
I haven’t been able to tell Ty about that.
He’ll be upset. He already knows what happened in Vegas wasn’t an accident, and he has his own set of suspects.
I just don’t believe Beau would hurt me.
He’s moved on. We were never that close.
I pull away and walk over to Butcher. “Look, I don’t need you anymore. I called Ridley. She’s going to let me know if I need a detail here. Only a few people know about this place.” I wave my hands toward the sprawling flat lands of the ranch.
This place isn’t like Forging Forbes. There’s no breeding program. Instead, they help rehabilitate animals from the rodeo. They also help other large animals recover from trauma. That’s why Raine is here.
“You can tell Callum I got the message loud and clear. I’m going on my own now.”
“I’m not here because of Cowboy. Striker and Rogue made a deal. He won’t tell Cowboy where you are as long as I’m your detail. I’m the best. You should be glad I’m here in the middle of BFE.”
“A detail? Like security?” Ty asks.
He hands off Red to one of the ranch hands.
I watch him walk away, and that’s when I spot Raine.
Her beautiful gray head is up, proud and regal.
When she turns, I see the black-and-white speckled pinto across her backside.
She’s such a rare horse. I want to go to her, but I have to deal with Ty and Butcher first.
“It’s not what you think.” I turn to Ty.
“Oh, it’s exactly what you think. Don’t believe her.” Butcher alters everything. “That is, if you believe the person who sabotaged her final ride is still after her.”
“What?” Ty faces me. “You told me you were safe. You never said anything about the stalker coming back. You promised me you would tell me if they returned.”
“So, you know about her stalker?” Butcher asks, then it hits him. “She had this issue before.” It’s not a question.
Before I can answer him, Ty beats me to it.
“For about a year. It was during her whole final season. She would get voicemails and cryptic messages on her phone. She had a saddle destroyed. Her old trailer was broken into. It was awful.” He shakes his head.
“She made me promise not to tell anyone. But after her accident, I told her I wouldn’t hide it anymore.
The Vegas police came and asked me questions.
I told them what she told me and what I saw.
They never figured out who was behind it.
They were focused on me for so long after her ex told them I wanted to be in a relationship with her. I think it’s him, or he’s part of it.”
“Do you still have the voicemails?” Butcher looks at me, and I shake my head.
“I couldn’t keep them. They were awful.” I shiver as I remember the fear from that time. It’s a wonder I was so high in the points in the competition with everything going on.
“Such as?” Butcher asks, but I don’t want to tell him.
“I remember one of them,” Ty says. “It was a robotic voice. They threatened to gang rape her if she didn’t back out.”
“Fuck.” Butcher walks away briefly. “I’m staying,” he says when he returns. “I don’t care what you say. You need protection. This person has escalated.”
“What’s happened now?” Ty looks at me.
I fill him on the letters, new threats, and my counselor’s murder.
“You can stay here.” Ty moves toward the big house he shares with his brother and father.
I don’t want to stay with people. I still need to be alone to process everything that happened with Callum.
“Can I stay out in the old cabin?”
Ty looks at me, then at Butcher. “There’s a duplex cabin out there. You can Each pick one. You’ll be close enough to hear her.”
“Okay.” Butcher heads to his bike while I get back in my truck.
My trailer has already been detached. I drive down the road, away from the house, with Butcher following me.
Ty’s grandfather built the remote cabin.
His ranch foreman used to live on site in the other half of the duplex.
This was a large cattle ranch before Ty’s brother turned it into a rehab farm.
They still have stock, but not as much. It’s primarily for their own use now, with only a small amount going to market.
I park and get out. Butcher stops next to me. I grab my bag from the back seat before walking to the porch.
“I like this side.” I point to the one on the left.
Opening the door, I enter and lock myself in.
I’m exhausted and just want a shower before heading to bed.
The walls aren’t thick, so when I do cry, it’ll have to be under the spray of the water.
I knew Callum would destroy me if he ever didn’t want me the way I want him.
I can’t believe our time together was so short.
I don’t hate him for choosing Ria over me, but I wish he had talked to me before he told Striker.
Before climbing into bed, I pull out the burner phone I purchased on the way here. I send Lia a message, letting her know I’m safe.
I fall asleep to dreams of Callum, my body aching for his touch.
It’s been four weeks since I arrived. Every day I grow closer to Raine. Today I’m feeling off. I haven’t been able to eat, and I’m dizzy. Today is going to be my first time on her back.
Ty has worked with me and her. I’ve gone from sitting on the fence and her coming to lay her head in my lap, to me sitting in her pen while she walks around me, then finally her leaning over and putting her head near mine.
That last step took me a while to get used to.
We worked on it all last week. I was so scared of her, and she would get nervous, feeding off my energy.
I just want my best friend back. Raine and I trusted each other until that day.
Not only do I fear her, but she fears me too. We both were badly hurt.
“I have an idea. How about you ride the Gator or the dirt bike, and I’ll take Raine? Just in case either of you panic,” Ty says from the edge of the round pen.
“Okay.” I climb to my feet.
I lean into Raine and wrap my arms around her neck. She hugs me back, lowering her head and wrapping one of her legs around mine like she used to do. Taking her lead, I walk to the side and hand her off to Ty before climbing over the fence. My head swims slightly, and I wobble.
“Are you okay?” Ty asks me when I jump down.
“Yeah, I’m good.”
I walk away from him. I don’t want him to worry. I’m pretty it’s because I’ve been struggling to sleep at night.
Butcher headed to town today. When he does this, I worry he’s going to tell Callum where I am. So far, Lia and Striker have kept my secret.
When I first left, I wanted him to follow me and chase me down. But now, after all these weeks, I don’t want to be found. I just want to go on with my life and forget about him if I can.
My stomach rolls, and I press a hand to it as I look between the dirt bike and the Gator. I go with the Gator.
Ty leads the way on his horse, Blu, while pulling Raine along behind him.
We head further onto the property toward a lake. I now understand Ty’s plan. It’s a brilliant idea. He’s going to have Raine get into the water and me climb onto her back. If either of us gets nervous, the water will protect me if I fall, and she can swim away from me.
It’s warm today for mid-May. Ty said a storm is coming in later this evening, so now’s the perfect time for his experiment.
Standing at the edge of the lake, I wait until Ty has Raine calm and the water is over her belly. When he signals me, I wade out in my jeans and tank top. If I’d known this was his plan, I would have changed, but I’m not afraid to get wet.
I can still touch the bottom, but I pull up my legs and swim the rest of the way to them. When I reach Raine’s side, I rub along her as I slip my foot into the stirrup. My bare foot brushes the cool metal, and I hike myself up, throwing my leg over her back.
I’m so focused on making sure Raine is comfortable and not freaking out, that I don’t realize I’ve settled into the saddle until she starts moving through the water. It’s as if a gate unfurls in me, and I’m instantly flooded with emotion. I lean over the saddle and lie along Raine’s neck.
“I missed you so much, my old friend.”
She neighs, and I feel her body bounce, as if she’s prancing. With the reins in my hand, I guide her out of the water, and we start climbing the shore.
“It’s now or never, girl,” I tell her.
She starts moving in the direction of the stables.
As she picks up speed, the wind whips through my hair, loose under my hat.
My body is slightly chilled from the water and the wind, but I finally feel free.
A peace settles over me for the first time in a year and a half. I’m back where I’m supposed to be.
We don’t go too fast or push too hard. I won’t let Raine hurt herself. We just gallop along. Wrapping the reins around the pommel of the saddle, I throw my arms wide and feel myself flying. It’s the feeling I used to love when we weren’t always practicing.