“Yes.”
“Good. Making friends?”
“Yes.” Well, he liked Poppy and Diego had helped him out a couple of times.
As Ru watched her go, he couldn’t help wondering if Jasim had told her about his past because she suddenly seemed nicer. He was probably better off assuming everyone knew, not necessarily because Jasim would have told them, but more likely that Mike would have looked him up out of pure nosiness.
Once Cookie and Joni were in the paddock, he took the things Georgia had given him back to his room, then returned to the barn, sad at leaving the helmet and riding boots behind, but there was no point as Mike had made it abundantly clear riding was not in his future. Cleaning the bridles was a job that would never end. Once he’d finished the final one, and he was nowhere near that point, he’d have to start all over again. It didn’t seem fair when he had three ponies to groom too because the others should be doing the bridles for the ponies they were in charge of. Not that Ru could say anything.
It was a bright summer’s day and he’d have loved to be outside on horseback, but he stuck to what he’d been told to do and cleaned tack in a hot, windowless room. A little bit of him was relieved to be avoiding Jasim.
At lunchtime, he took a break, and returned to the kitchen to make himself a peanut butter sandwich. But when he opened the peanut butter, the foil seal had been ripped off and someone had scooped out some of the contents. Ru scowled. There were a few slices of bread missing from the packet too. He made the sandwich anyway, hoping a knife had been used in the peanut butter and not a finger, then moved all of his stuff, apart from the things in the fridge, back to his room. He felt sad that he couldn’t trust his colleagues—well, one of them, and he could probably guess who that was.
Ru took a bottle of water outside along with the sandwich and an apple, and went to sit on the fence of Cookie and Joni’s paddock. Both horses ambled over to him.
“It’s my apple,” Ru said with a laugh as they nosed at him, but he shared it anyway.
He’d finished the sandwich and was drinking his water when something struck the middle of his back with enough force to propel him forward off the fence. He faceplanted on the hard ground, getting a mouthful of grass and dirt.Shit!He’d not had time to put out his hands, which was probably just as well, or he’d have broken his wrists, but the fall had knocked the breath out of him. Cookie nosed his neck as he pushed to his feet. He turned to see Mike on the other side of the fence.
“Oops.” Mike grinned at him. “Lose your balance?”
Ru contemplated his choices. Climb over the fence and hit him? Then he might end up hurting even more. Report him? And be first choice for every shit job going? Pretend it hadn’t happened? Which would irritate Mike, but make Ru feel happy that he’d annoyed him. He could always get his own back in a sneaky way. Ru would have to think about that.
He retrieved his water bottle, climbed over the fence and walked past him, heading for the tack room. Mike followed and Ru’s heart beat faster.Turn round and confront him!Ru kept walking, then finally managed to bring himself to a halt and face him.
“Something you wanted?” Ru asked, in as pleasant a tone as he could manage.
Mike smirked at him, then glanced round and took a step closer. “Did he fuck you?”
Now Ru truly understood the expressionall the blood drained out of his head. Had Mike seen him leaning up against Jasim? He must have done.
“I mean, why keep you all those years otherwise?”
Not Jasim. My uncle.Relief blocked Ru’s throat.
“Is that why you stayed instead of walking out? ‘Cos you liked him fucking you?”
Ru had put up with a lot over the last twelve years. He could cope with this dickhead. He just stood and stared at Mike and kept his face blank. His aunt used to say ‘Don’t be breaking your shin on a stool that’s not in your way’ and though a lot of what she said didn’t make sense, Ru could see there was no point making trouble for himself unnecessarily. No matter what he said, Mike would twist it. Ru would bide his time.
“I’ve told everyone.” Mike grinned.
Do not react.
“Jasim says I can take you for a ride.” Mike laughed. “Not that sort of ride. You’re not my type.”
Ru still kept silent. Why did Mike assume he was gay?
“Do you want to go riding or not?”
“Now?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll go and get my helmet and boots.”
Ru almost expected Mike not to be there when he reached the stables, but he was. He’d tacked up Daze and tied her near the door.
“You’re on Midnight. I brought his saddle in.”
