Page 101 of Forbidden Forget-Me-Not

Once we were far from the maze of motion sensors, Goran helped me mount up, then ran beside us as I trotted down the path. The moon was just bright enough tonight for me to see where we needed to go.

“Easy,” I whispered as we approached the back fence.

“So, what’s the plan here?”

“I’m going to jump it.”

“You’re the craziest woman I’ve ever met,” he muttered as he slipped through the wooden rails.

“Okay, bud, it’s just like at the show. We have a great lead-up, then there is room for two strides before we have to run up the side of the ditch. You’ve got this,” I said, unsure who needed the pep talk more, me or Atlas.

I let Atlas see the height of the fence before turning back and coming in at a canter. I set him up like any other jump and prayed this wasn’t the one time he refused. If he stopped, we were dead. Or at least I was.

But there was zero hesitation. Atlas’s ears remained pricked straight up, his stride shortened as his muscles bunched, and then he launched himself over the fence.

We landed, and a rein slipped loose from my grip. Atlas took the two strides, then pushed up the side of the ditch.

“Whoa. Easy, boy,” I said evenly as I tried to regain the rein.

He broke into a trot, then stopped.

I collapsed forward, hugging his neck, my heart in my throat. So many others would’ve taken off, but not my boy. He was a true gentleman.

“I can’t believe we just did that.”

Goran jogged up to us.

“That was the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen. I fucking love you.” He folded the balaclava up like a beanie, pride shining in his eyes. “Let’s keep going. We don’t want to be within five miles of here when those guards are found.”

Goran ran ahead and opened the trailer doors. I hopped down, pulled off the saddle, and stepped inside. Atlas hesitated for half a second, then followed.

No fuss. No resistance. He trusted me.

I quickly swapped the bridle for the halter and hooked him up. Goran shut the divider quietly and secured the latch. We clipped the back doors closed and ran for the driver’s side door.

“I’ll follow you.”

I nodded but grabbed his hand before he took off for the SUV.

Pulling up my balaclava, I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him hard.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

For one long second, we just looked at each other.

I let him go and climbed into the driver’s seat.

“You realize,” he said quietly, “this is war?”

I started the engine.

“He declared it first.”

“As long as you know.” Goran closed my door and ran for the SUV.

The headlights stayed off as I rolled down the dirt lane, turning them on once we were clear of the property and on to the main road.