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PARTONE
ChapterOne
THEO
I pace the waiting area of the hospital. My mind races. My heart pounds so hard, I think it might fall out of my chest. And the worst part is that I’m not allowed to see her.
My piccola.
My excitement about our future, about finally getting rid of Melody, had suddenly turned into horror at witnessing something like that happening to her. In showjumping, falls and accidents can happen but watching as it happened to Thalia? I felt like my whole world was ending.
I sprinted across that arena so fast anyone would think I was trying out for the Olympic track team. My heart was in my throat when I made it to her. She was pale. Lifeless. Her KEP helmet was grazed all down the left-hand side and her left knee looked out of shape, bent at a funny angle. I didn’t move her. Couldn’t. Not until I knew the extent of her injuries. I glanced up at Zeus, his breathing heavy as he tried to push up off the ground. He eventually got up, but something was wrong.
Forgetting the horse for a minute, I focused back on my piccola as Greg appeared by my side. He looked about as frantic and scared as me as he stared down at the prone girl who is like a daughter to him.
“Is she okay?” he chokes out, nearly making me break down in tears on the spot.
I glance at him, his eyes glazed from unshed tears, and shake my head. “Her knee, its disjointed. And by the look of her helmet, she hit her head. Where are the paramedics?” I growl, looking around. Just then, I spot them running towards us with a kit in hand as the ambulance makes its way through the entrance behind them. Everything after that is a blur. They load her up in the vehicle and I am helpless to do anything as Greg travels with her. Fortunately, the Maxwell’s had assigned him these rights, almost like a guardianship, in the event of something like this happening.
Feeling helpless, I turn to Zeus; he is now standing but you can see he was in pain. His leg hovers in the air, and he can’t put any weight on it. I know what’s wrong. I know it will devastate my piccola. I look at Tess who is holding his reins. She has tears in her eyes, her lip wobbling as she tries not to cry. Zeus may not be her horse, but you would have to be heartless not to feel some sort of emotion right now, witnessing the pain he must be in.
“Where the fuck is the on-site vet?” I bark at no one in particular. Tessa points towards the side of the arena where what looks like the veterinarian hops over the fence. It’s about fucking time, only took him twenty-five minutes. It’s not good enough considering what we pay him to be here. When he arrives by Zeus, he frowns, shaking his head. I know what he is going to say before he says it and right now, I don’t want to hear it. I need to get to my piccola. I walk away, leaving him in Tessa’s capable hands.
As I make my way out of the arena, I spot Melody standing with Dean. She has a look on her face that I can’t quite decipher and don’t want to right now, but I know I don’t like whatever it is.
Ignoring the gruesome twosome, I jog to my SUV, hop inside, and peel out of Royal Palm with only one place in mind.
The hospital.
I have been here for the last five hours, waiting for news about Thalia’s condition. Her parents haven’t arrived yet, but I know it will only be a matter of time before they do. That will make things harder. I’ll need to act like a concerned trainer, not the concerned boyfriend. And that will be hard when all I want to do is be by my piccola and never leave her side. I received news about Zeus a couple hours ago, and it was exactly what I thought. To say I am dreading that conversation is an understatement; Thalia will be devastated.
My head snaps up when I hear doors opening and I spot Greg coming towards me. He stops, letting out a harsh sigh as he runs his hand through his hair.
“How is she?” I grit out.
He eyes me like I’m a piece of shit on his shoe but tells me anyway. “She has a severe concussion from the bang to her head. Fortunately, she was wearing her helmet; otherwise, it could have been a life or death situation.” I glare at him. I would never allow my piccola, or anyone that trains with me, myself included, to ride without a helmet. I’m an advocate for safety when riding. I’ve seen and heard about too many accidents, some resulting in death, when people don’t take that safety measure and I would never risk it. I appreciate Greg trying to make me feel better about Thalia’s fall, but I won’t be okay until I see her with my own eyes. “And, she has a non-displaced Patella fracture where the horse stood on her knee.”
“What?”
“She has a...”
I hold a hand up cutting him off. “I heard the first time. How severe is it?”
He scowls. “I’m not sure. They won’t give me any more information. Although I’m listed as a guardian and I’m allowed to be in the hospital with her, she is eighteen and they want to speak with her when she wakes.”
Fuck. This could be bad and ruin her chance of competing on the Nations cup teams in July, depending on the damages. She will be in a knee brace and out of action for at least a month, maybe longer. This will destroy her.
“I want to see her.”
“No. You need to leave. Her parents will be arriving shortly, and I don’t think it’s a good idea that you are here. Thalia is going through enough right now; she doesn’t need her parents’ asking questions about your relationship. You need to stop this, acting like her damn boyfriend. Mr. Maxwell is not stupid, and he has bigger worries than you throwing your weight around with your possessive behaviour.”
“I am her boyfriend,” I growl, ignoring the rest of his shit.
He shrugs, not one bit intimidated by me. “Last I heard you had a wife. I have given you more information than I needed to, now I want you to leave.”
I grab the collar of his shirt. He stares at me with what looks like amusement in his eyes, and it pisses me off further. “I am not going anywhere until I see her.”
He pushes me away, brushing his collar flat as he pins me with a look. “Do that again and I will flatten you to the fucking floor. Do what you want, but you are not seeing Thalia right now.”
