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“There are things I’m not ready to tell, though.”
“And that’s all right too. As much as I want to know everything, I realize we haven’t known each other long. What I will ask is this . . . that you don’t lie to me. It’s okay to say you don’t want to talk about something. But no lies. Not even white lies.”
“All right. I can try and do that.”
“I would also like to ask that you do nothing to put yourself in harm’s way. Especially while I’m gone and can’t get to you quickly. Can you do that for me, please?”
It was a pretty easy thing to agree to. “I have no plans to go skydiving or to jump off bridges.”
There was the small matter of why she was here . . . but that wasn’t exactly dangerous. Reuben didn’t want her telling people and so she wouldn’t.
“All right, enough serious stuff. Let’s have some fun.”
“Hmm, not sure your idea of fun and mine are the same.”
He just grinned, clearly not upset at her reluctance.
Taking her hand, he led her further down the barn to where the sweetest mare stood.
“This is Honey.”
“Oh, she’s pretty. Can I pat her?”
“Of course. She’s a really sweet mare. Here, I’ll get you a treat for her.” He gave her the treat. “These are some homemade treats we make here for them. Just hold your hand out and she’ll do the rest.”
Gwen put her hand out and nearly jumped back as the mare stepped forward and took the food from her hand.
“Oh, she’s so gentle.”
“She is. I thought you could ride her. Give her some pats.”
When she reached out and patted the mare, she swore the horse gave her a look of satisfaction.
“Oh, you’re pretty, aren’t you? Yes, you are.”
“I’m going to get my ride, then I’ll come back and saddle Honey, all right?”
“Okay,” she said, still patting the mare. But something soon caught her attention from the corner of her eye. She turned, walking over to another stall set further away from the others.
Her breath caught as she saw the horse inside. He was dark brown with strange stripes along his rump.
Oh God. Those weren’t stripes. What was she thinking?
Those were . . . were they scars? From whip marks?
Who the hell did this to him? Someone here? But surely not, from what she’d seen, the other horses were all well taken care of. And fed. This guy looked like he needed a lot more food, she could see his ribs.
He blew out a deep breath and stepped forward.
“Hello, beautiful,” she whispered. It was like seeing a wounded warrior. He was gorgeous but had scars.
“Do you want a treat? I can find one for you.” She moved away and got a treat, then came back to hold it out to him. He eyed her with suspicion.
“No? What if I just drop it? Will you eat it?”
“Gwen?”
She startled slightly and the horse let out a noise.
“Easy, baby,” she whispered, then she turned to Dominic. “What is it?”
He was eyeing her strangely. “You might need to back away slowly.”
“Oh no, I’m so sorry. Is he not allowed treats?” Mortified, she stepped back.
The horse watched her warily, then he turned his gaze on Dominic as he moved toward her.
If she didn’t know better, she’d swear the horse didn’t seem to want him near her.
Getting fanciful, Gwen.
“Warrior can have a treat. But he won’t take it from you. I’m surprised he’s so calm.”
“Someone hurt him.”
“Yeah, baby. They did. But we’re trying to help him. An old friend of Clint’s called and told him he’d found this horse who had been abused. And since no one wanted him because he was volatile, he was going to be put down.”
“Oh no.” Sadness filled her.
“So Clint and Charlie drove out there and bought him.”
“Did the person who did this . . . was he prosecuted?”
“He managed to get out of the charges,” Dominic told her grimly. “Asshole.”
“That isn’t right. So he could be out there abusing more animals?”
Dominic turned her, wiping her cheeks. Shoot. She hadn’t realized she was crying.
“You’re so sweet.”
She scoffed. She’d never been called that before.
“You are,” he said firmly.
“Most people call me names at the other end of the spectrum.”
His face darkened. “If anyone calls you anything like that again, you tell me, and I’ll take care of them.”
So protective. It was extremely hot.
“Promise.”
She didn’t need him to fight her battles. But it was tempting to allow him to.
“I promise.”
He brushed his lips over hers.
“Unfortunately there are a lot of people out there, abusing those that can’t fight back. Animals, children.”
Anger filled her. “We need to do more.”
She’d been a lawyer for over twenty years, she knew there were terrible people out there. But she hated the idea that they were living free.
So do something about it.
Hmm. Maybe she would.
