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While Andalusians generally had a good temperament, they were also one-thousand-pound, highly strung animals. Particularly those we bred. Bexli was not an experienced rider. Since we had no other horses in our stable, if she was out riding, she was in danger.
I bolted out of the house and across the lawn, hoping I’d spot the two women. As soon as I did, I raced to the steep trail leading down the terraced hillside. After slipping more than once, I realized it was unlikely anyone had been on it since I had as a teenager. However, I didn’t have time to waste. They were headed to the open trails. Once they reached them, whichever horse Bexli was on would expect to be let loose, whether she was prepared for it or not.
“What in thebloody hell did you think you were doing?”I shouted once I reached Bexli and Kima and managed to get their horses to slow down by riding out in front of them, then slowing the horse I was on.
I dismounted, raced over to her, and grabbed her mount’s halter with my right hand and its nose with my left.
“Cayman, what are you doing?” Bexli shouted.
“Saving your arse, as if I haven’t had to do enough of that in the last twenty-four hours.” I looked over at Delfino. “I blame you for this.” I turned back to help Bex dismount when I noticed her right hand was bandaged.
“My God, I’m gone less than forty-eight hours, and you’ve injured yourself already?”
Bexli’s face held no expression, and she wouldn’t look at me, nor did she respond. Although, I supposed, my question hadn’t required her to.
“Let me help you,” I said, reaching up. Instead, she nearly kicked me in the face when she dismounted on the opposite side, far too close to Delfino’s horse.
“Jesus!Do you not realize the danger of what you just did?”
When she stalked away, I grabbed the reins of her horse in one hand and mine in the other. “Bexli! Did you not hear me?Stop this instant!”
She spun around, her Himalayan poppy-blue eyes were on fire. “You may be a bloody marquess or a full-of-yourself task force commander, but I don’t answer to you, Cayman.”
By then, I’d caught up to her. “You could’ve died!You have no idea how much danger you were in, taking out one of the horses.” I grabbed her forearm. “What happened to your hand?”
She jerked away from me. “It’s a small burn. Nothing significant. Why are you making such a big deal of everything?” she shouted.
“I didn’t save your life so you could turn around and be so bloody reckless!” I hollered back.
“Are you suggesting my life isyoursnow? Sod the fuck off,Winston.”
“Do not walk away from me again, Bexli.”
“Or what? You’ll do the same to me Moretti did? Or my father?”
“How could you say such a thing to me?All I’ve ever done is try to protect you!”
“You can’t protect me from life, Cayman. Nor do you have the right to scream at me. Or at Kima.”
“She—”
“Stop!I’ll not listen to another word of this.”
“Where do you think you’re going?” I yelled when she took off running.
“Home, arsehole!”
“Home? What does that mean?”
This time, Bex didn’t respond. There was no way I could chase after her while I had the reins of not one but two horses. No doubt, by the time I led them back to the barn and returned to the main house, she would have cooled off and we would discuss this morning’s events like adults.
“Cayman?”
“Not now, Delfino. I’ll deal with you later.”
When I walkedin my house, I was met just inside by Delfino and Nemesis. I pushed past them and took the stairs two at a time. The door of the room Bexli was in remained ajar like I’d left it.
“Where is she?” I bellowed when I returned to the reception hall.
