AllFreeNovel
Share Us
If she knew what kind of animal she was guiding next to the ring, she wouldn’t be so dismissive. I’ll have to give Linda an earful for hiring this slip of a handler for a horse that could buck her faster than a bronco.
"Did you not hear me?" I shout again, this time angrier.
The Solvarian stallion, a half-ton of pure muscle and iron will, is not tamed so much as bargained with.
And even among these fearsome specimens, Maximus is the most stubborn horse I have ever met. I can negotiate with him only after a lifetime of knowing him. Many stable hands have been maimed because they got closer than they should have after being warned.
She refuses to move closer and continues to stare at me, gripping the reins more tightly.
I'm left wondering if she's deaf, mute, or simply stupid. As if I need something else to deal with right now.
I jog out onto the ring and try to grasp the reins. I might have better luck with a wild horse than this reckless woman.
“There you are, boy,” I say, petting his neck. Then I turn to the woman. “And you. What were you thinking? Let go of the reins, by the way.”
Her dark curls bounce as she tosses her hair out of her face, still holding the reins. The pout of her lips, even in anger, is enthralling. Maybe because of the anger.
Her dark skin glistens in the Texas sun. But I’m too angry to pay too much attention, which is saying something, considering how good she looks. She’s a truly stunning Black woman, but I don’t have time to admire her beauty right now.
“What was I thinking?” she yells, pointing a finger in my face while holding the reins. “I’m the only one who’s been able to work with this horse.”
“Hand over the reins, please. If you startle him, he’s liable to get spooked, and that won’t end well for you. Stronger men than you have been put in the hospital when this horse has gotten ideas in his head.”
“Who the hell are you? The new handler? Linda said she was looking for one. I’m not letting anyone march in here and take Fire without a good explanation. You have some nerve.”
What the hell is Fire? Or who?
Maybe she fell off Maximus and hit her head because she’s just looking at me agog and speaking nonsense. I’m the one in a foreign country, but she’s the one who can’t speak.
“Oh, my God.” I start laughing uproariously, and she looks at me, baffled.
“What?”
“You’re the one with some nerve if you’re calling my horse Fire. Are you some comic book hero? The Red Lantern, and he’s your flame?”
I laugh some more. I can tell from the increasingly angry look on her face that she gave him that name and that she’s not someone who likes when someone has fun at her expense.
“Fire. Really. What a stupid name. His name is Maximus. He’s a world champion in polo, racing, and jumping. Now give me my horse before I call the authorities. Texas doesn’t punish horse thieves like they used to, but I still don’t think it would be a good look for you to be in handcuffs.”
Although…
I get an image of her that I’m a little slower to dismiss than a gentleman should be.
She’s so enraged that I’m surprised she can actually form words. She stares at me with narrow eyes and a look of total condemnation.
“I don't know where you're from, but around here, we don't walk around calling people we just met stupid. And we especially don't throw stones when we're dressed like little Lord Fauntleroy."
Her brown eyes are full of rage and, yes, fire.
She brushes unruly coils of hair back from her face as she stares daggers at me. "So? Out with it. Who are you?"
"I am the owner of this property," I explain calmly, hoping to defuse the situation. "And the horses on it. Ask Linda if you need to. But this is all mine." I demonstrate with my arms.
Her glare starts to soften, but she doesn't hand over the reins.
She has an athletic body, compact and full of explosive energy. It's tightly wrapped in dirty jeans and dusty flannel, but with her dark skin and nearly imperceptible freckles, she has a stunning beauty that’s different from any woman I’ve seen in my home country.
"My name is Alex Vanecourt. Surely you’ve heard my employees mention the name?"
