AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I don’t think so.” She frowned and practically stomped her feet as she turned in a circle. “There has to be an office around here. I can sit in there and get my work done. I don’t need constant babysitting.”
“No.”
For once, she was the one standing in silence, but he could feel the animosity, the anger in everything she was holding back, so he reminded her what Axel wanted.
“The goal is to bait him. Can’t bait him if he can’t see you. Your men are coming back and forth each day. He will follow.”
He glanced over to catch her reaction, and with that one look, it was all over for him. The slight morning chill in the air, combined with the way she stood, hands on her hips, had him pausing involuntarily. Shoulders back, attitude out, it took onlya millisecond to process that she wasn’t wearing a bra, and he could see how tight her nipples were against the thin tank top. So, despite her anger with him, he caught himself staring. Fuck.
She was hot, and she knew it, and she used it to get her way. He kept telling himself he wouldn’t treat her like every other man did, but he couldn’t get her out of his head. Not even when she made it clear she couldn’t stand him.
Just in time, Braulio brought out the first gelding, careful with the lead as he was barely halter broke and still ornery, so he turned away from her, intent on getting his day going. Right then, the guys he sent to the office showed up with one of the wooden picnic tables they ate lunch on.
He lifted his chin, pointing to a spot close to the pen, and they set it in the sun, looking at him warily before approaching Bailey with a smile. Nodding his thanks to them, he stepped through the slats of the pen and away from her.The light sound of their conversation carried, but he ignored it. He knew her work was important to her, so now she could work near him, and he could relax knowing she was safe within his sight.
For hours, he worked through his routines with the different horses, grateful for the cool November winds. The only break he took was to grab her a water bottle and set it on the table, but she was focused on her two different laptops and barely noticed him. He was about to break for lunch when Travis pulled up, driving Bailey’s Jeep. One of the Tuisa border patrol guys sat in the passenger seat and Gio held up a bag from the back seat as they pulled in.
“Look at you, sitting out in the open, pretty as a picture. A girl on the farm with her laptop. I swear I’ve seen that porn somewhere.”
“It’s a ranch, Jersey boy. Farms have crops. Ranches have cattle. My grandma always said the southern Italians weren’t good for much, but you don’t have to constantly remind us why.”
Gio and Bailey’s teasing filled the air as he did a final cool-down with the mare he was working, and he wondered if they were coming to take her somewhere. He had a brief moment of panic he couldn’t explain, but quickly linked his uncle.
“Alpha, Bailey’s men are here. Is she leaving with him, or do you have any specific orders for her?”
“She’s not to leave your sight. They can stay, but until you bring her back here with me, she stays with you.”
“Yes, sir.”
“That’s their problem. She is too close to Ava, too good of friends with all of them, and has them wrapped around her finger. She convinces them to do what she wants, and they let their guard down. They’re all too close to her. Keep your distance and don’t let her distract you. That’s how this stalker keeps getting to her. She relaxes, the guards relax, and he notices. You won’t let that happen.”
“No, sir. Understood.”
He handed the horse off to Braulio, taking a mental note of changes he would make next time.It was lunchtime, so he needed to get food for them from the kitchen in the nearby office building. But she would need to go with him. He sighed internally. It was going to be a fight.
Slowly, he made his way to the picnic table where they all sat. She had put everything away, and they were all engaged in a hushed conversation. He could see the slight frown and worry on her face, but she wiped it away as soon as he walked up.
“Hey, warden. You know Gio and Travis, right? They brought some extra clothes from my house, and I think we are going to go grab some lunch. You have restaurants inside the pack? Or just a bunch of old buildings?”
“We can eat here. Come with me.”
“Ummm. Here where? You got magic food in your pocket?” Her sassiness turned into a smile, but he only cocked his eyebrow at her.
“Come on. Let’s take a break and go get some real food. You don’t have to come. Give me directions, and we’ll be right back.”
She stood up, slinging her backpack over her shoulder, but the other two looked at him hesitantly. Axel was right. They knew she wasn’t supposed to leave, but she was used to getting her way. He only stared at her and crossed his arms, making it clear he wasn’t changing his mind. Her smile slipped slightly, and she glanced at Travis and Gio, who hadn’t moved, and rolled her eyes.
“You two are chickenshit traitors.” She dropped her backpack on the table in front of the guys, and picked up the duffel bag instead, then gestured for him to lead. “Fine. Lead the way, Prince Not-So-Charming.”
Past two other stables and training pens, he pushed through a side gate, holding it open for her. Twice, he had to stop and wait for her to catch up because she was picking her way carefully through the rocky dirt, her ankles wobbling slightly in those wedge shoes. But when she passed through the gate, a rock slid under her heel and she twisted her ankle, stumbling and cussing a little, but not falling completely. She grabbed the gate as he wrapped his arm around her waist, scooping her up.
“You don’t have to carry me. I can walk. Just a twist, nothing serious.” She sounded breathless, but her arms wrapped around his neck easily. He tried ignoring how good she felt in his arms, but his fingers tightened around her side and under her knees naturally. With relief, he felt like he could finally breathe easier with her so close.
“Wait. I dropped my bag.” He paused, turning around and bending low. She grabbed the strap, and he headed straight to their small office and kitchen area.It wasn’t anything fancy, justa few offices for the business side of things, and a make-shift kitchen with a couple fridges and rows of microwaves along the wall. There were several others inside, men and women working the training centers, who stopped what they were doing to watch them.
Bailey stiffened in his arms, turning away from the staring eyes to face his neck, and whispered vehemently. “Put me down. Please.”
Instead, he stopped abruptly, pointedly staring at those closest to him. Immediately, everyone went back to what they were doing and pretended not to see them. Axel had sent a packwide message about Bailey this morning and reminded people to be on the lookout for a stranger. Clearly, those instructions should have included a reminder about manners.
