Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Turning back to the shareholder’s agreement for Mardraggon Enterprises, I try to force Kat Blackburn from my thoughts. She’s a minor problem for me to handle down the road, but for now, I need to focus on taking down my father. Kat and these petty exchanges are a distraction I don’t need to get embroiled in.
But the small voice inside me whispers that perhaps I want to match wits with her. Perhaps I want these confrontations. Because with every charged exchange, I’m reminded of a past I’m not sure I want to forget.
It’s dangerous, this game we’re playing, but I’m a Mardraggon.
Danger is our domain.
CHAPTER 5
Kat
The dark barn is quiet, the gentle shuffling of the horses and the sweet scent of hay settling my frazzled nerves. That meeting with Gabe went about how I expected it to, but I thought I’d be able to walk away confident in the outcome. And while I accomplished what I’d intended—which was to establish contact and request he change the agreement—I had not expected to be so affected by the exchange.
It’s utterly confusing to me how I can despise someone so thoroughly and yet feel a sliver of compassion for him. There’s no doubt in my mind after talking to him that he has Sylvie’s best interests at heart and that he loves her very much. I hate that it forces me to concede that Gabe actually has a heart when all evidence up until now has been to the contrary.
I make my way to Shadow’s stall, using only the moonlight from the open doors I entered through to guide me. When I slide open his door and flip on his stall light, his big black head is there to greet me. I pat him on the nose, right below the white star, which is the only marking on his body. Reaching into my pocket, I pull out a peppermint for him.
Shadow’s my current project horse, nearly three and a half years old and coming along nicely. He was born right here at Blackburn and Ethan gifted him to me. I took over his care immediately, spending daily time with him as a foal, touching and brushing him, sometimes leading him around on a halter to build trust. When he turned one, I began structured groundwork on a lunge line to build his muscle and stamina, as well as to introduce him to verbal commands. He learned how to wear a bit and bridle and I placed saddle pads on him so he could get used to equipment on his back. We did that for nearly a year.
Now I’m working toward breaking Shadow to be ridden. It’s a slow and arduous process, sometimes taking two steps forward and one step back. For several months, he wore a saddle while I lunged him, using the time to desensitize him to the weight of the equipment and the girth holding it in place. I also used long reins on him to teach him steering and stopping commands he’ll need with a rider.
Last month, I started on mounting. It’s the most exciting part for me because it brings to fruition the trust we’ve built over the past few years. It started out with me having him stand near a mounting block and me just leaning on him. Gradually, I put more and more weight over his back until I felt confident enough to throw my leg over the saddle.
Next, I sat in the saddle and let one of the other staff lead him around at a walk while I held his reins loose. He’s mastered that now without too much conniption but I never forget he’s young, spirited and sometimes flighty, all while weighing close to a thousand pounds. I’m probably going to end up in the dirt a few times once I get in the saddle without any assistance, but part of all my years of training is learning how to take a fall without getting too hurt.
The main hall of lights flicker on and I turn to see Trey and Wade walking toward me.
“What are you doing here so late?” I ask. They should have been finished with their work long ago and settled into the house they share in town.
“We were going to drop off some of Miranda’s leftover meatloaf at your apartment but we saw your Jeep here,” Wade says, holding up a paper bag.
My stomach rumbles as I give Shadow another pat and close his stall door. “Excellent. I’m starving.”
Nabbing the bag from Wade, I sit down on one of the supply chests spaced periodically between the stalls, holding grooming brushes, bandages and other odds-and-ends equipment. Inside the bag sits a plastic container with a thick slice of meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Miranda even rolled up silverware in a napkin.
I plop the meal on my lap and dig in, mumbling “thanks” around my first bite. Trey and Wade are silent as they watch me, and finally I look up. “Take a picture. It lasts longer.”