“All right. We’ll be heading to dinner after we go to the barn. So I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yep. Sounds like a plan.” He didn’t turn around.
I made my way out of the warehouse just as my brother was pulling up in my father’s black Mercedes-Benz.
“Hey, sis,” he said when he stepped out of the car.
I walked over, gave him a big hug, and then asked him to follow me into the barn.
“I’m surprised you’re staying out here after all this guy did to you. To us,” he said as I pushed the door open to the barn. “But I’m not going to pick a fight with you when I haven’t seen you in months.”
“Good choice, Collin.” I chuckled. “Axel and I are getting our friendship back on track.”
“Hey, I’m not here to judge.” He glanced around and scrunched his nose. “It stinks in here.”
“No, it doesn’t.” I laughed. “It smells like horse and hay.”
“Exactly.” He shrugged. “So why are we in here? Is Chadwick letting you ride one of his horses to get you to forgive him for being an asshole?”
I blew out a breath. “I’m not justifying that question with an answer. Look inside, please.”
He and I turned to Wrax’s stall, and I was surprised to see the color drain from his face. My brother had never fully understood my passion for the equestrian life, or my connection with my horse. But he was clearly moved by what he was seeing, because he looked like he was at a loss for words. Either that or he was going to throw up, which made no sense whatsoever.
“Are you okay?” I asked with a chuckle.
“How did you get him back?”
“Axel found him,” I said as I opened the door to the stall and stepped inside. “I wanted to surprise you because I know you’ve been looking for him, and I appreciate it, Collin.”
He cleared his throat as he remained outside the stall, probably worried about getting his fancy shoes dirty. Collin and I had always been so different.
His brows cinched together, and he studied me. “Yeah? Where did he find him?”
“He didn’t give me all the details. He just said he found the guy that Dad had sold him to.” I ran my hands through Wrax’s mane, and he did what he always did—he moved so that his head was resting on my shoulder, almost as if giving me a hug.
“And who paid for him?”
“I guess his cousin Bridger knew the guy, and he owed him a favor, so he agreed to give him back.”
“Those fucking Chadwicks. You actually think he just gave him a horse? This guy is lying to you. So you need to be cautious about the things he tells you. He knows you’re vulnerable right now, and he’s going to pull out all the stops.” He motioned for me to step out of the stall. “We need to get going, Wren. Dad is probably already there.”
So much for the epic surprise.
I gave Wrax a little more love and followed my brother out to the car.
He was quiet as we drove down the long driveway and onto the road.
“Why would he pull out all the stops or lie to me about Wrax? We haven’t seen one another in two years. He has nothing to gain by lying to me.”
“Sometimes people lie for the sake of lying. No rhyme, no reason.”
Like lying to your fiancée when you were sleeping with her maid of honor?
I bit my tongue. I wasn’t going to argue with him tonight.
“Listen, I’m happy to have Wrax back. I thought you’d be happy for me.”
“I am happy for you. But I don’t trust that dude. Any guy who sneaks up on a man in a bar and sucker punches him is not a stand-up dude.”
