He looks temporarily thrown off his game, but I can see the gears in his mind turning to correct course quickly. "I'm sorry to hearJovi has dragged you into our business. I'd hoped to keep that between us. Man to man.”
My hands find their way to my waist, as I tilt my head toward him, squinting curiously. “You think my being a woman makes me somehow unequipped to be part of that conversation? A conversation that directly affects me and those I’m responsible for?”
He flashes me another smile, stepping in closer. “I think if you were my woman again, we wouldn’t need to have that conversation at all. And you’d never have to worry about business or responsibilities. You and yours would be looked after.”
“By you,” I deadpan.
He grins, misreading my tone entirely. “By me.”
“And Jovi?”
He shrugs. “Jovi’s always had a knack for coveting what’s mine. I’m used to putting him back in his place.”
Coveting what’shis? It takes everything I have to keep my expression clean. To hide the emotions pounding like an impending storm in my chest. “By destroying him financially? Or demolishing his reputation.”
“Does it matter? It’s business. If he takes it personally, that’s on him.”
"I'm glad you think so," I tell him, bringing a broad smile back to my face. "Then you won't take it personally when I tell you that you have been banned from our events at Serendipity Ranch effective immediately. Furthermore, if you proceed with your allegations or attempt to tarnish Jovi's reputation in any way, I will have no choice but to respond in kind by sharing the footage I have of the night in question."
I watch as the implication sinks in. His skin loses some color before anger turns it bright red. "You think you can threaten me? Doyou have any idea the connections I have in this town? You might want to ask around, find out what you don't know after years of being gone. I'm not someone you want to have for an enemy," he snarls.
He attempts to loom over me, his tall form towering me, but I don't back down. Squaring my shoulders and lifting my chin toward him, I don’t waver in the glare I have pinned on him.
"Wrong,” I bite back. “I'm the one you don't want for an enemy. Do you have any idea of the images I've captured over the last few weeks? How often I switched from stills to video when something caught my attention. How very, very effective my long-distance lens is?" I pause, only to make sure he's getting every word I'm spewing at him.
"I don't just have a slide show of images depicting the moment Kimber kicked out and hit Nika in the meaty part of her thigh. I have the moments leading up to it. You digging in your spurs to egg Nika on, riding her up on top of Kimber, knowing your mare would lash out at the proximity. Which she did. Enough to leave a mark, by the way.
"But I also caught video footage of your time in the box right before your ride. Nika was antsy as always, and everyone's attention was on the chute, waiting for the steer to come bolting out. So they didn't see when she reared. Or how hard you yanked at her reins, almost causing her to flip. Which she would have if she hadn't collided with the railing when she lost her balance. Her entire hind left leg smashed into the metal siding. And when she stepped forward," I lean toward him, lifting as high as I can to meet him as close to eye level as possible, "she was limping."
"You can't prove anything."
I fall back on a laugh. "I'm pretty sure I just told you that I literally can."
I cross my arms, lifting a casual shoulder, as if I couldn't be less bothered by his aggressive pompousness.
"And in case you still think it might be wise to shit talk Jovi, you should know, that wasn't the first time I recorded you. Some people might still subscribe to your means of training, but I think it's far from the majority. It certainly shouldn't appeal to anyone who wants to see results."
I started recording him specifically after Cas let slip one of the riders was giving Jovi a hard time. Didn't take long to sort out who it was. Even if Jovi did sit on that information for several weeks and only came clean when I confronted him. One night of paying better attention, looking for issues, was all it took for me to notice the aggressive behaviors coming from both Brennan and his mare.
Also didn't take long to piss me right the fuck off. Another reason I wasn’t remotely tempted to accept Brennan’s offer when he made it. I may not know shit about training horses, but I recognize abuse when I see it. Unfortunately, his tactics are still within the legal standards.
I know. I researched it. A lot. I was hoping if I kept taping him, eventually he'd cross the line and I could report him. Maybe making him aware this footage exists will be enough to curb his habits. At the very least, maybe his attempt to cause friction between Kitterman's and Serendipity will backfire on him and send people our way with their horses instead.
"I see Jovi finally charmed his way into your pants then," Brennon sneers. "Just because you held out for a decade don't think his interest will continue to hold now that he's had you."
I swear my blood turns to ice in my veins. And it has shit to do with what he's implying about me. About my relationship with Jovi.
"And I see we've decided to make things personal after all," I say, my voice calm despite the rage unfurling inside me. "You're welcome to say what you like about me. Welcome to imply that I'm stupid or slutty or naïve or easily swayed by someone's cock. But if you ever speak another unkind word against Jovi Daniels, I won't settle for coming after your business, your reputation, your livelihood. I will destroy you on a base level.”
My finger jams into his chest so hard, he stumbles back a step. “That man is my family. My anchor. And the best fucking person I know. So from now on, know that when you come at him, you come at me."
I lean closer as though sharing a secret when I whisper, "And not only won't I not turn a blind eye to your bullshit, I'll take pictures and show everyone."
I pull back, offer him a smile and wink. Then turn on my heel and start to walk away. "Banned," I call out, pointing a finger at him over my shoulder. "Effective immediately."
"You ban me, I'll take half your riders with me," he shouts at my back.
"Give it your best shot." I hear him cursing in response, but by the time I clear the parked trailers, I hear the engine of his truck kick on. I smile to myself, about to head toward the barn only to find Jovi walking out from behind the second row of trucks and trailers. His eyes light up when they land on me.
