Page 34 of Burned

Sadie stiffened. She didn’t want to be left alone with Carys.

Rhys raised a brow. “I don’t mind hanging back here. If you want to go ahead you can.”

“Well, I kind of wanted to talk to Sadie alone. You know, girl talk.”

“Oh? Like what?” He asked.

“Like things a teenaged girl would be too embarrassed to talk to her father about.”

“Ahh. I see. Okay. I’ll meet you two at the stream up ahead.”

Sadie wanted to scream out to him that she didn’t want to be left alone at Carys’s mercy, especially when she was riding a creature that could bolt any second.

Rhys trotted away leaving her alone with his daughter.

Carys pulled her horse level with Sadie’s. “Are you enjoying your ride on, Buttercup?” She shot Sadie a bright smile that didn’t quite meet her eyes.

“It’s certainly a different experience. Look, now that your father is out of earshot you can drop the act now. What do you really want to talk to me about? Did you want to warn me off of your father again? Or did you want to comment on my weight?”

“No. Obviously, nothing will make you leave us alone. Why can’t you just go away like the others?” The young girl scowled.

“Because I happen to love your father very much and even though you have been nothing but nasty to me, I’m willing to put up with it for him. Did you think by treating me so poorly that I’d up and run like the other women you probably ran off?”

Carys pouted. “You act like you’re so different from them. You hate me too.”

“Maybe I wouldn’t if you didn’t go out of your way to insult me. Look, Carys, I never set out to be your enemy, but from day one you haven’t made this easy for me. I’ve tried to be your friend, but you wouldn’t let that happen. Well, I’m tired of begging. While I had hoped the two of us could at least be civil for your father’s sake, I no longer care, so please just leave me alone. I don’t want to hear anything you have to say right now.” Sadie’s head swam and a feeling of nausea began to take over. She hoped she could make it to the stream and get off this blasted animal. The last thing she wanted was to be on something that had a mind of its own. Give her an inanimate object like a car any day.

Suddenly Carys moved her horse so close to Sadie’s she was nearly knocked off balance.

“Hey, watch it.” Sadie clung to the reins.

Carys smirked. “I just wanted to give you a little lesson in horsemanship.”

Sadie glared at the girl. “And what lesson is that?”

“To hold on tight.” The teenager fell back slightly, leaned over and gave Sadie’s horse a heavy pat on the rear.

The horse went berserk, rearing on its hind legs. Sadie screamed in panic, wrapping her arms around the horse’s neck. The next thing she knew it took off as if the devil himself was on its tail. “Help me!” The peal of laughter at her back barely registered. She swore if she survived this she’d hurt that little girl.

“Whoa horse, whoa.” Sadie cried as she held on as best as she could but she felt her grip slipping. Tears streamed down her face as she thought of the famous actor who was paralyzed after falling off his horse.

“Sadie!” The sound of another pair of heavy hooves digging into the earth barely registered. Rhys.

He caught up to her and reached over to grab her reins. It sent her horse on its hind legs. This time she couldn’t hold on. Sadie fell off the horse. Throwing her arm to break her fall, she landed with a heavy thud. Something went snap and a rash of fire shot up her arm making her scream.

Rhys was off his horse in an instant. “Sadie!”

Sadie cradled her injured arm, howling, the tears flowing freely. When he reached for her, she flinched away. “Don’t touch me!”

“But Sadie—”

“Stay away from me, Rhys!” She was in enough pain as it was.

“Okay, but your arm…”

“Will be fine as soon as soon as I get away from you and your horrible daughter!” she screamed.

He reared back as if he’d been slapped. “What did you say?”

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