Page 127 of Assassin

He nodded.

“Should I be calling you something different like Duke or…?” Gamble asked.

Poe laughed.

“Absolutely not. It was luck of the draw when it came to genes. My father was a famous polo player, and he would play with the other royals. My mother breeds horses, and she’s created a few champion lines. Like I said, it’s a family thing, but I don’t really go by any royal titles. Mainly because my family is alive, and technically, my father is the Duke. I’m just…Poe.”

Gamble handed the photo back, and he didn’t expect any of that. The man seemed to be very much a doctor, but he definitely had a few layers.

“What’s that horse’s name?” he asked, pointing to an all black one not far away.

Poe laughed.

And laughed.

And laughed.

“Diablo. Want to take a wild guess why he’s been saddled with that name?” he asked. “The hint isn’t because of the color of his coat.”

“Because he’s pretty?”

Poe snorted.

“More like HE’S THE DEVIL,” he said, feeding him an apple. “Wicked as the day is long, but so goddamn perfect. He was my brother’s horse, and my mother specially bred him for Hemmingway. No one could ride him but him. My parents wanted to sell him because looking at him hurt, but I wanted to remember my brother barebacking that monster like it was nothing.”

Gamble touched him.

“He’s big.”

“Yeah, and bold,” he said, as the horse nipped Poe on the shoulder, but he didn’t even flinch.

As Gamble pet him, the big horse put his head on his shoulder, nuzzling him.

Poe had never seen it do that to anyone but his brother. It was clear someone was a horse and dog whisperer.

“And him?” he asked, kissing Diablo on the head, and moving on.

Poe shared.

“This is Snow,” he said, moving down to the next horse.

He was all white, and had icy blue eyes.

“He was born during a blizzard, and it took all I had to keep him alive. His mother didn’t want him, and she refused to nurse him. Those were the longest months of my life. Now, he will let me ride him, but only when he wants me to. He’s ungrateful, but I love him to pieces.”

Gamble had come down to the barn for a few reasons. The first being he wanted to see the horses, but also because he was curious about Poe.

This was his way to study him in his own habitat. This was the man he’d be here with for sixty days, and he was sure there would be some wild moments.

He knew his demons.

“You really bottle fed him?”

He nodded.

“He’s a daddy’s boy,” he said, patting him on the side. “He’ll follow me around, but like I said, he’s selective with riding. He isn’t good with a saddle. I can only ride him bareback—again when he wants.”

Gamble was honest.

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