Page 20 of Beau
“That’s good, right?” Molly asked. She was a people doctor, not an animal one.
Cam shook his head. “No. Junior would push himself too hard, even on such a short race and that could have killed him.”
Ellie gasped.
I saw red thinking of my girl on top of a dying horse. A horse sprinted through a barrel race. It wasn’t fucking dressage. Going that fast and Junior collapsing… it might’ve killed Lainey, too.
“What about the other horses? The other competitors?” I asked.
Cam looked toward the arena. The crowd noise was muted this far away but it sounded like everyone was having fun. “Probably too late. I’msure the event’s finished by now. I can circle around and check though.”
“Why would someone drug Lainey’s horse?” Ellie looked up at Trig.
He stroked a hand down her hair. “Didn’t want her to compete.”
“Or wanted her hurt,” Colt added.
“I’m going to the hospital,” I said, heading back toward the arena and where my truck was parked. And to Lainey.
“You’ve gotta compete,” Trig called.
I stopped, turned.
“Fuck that. My girl was gonna get on the back of a drugged horse. I’m going to her.”
Trig shook his head. “Pops would want you to compete. Lainey, I’m sure, does too.”
I came back and stood in front of my best friend. “You want me to compete…now?”
“Stay on eight seconds, win the purse, then go take care of your girl.”
Colt nodded. “He’s right. Wilders don’t give in to bullies. And buy our sister a nice big diamond ring.”
I huffed at the stupidity of that statement. “Yeah, a big diamond’s just what Lainey would want.”
Colt scratched the back of his neck and Trig only grinned. Diamond ring aside, I didn’t miss what he was saying, that I was part of the Wilder family now and that I’d better get a ring on their sister’s finger pronto. “You’re serious.”
“Go. Lainey’s safe. Win a big belt buckle. I’m tired of you being jealous of mine,” Trig said.
I grunted, then adjusted my hat, not thrilled with the idea of being separated from my girl. “Fine,” I muttered. “Eight seconds and I’m outta here.”
Colt slapped me on the shoulder as I went by. “Don’t worry, I’m gonna find the fucker who did this.”
Maybe it was a good thing I had a bull’s back to climb onto. I had some anger issues I needed to handle before I saw Lainey again.
Ninety anxious, angry minutes of waiting for the event to start and then my turn, and a championship win later, I entered the ER and scanned the waiting room. The Wilders weren’t hard to spot, especially since there was only one other person in the waiting area, who was quietly reading a book. Mrs. Wilder sat with my girl right beside her. They were holding hands. Flanking them like a bunch of football linebacker cowboys, keeping them safefrom both sides, were her brothers. Zeb, Shep, Hayes, Buck, and Bray, with Katie on his lap.
They looked up at my arrival and Lainey flew out of her seat and into my arms. I’d remember for the rest of my life the relieved and happy look on her face when she saw me. She was with her family, who were close as hell, yet she left them to launch herself at me.
Me.
I hugged her close, savored the soft feel of her in my arms, the only place I knew she was truly safe. I kissed the top of her head.
“How did it go?” she asked.
“I won.” Winning was great, but it wasn’t important, not in the grand scheme of things. I was marrying Lainey, prize money or not. So I moved on to what was crucial. Her father. “Any news?” I whispered, tipping her chin up so I could look my girl in the eyes. Saw her fear and her pain and hopefully take some of it away.
“They’re doing tests.”
