Chapter 91

But Shadow refused to move.

Rory was about to lose it. “What’s in there that you want? There’s only bridles and saddles in there.”

Shadow snorted and nodded his head.

Surely the horse wasn’t trying to tell Rory that that’s what he wanted. No, that was stupid. “You want me to ride you? Escape?” Rory’s voice cracked. He’d never ridden Shadow. The stallion wouldn’t let anyone but Barry do that.

More snorting, nodding, and kicking of the tack room door.

“I must be fucking crazy,” Rory said, shaking his head but nevertheless opening the tack room door. “Either that or desperate.” He sniffed. “Probably both.” Picking up Shadow’s saddle, Rory showed it to the horse, who’d stuck his head through the door. “You sure about this?”

There was more snorts and head nodding from Shadow.

“This isn’t happening,” Rory kept saying under his breath, but fearing someone could come along at any minute and find him, he worked quickly to get Shadow ready.

The big stallion just stood there, placidly letting Rory work.

It was important no one found him, especially if they knew about Tonya’s…condition. Their sympathy would destroy him. He was barely holding it together as it was. One kind word would have him break down. He knew, if he started to cry, he’d never stop. And he didn’t want to cry. Not until he got to somewhere safe, if such a place existed. Safe used to be wrapped up tight in Zane’s arms. Zane was Rory’s rock, only now he was shown to have feet of clay. “Stop it!”

Leading the horse outside, Rory put his left foot in the stirrup and bounced on the balls of his right foot a few times, trying to give himself enough lift to mount the horse. Shadow was a good couple of hands taller than his usual mounts so it took extra effort to raise his right leg high enough to clear the cantle. But he managed it and before he could signal Shadow, the stallion moved off, Rex following alongside. They were heading in the opposite direction to the equipment barn where Zane and Tonya probably were…Rory slammed the door on that thought.

Shadow’s gait was smooth, probably the smoothest Rory had experienced, not that his mind was particularly focused on such matters. He just wanted…needed to get away. And judging by the steady cantor, so did Shadow. Rory didn’t know where to go, didn’t really care. He just let Shadow go wherever. It didn’t matter to him, so long as it was far away from Zane and…her. They followed trails, skirted fields, rode alongside streams almost bursting their banks with the snow melt and recent rains. He rode through woods, went up and down hills. All the while Rory’s mind was numb, blessedly empty. So long as he didn’t think, he didn’t have to face up to what had happened.

Several things seemed to occur at once, although time appeared to slow down. They emerged from thick woodland. A herd of wild deer in the meadow up ahead began to race towards them. Shadow reared up. Rory lost the stirrups and was flung out of the saddle. Rory’s left foot caught on a rock. His leg buckled under him. There was a sickening crack and intense pain. Rory screamed.

Shadow and Rex were screaming, too.

Rory lay in a heap, winded, shaken, and with the worst pain he’d ever experienced shooting up his leg. Shadow danced agitatedly mere inches from him. Rory slid away but screamed again when the pain in his leg spiked. Rex somehow got between Rory and the horse and Shadow backed off, though he still stamped his hooves in alarm.

“It’s okay, boys,” Rory said through gritted teeth. “I’m all right.”

But he wasn’t all right. The fear and pain caused Rory’s stomach to roll. He tried turning his body to vomit on the ground rather than over himself, but that only served to increase his pain, too.

Rex approached gingerly and licked his face.

“Good boy.” Rory reached up to scratch the dog’s ears.

The enormity of what just happened, what had happened in the yard, and what had happened several months earlier when Zane and Tonya had had sex and…all crowded in and overwhelmed him.

Several large, icy cold raindrops fell, soon increasing into a heavy downpour. Within seconds, Rory was drenched.

Rory screamed again, this time out of rage and shear helplessness. His body shook with great, wracking sobs. Everything had gone wrong.

Rex barked.

“Go home!” Rory pointed back down the trail. He wanted to be alone, didn’t want anyone to see him like this.

Rex whined and licked Rory’s face again.

“Rex, go home. Leave me alone.”

Shadow neighed.