Breaking Through

Three Years Earlier

Three Years Earlier

Hilary

Hannah shoved the halter and reins at me. “Go. The fourth stall to your right. It’s Belle. She’s easy and gallops fast. Just … hop on her, get her going, then put on the harness.”

I just stared at her. “What?”

“Just go.” She pushed me again and turned to the wall, grabbing another halter and reins for her. She retreated.

“I don’t understand.”

“They probably run faster than us, but they won’t run faster than a horse,” my sister explained, walking to another stall. “Now go!”

Still confused, I whirled on my heels and counted four stalls to my right.

A light brown mare stood behind the closed stall door, her ears alert. She wasn’t too tall, nor did she look deadly, but that didn’t quiet my fear. And right now, I was swimming in a pool of fear.

I heard Hannah cursing. “Shit.” Then, she cried, “Argus!”

Okay, no time to overthink this. It was a question of life or death, and for my life, and Hannah’s, I would face this mare.

I opened the door and stepped in. The mare didn’t move.

“Hi, Belle,” I said, shaking for more than one reason. I wanted to ask her for permission to slide the halter above her head, but we didn’t have time for that. Still, my fear of horses stopped me from rushing to her and hopping on her.

The mare snorted, and I decided to take that as a sign that she was okay with me here.

Noises from the stable caught my attention—hurried footsteps, Hannah’s muttered curses, a horse whining.

I took a deep breath and did what Hannah would have done. I ran a hand over Belle’s neck, hoping she didn’t notice how much I was shaking, and pushed the halter on her head. Next, I flipped a bucket around, not caring about all the grain spilling on the ground, and used it as a step stool to mount. Without a saddle. Surprisingly, the mare didn’t rear or throw me off.

I tightened my hands around the reins and kicked her sides. “Go, Belle.”

We exited the stall and I pulled the reins, forcing Belle to a stop.

Pete, Eric’s bodyguard, entered the stable and the other man was closing in. Hannah grabbed a whip from one of the hooks on the wall and raised it in front of her like a sword.

Pete halted and pointed his gun at my sister. “Don’t move!”

She froze. I froze.

Hannah’s eyes met mine. “Go, Hil.” She lowered her head, stepped to the side, and brought the whip down on Pete’s arm.

The man cried out as he let go of the gun and cradled his arm. The second bodyguard entered the stable.

I extended my hand to Hannah, but she didn’t see it.

“Go, Hil,” she said, her eyes on the man pulling his gun from his waist.

“But—”

“NOW!” she yelled, interrupting me.

I jumped, too afraid, too confused, too unsure. However, the mare had thoughts of her own. She turned her head to the back of the stable, pulling against my reins. I loosened my grip and let her take control. The mare took us out through the back gate.

As soon as she stepped out, Belle broke into a faster pace and I hissed, holding on with all I had. Struggling not to fall off, I looked over my shoulder, trying to see Hannah, but Belle turned to the right, taking the back gate from my sight.

My heart sank. I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t run away while Hannah was dealing with two armed men. Not to mention Eric, who would be on her at any moment.

Oh, God, Eric. I couldn’t wrap my head around what had happened.

Eric was my sister’s hot boyfriend of over two years. He was the perfect guy. I had a platonic crush on him since I was fourteen. He was the charming man I modeled my future husband after.

And he had just beat me, pulled my hair, licked my face, nuzzled my neck, and slid his hands all over me. I shuddered, thinking about what almost happened. Of what I had escaped.

I started sliding to the side. “Hey,” I said. “Slow down.” I pulled on the reins, not to make Belle stop, but so I wouldn’t fall. The mare slowed down.

I heard tires squealing before I could see an SUV stopping in front of the stable. A guy jumped out of the SUV, holding a baseball bat. Holy s**t, another guy wanting to hurt my sister?

A sudden rush of energy surged through me. I had my phone with me! I let go of the reins with one hand and grabbed my phone from the hidden pocket under the belt of my summer dress. It was hard to dial 911 while bouncing over a saddleless horse, but I did it.

“There are three, no, four armed men at my sister’s ranch. They are hurting her!”

The dispatcher asked for the address and told me someone was coming our way. She also told me to remain calm. I almost laughed at that—a hysterical laugh did bubble in my throat, but I swallowed it.

I returned both hands to the reins and pulled Belle to a stop.

In the distance, I saw the baseball bat guy fighting Eric. Oh, so he was here to help. Then, Argus was there, right behind Eric. The baseball bat guy jumped back, taking Hannah with him, while Argus reared and descended his legs on Eric.

I gasped, my hand over my mouth.

I kicked Belle’s side and pulled the reins, guiding her back to the stable as the other horse collapsed to the ground too.

Over the baseball bat guy’s shoulders, Hannah’s eyes met mine. Even across the distance, I saw the relief and the sadness in them.

At that moment, I knew nothing would ever be the same.