home. A smile graced her lips; she really considered this place her
home. However, a frown quickly replaced it as she reminded herself it wasn’t
wise to get comfortable in one place. Lessons so hard learned should be
remembered. Still, she had her gaze on the front window.
She saw some of the horses in
the barn the other day, and the sight of a few
of them broke her heart. How could people not feed a horse? A few looked like
skeletons. Colt told her sometimes the owners would move and leave the horses
to fend for themselves. He had a good heart, and the horses sensed it. Colt’s
truck and horse trailer along with two others pulled up to the barn. She
grabbed her coat and hurried outside. She was almost at the trailer when Colt
blocked her way. His shoulders were so wide she couldn’t see behind him.
“Colt, is something wrong?”
Her brows furrowed.
“I wish to God I could say no, Spring . I don’t want you to see the horses just yet.”
“But,
why?”
“Honey, that bastard tried to
remove any ID on the horses.” The bleakness of his expression tore at her.
“What does that mean?”
“Some were branded and one
tattooed. I can’t go into it now. There were six horses in all. Holden is right
behind me. I need you to go inside, please.”
She nodded and gave him a
compassionate smile. “Of course. I’ll be there when
you need me.” Reaching out she patted his arm, their gazes locked and held
before she walked back toward the house. He was a good man, his actions proved
it. If only she’d come from a different background and had never been mixed up
with Billy…
Opening the front door, she
shook her head. What was she thinking? He was grieving and needed a friend,
nothing more, and she’d best remember that before her heart became entrenched.
She took off her jacket and
boots and turned. The first thing she saw was the package from Billy, sitting
there bigger than life on the kitchen table. No matter how hard she tried to
look away from it, she couldn’t. The thought of opening it paralyzed her but
she wasn’t one to back down.
Taking a deep breath, she
marched over to the table and ripped the box open. Horrified, she covered her
mouth with her hand to keep the screams in. The implication of the ring inside
was not lost on her. Her legs gave way, and she grabbed the back of the wooden
chair, easing herself down into it, her gaze fixed on the ring, her ring. It
was too much, and tears flowed down her face.
So many things happened in the
foster homes, horrible things but the worst for her was when a girl named
Teresa went missing. Not that she’d had any type of love for the bully. Teresa
stole the ring right off her hand and backhanded her after. It was right around
the time she’d met Billy at her last home. She kept her mouth shut, that’s just
the way things were. Billy had always been violent but not to her, not at
first. Her hands shook, her heart clenched in denial and it became too hard to
breathe but she knew the truth. Billy got the ring back, and Teresa was gone. A
chill ran up her spine. She’d have to tell Colt, he deserved to know she put
him in danger. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind Billy would hurt Colt to get
her back.
Exhaustion filled her, and she
couldn’t take much more. Caleb’s death was still a lance of pain in her mind
and now this threat of Billy knowing where she was. The weight of the world
fell upon her, and she prayed she wouldn’t be crushed. Tears filled her eyes,
and she swiped at them with the back of her hand to no avail; there were too
many. Reaching into the box, she took the ring and fisted it in her hand. It
was her only possession from her mother, and even though the woman had done
nothing to help her in her entire life, she still treasured it. It turned her
finger green but the value to her was priceless. It gave her a sense of
connection.
It wasn’t worth getting back,
however Billy did it. Spring hiccupped. Teresa was never seen again, and
home. However, a frown quickly replaced it as she reminded herself it wasn’t
wise to get comfortable in one place. Lessons so hard learned should be
remembered. Still, she had her gaze on the front window.
She saw some of the horses in
the barn the other day, and the sight of a few
of them broke her heart. How could people not feed a horse? A few looked like
skeletons. Colt told her sometimes the owners would move and leave the horses
to fend for themselves. He had a good heart, and the horses sensed it. Colt’s
truck and horse trailer along with two others pulled up to the barn. She
grabbed her coat and hurried outside. She was almost at the trailer when Colt
blocked her way. His shoulders were so wide she couldn’t see behind him.
“Colt, is something wrong?”
Her brows furrowed.
“I wish to God I could say no, Spring . I don’t want you to see the horses just yet.”
“But,
why?”
“Honey, that bastard tried to
remove any ID on the horses.” The bleakness of his expression tore at her.
“What does that mean?”
“Some were branded and one
tattooed. I can’t go into it now. There were six horses in all. Holden is right
behind me. I need you to go inside, please.”
She nodded and gave him a
compassionate smile. “Of course. I’ll be there when
you need me.” Reaching out she patted his arm, their gazes locked and held
before she walked back toward the house. He was a good man, his actions proved
it. If only she’d come from a different background and had never been mixed up
with Billy…
Opening the front door, she
shook her head. What was she thinking? He was grieving and needed a friend,
nothing more, and she’d best remember that before her heart became entrenched.
She took off her jacket and
boots and turned. The first thing she saw was the package from Billy, sitting
there bigger than life on the kitchen table. No matter how hard she tried to
look away from it, she couldn’t. The thought of opening it paralyzed her but
she wasn’t one to back down.
Taking a deep breath, she
marched over to the table and ripped the box open. Horrified, she covered her
mouth with her hand to keep the screams in. The implication of the ring inside
was not lost on her. Her legs gave way, and she grabbed the back of the wooden
chair, easing herself down into it, her gaze fixed on the ring, her ring. It
was too much, and tears flowed down her face.
So many things happened in the
foster homes, horrible things but the worst for her was when a girl named
Teresa went missing. Not that she’d had any type of love for the bully. Teresa
stole the ring right off her hand and backhanded her after. It was right around
the time she’d met Billy at her last home. She kept her mouth shut, that’s just
the way things were. Billy had always been violent but not to her, not at
first. Her hands shook, her heart clenched in denial and it became too hard to
breathe but she knew the truth. Billy got the ring back, and Teresa was gone. A
chill ran up her spine. She’d have to tell Colt, he deserved to know she put
him in danger. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind Billy would hurt Colt to get
her back.
Exhaustion filled her, and she
couldn’t take much more. Caleb’s death was still a lance of pain in her mind
and now this threat of Billy knowing where she was. The weight of the world
fell upon her, and she prayed she wouldn’t be crushed. Tears filled her eyes,
and she swiped at them with the back of her hand to no avail; there were too
many. Reaching into the box, she took the ring and fisted it in her hand. It
was her only possession from her mother, and even though the woman had done
nothing to help her in her entire life, she still treasured it. It turned her
finger green but the value to her was priceless. It gave her a sense of
connection.
It wasn’t worth getting back,
however Billy did it. Spring hiccupped. Teresa was never seen again, and
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