Breaking Through (The Breaking Series Book 3) by Juliana Haygert Page A

gasped, my hand over my pounding heart. “Jimmy, you scared the hell out of me.”
    “I’m sorry, miss.” The old man looked all around but directly into my eyes, seeming uncomfortable around me. “Miss Hannah is out with a tour group. She should be back in about two hours.”
    “I know.”
    “Oh.” He shifted his weight. “Can I help you, then?”
    “Well …” I looked around. “For now, I just want to walk around the stables, if that’s all right.”
    He narrowed his eyes at me, probably thinking I was crazy. “Of course.” He stepped back, putting himself under the doorframe. “If you need anything, I’ll be here.” He pointed to the room at his back.
    “All right. Thanks.”
    He nodded and disappeared under the doorway.
    I stayed in the same spot for a couple of minutes, taking in the place and, more importantly, trying to get used to the nasty smell. Yeah, that would take a couple of days. Or months.
    The place was like a long, wide corridor with several doors on each side, but only two or three led to actual rooms, like the office Jimmy was holed up in now and the tack room. The other doors were stalls, where the horses were. It was easy to see that several stalls were empty, the horses probably out with Hannah and her group.
    There were metal plates beside each stall, indicating the horses’ names. Leo’s horse, Minuano, was here, as were both Bia’s horses, Preta and Midnight, and Garrett’s mare, Felicity. Of course, Hannah’s beloved horse, Argus, wasn’t here. After helping him through a major trauma, she fell in love with that horse. Sometimes I thought she loved him as much as she loved Leo.
    Past Argus’s stall, near the back gate, was Belle. I thought she would be out with the group since Hannah always said she was such a docile and calm horse, great for beginners or leisure riding.
    Slowly, I put one foot before the other and walked along the corridor, looking at each stall, trying to familiarize myself with the fact that I was surrounded by horses. Even if they were secured in their stalls, I was still surrounded by horses.
    My hands sweated.
    The last stall caught my attention. The door’s top part was closed, unlike the other stalls, and the wood boards around it were reinforced. That was where Hannah had kept Argus while she was helping him. That was where she kept all violent and problematic horses until they were doing better.
    I racked my brain, trying to remember if my sister had mentioned having a new one. She was always talking about horses; I couldn’t keep track.
    The sound of agitated hoofs stomping to one side and the other and something like a loud snort let me know the stall wasn’t empty. Of course it wasn’t. Hannah had a big heart, and when it came to mistreated animals, it was even bigger. If animal control or a desperate owner came knocking on her door, asking her to treat their problematic horse, she would never say no.
    I didn’t want to get too close to that stall, although I wanted to go see Belle, and her stall was right beside it.
    I paused and stared at Belle’s door. I could always come back later, when this other horse was gone. But what if it took months to make him or her better? I would have to wait to face the next fear on my list. I wouldn’t make any progress. Then what? I couldn’t put my life, myself, on hold and hope everything would be all right. I wanted to be whole again, to be free and happy, to enjoy little things without being afraid.
    I had to do this.
    I can do this.
    Eyes closed, I took a deep breath, preparing myself to push past my fear.
    “Hey, you.”
    I shrieked and, on turning toward the voice, tripped on my own foot, stumbling to the side and reaching for the nearest pillar to steady myself.
    Gui reached out, but I was able to stabilize myself before I fell on my face.
    “Gosh,” I muttered, my hand on my throat.
    “Sorry,” Gui said, hiding a smile.
    “First Jimmy, now you.” I took a deep inhale, trying to calm my