Chapter 23

Alison

Damien’s voice followed me as I stormed upstairs. “Stop walking away when I’m talking to you,” he snapped, the sound of his footsteps growing louder.

I spun around at the top of the staircase, glaring at him. “What do you want me to say, Damien? That you left me out there alone?”

He crossed his arms over his chest as he spoke. “It was Hugh’s idea.”

“Oh, so that makes it okay?” I shot back.

“You have no right to be angry at me,” Damien replied sharply. “I don’t see what the big deal is. If I had sent Silvia, she would’ve gotten the job done without me babysitting her.”

I shook my head, biting back another retort.

His voice picked up, colder than before. “This is the last time I’m going to ask. How did things go?”

I muttered under my breath, “Fine.”

Damien’s eyebrows arched. “Fine? That’s all you’ve got to say?”

“He invited me to the ranch tomorrow,” I added begrudgingly. “And he dropped me off after you left me out there.”

Damien’s gaze sharpened. “He didn’t bring you here, did he?”

“No,” I said quickly. “I got out at the hotel.”

His lips curled into a smirk. “Good girl. You might actually not disappoint me this time.”

I rolled my eyes without thinking, an involuntary reaction. I regretted it right away because I saw a sudden change in Damien’s expression.

He stepped closer. “What did you just do?”

I froze, refusing to meet his gaze.

His eyes darkened, his presence suffocating. “Disrespect me again, and you’ll regret it. Do I make myself clear?”

I stayed silent, my heart pounding in my chest.

He studied me for a moment longer before turning on his heel and walking away, leaving me standing there alone.

I watched him walk away. I couldn’t wait for the moment when I would finally be free from Damien and his bipolar behavior.

I exhaled shakily and headed to my room.

****

The morning sun was just beginning to rise as I arrived at the ranch. The air was chilly, and the place was really quiet. I wish I had worn a thicker sweater, but it was too late for regrets.

I spotted Rodrigo near the stables, dressed casually. He seemed unbothered by the cold air because he was wearing a singlet that hugged his body tightly.

He noticed me and smiled. “You’re early, Aria. I like that.”

I looked around. “There aren’t any races today?”

Rodrigo shook his head. “It’s too early for races. This morning, it’s just you and the horses.”

I followed him toward the paddock, my nerves building with every step. He introduced me to a black horse named Diablo, explaining that it was one of his best.

“You’re going to learn the basics today,” he said in a calm tone.

I climbed onto the horse awkwardly, gripping the reins tightly. The horse shifted beneath me, and I felt a wave of panic.

Rodrigo chuckled. “Relax. You’re not going to fall.”

“Are you sure?” I asked for reassurance, and he nodded.

“Yes, just hold the reins firmly.” He responded.

Easier said than done, I thought, as he guided me through the basics of riding. Despite his calm demeanor, I could feel his eyes on me, scrutinizing every move I made.

“You’re stiff,” he said after a while. “Loosen up. Trust the horse.”

I tried to relax, but it wasn’t easy. My first few attempts were clumsy, and I nearly fell twice.

“Don’t worry,” Rodrigo said in a calm voice. “You’ll get the hang of it.”

“I hope so,” I muttered, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks.

Rodrigo gave me an encouraging smile, as he helped down the horse."Take a break. You’ve earned it."

We left the paddock and headed into town for lunch. He took me to an upscale restaurant, the kind of place where the waitstaff wore crisp suits and every dish looked like a work of art.

As we sat across from each other, the conversation flowed more easily than I expected.

“So, is horse riding your only job?” I asked casually. I was hoping that conversing with him would boost our relationship.

“Yes, for the most part. Why do you ask?” Rodrigo’s lips twitched in a faint smile.

I shrugged. “Just curious. You seem like a man with… other ventures or hobbies.”

He chuckled, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—caution, maybe. “You could say I have a few side projects, but nothing too exciting.”

“Mind sharing?” I asked, and I saw a change in his expression. I felt like I had overstepped.

Rodrigo leaned forward. “I don’t think you want to hear such boring stuff.”

“I feel you’re only calling it boring to make it seem mid!” I replied.

“No, I’m not!” Rodrigo answered, leaning forward. “It’s just that you look like the type of girl who likes to hear a man talk about his adventures, not his businesses.”

“I would have you know that stereotyping me is not going to end well.”

He raised a brow. “Is that a threat?”

“If you want it to be!” My fat mouth blurted out again, and I saw his expression change.

I was going to get myself killed. I realized I was overthinking because I saw a sudden change in Rodrigo’s expression.

“I like you Alison, but not in the I want to take you home and fuck you way, but in a platonic way, and trust me I never like anyone in that manner.” He said, and I smiled.

“This shows that I’m different, Rodrigo,” I said, raising my glass to my lips. “A one-of-a-kind type of girl.”

He smiled, and this was the first time since I had met him that I had seen him wear a smile for an extended period.

As lunch came to an end, Rodrigo offered to drive me back to the hotel.

The ride was quiet, and not the weird silence, but the comfortable one.

When we arrived at the hotel, Rodrigo turned to me with a half-smile. “I hope I’m seeing you at the ranch tomorrow?”

I hesitated, pretending to consider it before nodding. “Of course you are.”

“Good,” he said, his voice softening. “Until then, rider girl.”

I climbed out of the car and watched as he drove off, his taillights disappearing into the distance.