Strike ( Book 4: Stronger Series )

10. Panic

The following morning after breakfast, I met Darren by the stables, dressing in the riding outfit that had been left for me on the bed this morning. Light brown riding pants and black riding boots with a cream-colored long-sleeve shirt. I put my hair up in a ponytail and nearly ran to the stables. I was so fucking excited.

I found Darren standing outside with Elsie and Luna, talking to an older woman I hadn't seen before. She had shoulder-length graying hair, wore a light purple sweater with a pair of jeans, and had a genuine smile on her face.

When Darren caught my eye, he turned away from her and smiled at me.

"There you are." Gesturing to the woman, he said, "This is Jennice. She takes care of the horses."

"It's nice to finally meet you, Jaden," she said with a genuine smile, holding out her hand for me to politely shake.

"You too," I replied, keeping my skepticism to myself. She seemed too nice to be working for a man like Darren.

"Where's Camaro?" Darren asked, his eyebrows knitting together in suspicion.

"I left her inside. She makes the horses skittish." I felt my heartbeat become heavy. I hoped that was okay.

"Good," he said with a nod. "We don't need her scaring the horses."

"Okay, Jaden, let's get you ready to ride," Jennice said as she turned to hand me a helmet. I looked over at Darren, my mood immediately turning sour.

"Seriously?" I asked him.

"Seriously," he replied. His tone and scowl left no room for negotiation, so I begrudgingly complied.

Once the helmet was strapped to my head, Darren walked over to my side as I headed for Luna. He held out his hand as if to help me up. I smirked at him and shook my head.

"Please," I said sarcastically. I grabbed the saddle horn, placed my left foot into the stirrups, and hoisted myself up with ease, swinging my right leg over Luna and placing it in the other stirrup in one fluid motion. I looked down at Darren with another smirk.

I was short, but I wasn't that short.

Darren rolled his eyes, but I saw the little grin before it had hidden itself away. He climbed onto his horse just as easily – no helmet for him of course – and took hold of the reins.

"Come on, Jaden," he said, tugging Elsie's reins in the direction of the woods.

Nudging Luna's sides with my heels, she began to follow Darren until we were side by side. With the sun shining and the breeze in my hair, the day was absolutely perfect. Luna was an easy ride, never going off trail or distracting herself with plants to munch on.

I hated how I wasn't even surprised at how well Darren rode his horse. His form was perfect – back straight, shoulders relaxed as he moved with Elsie like she was a part of him. Fucker.

We trotted through a few trails until we finally ran the horses through a field, practically racing each other. It was nice to get the horses really going for a bit, feeling the wind in my hair and the sun on my face. It was perfect. Until it was time to head back.

"This was actually a lot of fun," I said to Darren as we exited the trail, the stables not far ahead. "I'm glad we did this."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," he replied, the small smile on his face alluding to his enjoyment as well.

The sounds of snarling and barking abruptly caught my attention in the distance, my eyes finding the source on the back patio of the house. Camaro was jumping up and down, growling and snarling as Owen fought to hold her collar. Ignoring their commands, she finally slipped loose of them and took off in my direction.