Chapter 243
The horse dropped to his front legs, ears swiveling forward to lock onto the sound. Isolde took one slow, deliberate step into the stall, maintaining her hum, her posture completely non-threatening yet utterly dominant.
She raised her hand.
Tempest snorted, tossing his head — but he didn’t attack. He took a hesitant step forward and pressed his velvet nose against Isolde’s palm.
The stable hands standing behind her gasped in collective shock.
“Is that… is that magic?” one of them whispered.
Isolde grabbed the lead rope, turned, and walked calmly out of the stall, leading the massive, terrifying beast behind her like a docile puppy.
She brought Tempest out into the open riding arena. Without waiting for a mounting block, she grabbed the saddle horn and swung herself up onto the horse’s back in one fluid, breathtaking motion. She clicked her tongue. Tempest shot forward like a bullet from a gun.
Isolde leaned over the horse’s neck, her red helmet gleaming in the sun. She rode with a savage, reckless grace, completely in sync with the animal beneath her.
𝖣𝗂𝗌𝖼𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗇𝖾𝗐 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝗈𝗇 𝗀𝖺𝗅𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅𝗌.𝖼𝗈𝗆
Effie stood by the white fence, clapping her hands furiously. “Go, Mommy! Go!”
Just as Isolde rounded the far corner of the track, a black SUV pulled up to the clubhouse.
Grayson stepped out of the car and looked toward the track. He froze.
He watched the woman in the red helmet command the massive black horse — the raw power in her thighs, the absolute fearlessness in her posture. It was Isolde.
Grayson’s breath caught in his throat. He had been married to her for five years and had never known she could ride. Let alone ride like a professional jockey.
Belle stepped out of the car behind him and followed his gaze. Her face instantly contorted with ugly, burning jealousy.
Kaiden pushed past Belle, pointing at the track. “I want that horse! That black one is the coolest! I want to ride it!”
Belle grabbed Kaiden’s hand and marched straight toward the fence, where Isolde was slowing Tempest to a trot.
“Isolde!” Belle shouted, her voice shrill. “Get off that horse. Give it to Kaiden. He is the eldest grandson of the Lancaster family. He gets priority.”
Isolde pulled back on the reins. Tempest stopped, tossing his head and stamping a heavy hoof into the dirt. Isolde looked down at Belle from atop the massive animal, her eyes cold and full of disdain.
“This horse is named Tempest,” Isolde said, her voice carrying clearly over the wind. “He only respects strength. He does not give a damn about your fake last name.”
Belle’s face turned bright red. “You think you are so special just because you can ride a horse? I took lessons in Europe!”
She turned to Grayson, who had just walked up to the fence, and grabbed his arm, summoning her sweetest, most pathetic voice. “Gray, I want to ride too. Let’s show her how it’s really done.”
Grayson didn’t look at Belle. His eyes were locked onto Isolde, tracing the flush of adrenaline on her cheeks.
“Do whatever you want,” he muttered, distracted.
.
.