Road to Victory (Dogs of Fire Book 5) Page 15

  “I have never broken anything.” I leaned over and rapped my knuckles on the nightstand. “Knock on wood. I’ve been pretty lucky that my injuries have all been really small and even with refusals, I’ve managed to stay on.”

  “Lucky you,” Courtney said. “Are you nervous about the competition?”

  I nodded. “The cross-country’s freaking me out a little.”

  “Holy cow, me too.” She sat on her bed and crossed her legs, facing me. “Aidan said we’ll be able to walk the course, but I wish our horses could go with us.”

  “Me too,” I said with a sigh. “I don’t feel like I need to prove I’m this amazing horsewoman, because if Foz could see the course, I could sit back and relax and let him do all the work. However, now I have to actually use some form of skill.”

  Courtney rolled her eyes. “Okay, bitch, whatever. If I tried to do that with Mystic, she’d throw me, stomp on me, and horse laugh as she dragged me back to the finish line.”

  Courtney’s chestnut Hanoverian mare was big, almost seventeen-hands, and even though she was an incredible sight to behold, she had a feisty, girl attitude that I’m not sure I’d tolerate. Courtney, on the other hand, handled her beautifully.

  “You’d both look beautiful as she was dragging your ass back though.”

  Courtney giggled. “This is true. She’s a pretty girl for sure.”

  I finished with my makeup, fluffed up my hair, and then put all my stuff away. Unlike Courtney, I was a neat freak. Court was more in line with Knight... clothes on the floor, makeup, hair styling products, and brushes dropped in various places around our little apartment.

  Despite our exhaustion, Courtney and I put effort into our dinner attire. I went classy biker chick with big hair, but minimal makeup. Courtney decided on slutty rocker chick with heavy makeup and even bigger hair.

  “Ohmigod, you look great,” I said.

  “So do you! You sure you don’t want to whore up a little?”

  I giggled. “Um, no, I’m good, thanks.”

  “I’m hoping to snag me a trainer,” she said. “Think I have a chance?”

  “With Aidan?”

  “Yeah, who else?”

  I was once again hit with the desire to scratch her eyes out.

  “Doesn’t he have a girlfriend?” I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral.

  “Does he?”

  “I thought I heard him say that. I could be wrong. You could always ask.”

  She sighed. “God, that would suck.”

  I gave her a sympathetic smile. “Wouldn’t he fall into the competition category for you?”

  “Nah. He’s the trainer to beat all trainers, and if we win, we’ll be able to write our own ticket. Could you imagine the empire he and I could build? It would be magnificent.” She smiled. “You did say girlfriend, right? Not wife?”

  I shrugged. “No clue.”

  “Well, let’s hope it’s just girlfriend. That means I have a chance.”

  “What about Conner?” I asked.

  “Oh, I can have fun with him on the side,” she said.

  I was finally seeing exactly why Knight wanted to keep us a secret. If this woman was willing to go behind another woman’s back, I can’t imagine what she’d be willing to do to sabotage me if she knew he and I were together. She kind of frightened me in that moment.

  A knock at the door brought me out of my morbid thoughts and Courtney opened it and went slutty, breathless siren again. “Hey, Aidan. You look hot, baby.”

  “Ah... thanks, Court.” He smiled and sideswiped her touch as she reached out to do what, I don’t know. “You ladies ready?”

  “Yep,” I said. With her back turned to me, I gave Knight a look that I hoped relayed my murderous thoughts at that moment, then grabbed my room key and followed them out.

  “So, Aidan, I was wondering if you have a girlfriend at home,” I asked as we walked. Courtney leaned in for the answer and I smiled innocently up at him.

  “Nope.”

  I couldn’t stop a quiet gasp, my heart racing as my blood began to boil.

  “You don’t?” Courtney asked, her tone one of anticipation.

  “Nope. Got a fiancée,” he clarified.

  I forced myself not to glare at him, mostly because he was kind of brilliant knowing I couldn’t counteract the information. “Oh, really?” I challenged.

  “Yeah. We’re gettin’ married when I get home.”

  “You don’t say,” I ground out.

  He grinned. “Yep. She’s super excited about it, too. Texts me constantly about how she can’t wait to be my wife. I think she’s pretty much got it planned out.”

  “Does she?” I said, my tone laced with warning.

  “God, she sounds like a pain in the ass,” Courtney said.

  “Hey, let’s not talk about my woman like that, yeah? She’s incredible,” Knight said. “Seriously, the best person I know.”

  “Sorry,” Courtney grumbled. “I’m going to catch up with Morgan.”

  She jogged ahead of us and joined Morgan, Morgan’s mom, Marcus, and Jack as they headed to the dining hall where we’d be spending the duration of the evening. Doc had stayed in tonight, so I was now left blissfully alone with Knight.

  “You’re a sneaky bastard, aren’t you?” I accused.

  Knight laughed. “Just speakin’ the truth, sugar.”

  “Courtney has decided you and she are going to be the romantic couple of the ages.”

  “Has she?”

  “Yep. She’s really descriptive about where she wants you to stick—”

  “Kim,” he warned, cutting me off, and I laughed.

  “Payback’s a bitch, honey.”

  “There’s only one place I wanna be stickin’ my dick, sugar. Never doubt it.”

  “Oh, I don’t, but it’s hard not cutting her in her sleep.”

  Knight chuckled. “My baby has claws.”

  “One of my many flaws.”

  Knight stared ahead. “Remember what I said to Court about talkin’ bad about my woman?”

  I sighed. “Yeah.”

  “Well, that applies to said woman, yeah?”

  “I’m not allowed to talk about myself?”

  “Not if it’s negative, no,” he said. “You’re gonna stop playin’ that tape in your head, Kim.”

  It was irritating that he understood my constant battle not to hate myself. Despite Dr. Grace’s weekly reminders that nothing that happened to me was my fault, I still fought with guilt, feeling as though I could have somehow stopped my uncle sooner.

  “How is it possible I love you and hate you all at the same time?” I complained.

  He smiled gently, his eyes saying more than his words ever could. We arrived at the dining hall and grabbed a couple of beers, handing our cards over to charge to our accounts. Then we joined the rest of the team.

  * * *

  By six o’clock the next morning, my butt was in saddle atop Fozzie and I was trying to keep my yawning to a minimum. It was a training day, so I was warming up with the rest of the team in the open arena which would be used for the dressage and jumping portions of the competition.

  Jack went first, putting his big gray Andalusian gelding through dressage paces while Knight paced, ranted, and raved.

  “No! No, no, no, Jack!” he snapped, and I honestly thought he was going to lose his mind. “You’re cutting the corner again. Your serpentine isn’t equal. Come on, man. They have to be the same sized loops.”

  Jack swore and nodded, moving back into position.

  “Better,” Knight said, after Jack ran Benito back through the exercise. “Do you feel the difference?”

  Jack nodded. When he was finished, he pulled his horse up next to mine. “That was horrific.”

  I frowned. “It wasn’t that bad. You know Aidan, he wants us to win, so he wants our movements to be perfect. You looked really good out there.”

  “Kim,” Knight called.

  “Good luck, darling,” Jack sai
d, and I pulled Fozzie into the center.

  I urged him into a medium trot and adjusted to get Fozzie back under the bit.

  “Lengthen the stride, Kim,” Knight ordered. “Don’t rush him.”

  I adjusted again and felt Fozzie’s body shift and his stride lengthen.

  “Nice, Kim. Move him into a canter and I want flying lead changes on the diagonal.”

  I did as I was instructed and pulled to a stop as Knight approached us. He stood on Fozzie’s left side, somewhat hidden from the group and looked up at me. “Act like I’m giving you some really sage advice... kind of concentrate and nod.”

  “Okay,” I said slowly.

  “You’re fuckin’ beautiful, sugar, and Fozzie’s never looked better. You’re the one to beat,” he said. “Now frown and nod.”

  I frowned and nodded.

  “I can’t wait to strip you out of your clothes and fuckin’ eat your pussy ’til you come. I’m standin’ here right now, hard as a fuckin’ rock, and I can’t do anything about it. Do you know how difficult that is?”

  I fought back a giggle as I shook my head.

  “Well, it’s fuckin’ hard. Literally. Now, if anyone asks, tell them I was showing you how to adjust your legs for a better feel.”

  “I might need you to actually show me that some time. Maybe when we’re alone and naked.”

  “Lookin’ forward to it, sugar. You good?”

  I nodded again and went back to the group.

  “Courtney, you’re up,” Knight called, and she went into her exercises.

  I however, was fighting my own ‘lady boner’ as I pulled Fozzie to a stop with the team.

  “You looked amazing,” Jack said.

  “Thanks.” I gave Fozzie some slack in the reins and watched as Knight lost his mind with Courtney.

  Poor Courtney.

  * * *

  The next morning was the first day of the competition, and I was a bundle of nerves. I think I dropped the brush I was using on Fozzie a gagillion times as I groomed him for the dressage competitions. We were up in less than an hour, and quite frankly, I just wanted all of this over with.

  “Hey, Kim,” Flea said, poking his head into the stall.

  “Hey, buddy. How are you?”

  “I think the better question is how are you?”

  I shook my head. “Ready to puke.”

  “Do you need a bucket?” he retorted.

  “I have one already, thanks,” I grumbled.

  “You’re gonna do great, babe.”

  “It’s the Olympics, Flea,” I whispered.

  “No shit?” He cocked his head. “Oh, that makes way more sense. See, I thought with all the men walking around wearin’ leotards and shit, it was some kind of comic book convention.”

  I giggled. “Stop, you’ll make me pee.”

  Flea was known for his wicked sense of humor and I was preemptively cutting him off from getting me laughing like a hyena (which was often).

  “Don’t do that,” he said. “I’m pretty sure you lose points for pissin’ on your horse. I can run out and get you an adult diaper if you think you’ll need it.”

  “Hey, babe.” This time Buzz peeked in, standing next to Flea.

  I sighed. “Hey.”

  “Why are you goin’ to piss on Fozzie?” he asked.

  Flea grinned. “Forget your post-Olympics breakfast cereal endorsement... you could be the new face of adult diapers.”

  “I guess that all depends on if you medal,” Buzz added.

  “Ohmigod, you two quit,” I said, holding back another giggle. At least I didn’t feel as nervous as I did a little while ago.

  “Can we help?” Flea asked.

  “Um, actually, I need to get him tacked up and oil his hooves. Help would be most appreciated.”

  “Don’t know what any of that means,” Buzz said. “But happy to assist.”

  I was up second for my team. Jack was scheduled to go first, and I wanted to watch him, so we had less than thirty minutes to get Fozzie ready and get over to the arena. The day was hot and I’d be in dress coat and top hat, the whole nine-yards, so I was grateful we’d have a covered area to wait. For the moment I was sweating through shorts and a tank-top, dreading having to put more clothes on.

  “Kim, you need to get changed,” Knight barked as he moved Buzz and Flea aside.

  “Fozzie’s not ready,” I argued.

  “We’ll take care of him,” he said. “Everyone else is ready, I don’t understand why it takes you so fuckin’ long.”

  “I want him to be perfect.”

  “He will be. Holy shit, woman, go get ready.”

  “Iguana!” I cried.

  He nodded to Buzz and Flea who waited until Knight was in the stall with me before standing in front of it, blocking the view for anyone trying to peer in. Knight pulled me into his arms and kissed my temple. “Hey. You’re gonna do great, sugar,” he whispered.

  “I don’t want to screw up.”

  “If you do, you do.”

  “It’s a really big deal, Knight,” I whispered, dropping my cheek to his chest. “I don’t want to fail.”

  “Sweetheart, you’re not going to fail. Just do your best and trust your horse. Remember, it’s just the two of you out there, okay?”

  I bit my lip and nodded.

  “Love you,” he said, and kissed me gently.

  “Love you too.”

  “Go get your fancy shit on,” he ordered, smacking my bottom gently.

  I nodded and headed to the dressing area. After changing into jodhpurs, dress shirt, jacket and boots, I pulled my hair into a bun at the base of my neck and wrapped a net around it, securing my top hat and joining everyone back at the stalls.

  Knight was just pulling Fozzie out and I smiled. “He looks great.”

  Knight handed the reins to me. “He’s all ready to go.”

  Courtney hugged me. “You look beautiful.”

  “So do you,” I said.

  “You’re forgetting your spurs, hon.”

  “I don’t wear them. I just can’t bring myself to use them,” I admitted.

  “Not even in competition?”

  I shook my head.

  “She doesn’t need them,” Knight provided. “Come on, I’ll give you ladies a leg up and we’ll head over. The rest of the team is already over there.”

  We mounted our horses and walked over to the arena. Jack was up in five minutes, so we wished him luck and waited our turn.

  “Jack Martin riding Benito,” the announcer called over the PA and my stomach roiled.

  “Good luck!” I said, and Jack smiled, guiding Benito into the ring.

  Knight stood next to me, but studied Jack as he rode. And rode he did. I was transfixed at how beautiful Benito looked as they did their “ballet” movements. It was magical.

  Jack removed his top hat and bowed to the judges, then walked out to us. Knight patted the horse’s neck and smiled. “About four mistakes, Jack. Excellent work.”

  Jack grinned. “Thank God. I thought it was worse than only four.”

  “You looked great,” Knight said.

  “Thanks.”

  “Kimberly Church riding Farzuk.”

  “I’m going to be sick,” I whispered, as I turned Fozzie to the arena.

  “You got this,” Knight said, and I hoped I did.

  I was in such a blur, I couldn’t tell you what I did, when I did it, or if I even did anything right, but when I was done, I bowed my head, and guided Fozzie out of the arena and toward my team whose mouths all seemed to be dropped, and Knight was shaking his head.

  My heart dropped. Crap! I must have done really poorly.

  I walked into the covered area and dismounted, finding myself pulled into an enthusiastic hug by my man... despite our down low status. “Perfect score, sugar.”

  “What?” I rasped after he’d put me down.

  “Not one mistake,” he said.

  “Liar.”

  “Listen.” He nodded
toward the speakers.

  “... Church riding Farzuk. No mistakes. Perfect score,” the announcer said.

  “Ohmigod,” I whispered.

  “Courtney Lewis riding Mystic,” the announcer continued.

  Jack rushed over to hug me, Morgan and Marcus were still waiting, but I got a thumbs-up from Marcus and a big congratulatory grin from Morgan.

  “Holy shit, girl,” Jack gushed. “You were totally in the zone.”

  “I was,” I agreed. “I don’t remember even doing any of it.” I wrapped my arms around Fozzie’s neck, handing him a peppermint as a treat. “Well done, boy. You made me look phenomenal!”

  In the end, I tied with Lorraine Symonds on Team New Zealand, so she and I would have to ride one more time if we didn’t surpass each other in the other competitions. No one else came close. Marcus, however, was third in line, so he was (currently) guaranteed the bronze. Now, if we could just do as well in the jumping and cross-country, we’d smoke Rio.

  By the time I fell into bed that night, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to sleep, but in true Kim form, I passed out almost immediately.

  Kim

  TWO DAYS LATER, it was time for the cross-country portion, and I was growing more confident by the day. Yesterday’s jumping competition put the US team in the lead, Marcus having the best ride of his life and soaring ahead as the individual to beat. Fozzie and I had a great round as well, but we were eked out of the top spot by Marcus, which was perfectly fine with me.

  “I can’t do this,” Courtney declared as she exited the bathroom, pulling her hair into a ponytail.

  “You’re going to do great, Court. This is it, babe,” I encouraged. “We’re done after today. The course is going to be fun. It’s a lot less scary than I thought it would be.”

  “Of course you’d think that. You jumped a perfect round.”

  “Um, no, I had four faults due to time.”

  “Well, I had two rails down and a time fault.”

  I chuckled. “Then today will be better.”

  “I just want it over.”

  “Me too, honey. Me too.”

  A knock at the door had Courtney dragging herself to it and pulling it open. “Hey, Aidan.”

  “Hey.” He met my eyes and the love I saw in them humbled me. “You ready to go?”