Page 112 of Saving Grace

I sink my seat and squeeze her forward. She breaks into a faster gait. I let out a breath when we reach a full go round.

“Great!” Huddo says with a slap to the rail.

The mare shies. I falter and grip the pommel.

Jesus.

This girl is flighty as they come.

“Push her out,” Huddo offers, knowing we need to get her mind back to listening to my signals. I squeeze her back into the steady lope. She does two full rounds before she settles and her head drops. I relax in the saddle.

Huddo is swapping out his long lines for reins. He mounts the gelding and walks him through the large yard. I keep the mare loping around before reining her in and changing direction. From the walk, I send her to a lope as Huddo trots past on the gelding. The mare tosses her head.

She sinks her head and bucks.

“Ah!” I grunt out.

I fumble for the pommel. Gripping the reins, it’s like I’m grabbing for thin air. She spins. My aching legs give way. I fly from the saddle and slam into the rails with my side. Shoulder hitting the cold ground, I groan when my back slams into the post behind me with a crack. Air is sucked from my lungs. I lay gasping. Burning fills my lungs. I roll over.

Something snaps in my back. Stabbing pain seizes my muscles. “Fu—swee—moth—a—Jesus...” I grip the rail, panting through the blinding pain.

“Hell! Mack.”

Huddo’s off his horse and climbing through the rail at my feet. His Stetson falls from his head and hits the dirt as he sinks by my side. “You okay, buddy?” Hudson’s placating words grind my gears. I try to push to sit up.

I can’t.

What the?—

“Help me up, will ya?” I grunt.

He slaps a hand into mine and pulls me up. Pain screams through my side. I pull in a breath, and it burns like a motherfucker. I growl out a moan.

“I’ll get Grace,” Huddo breathes.

“No!”

I don’t want her worrying about this, too. I push to sit up again. This time, I manage to make it halfway to upright before the pain blinds me again. I groan with the next breath. Dammit, must have busted a rib.

“For fuck’s sake,” I growl.

Now, of all times, I can’t afford to be injured. With that asshole hovering around. A predator biding his time to close in on his damn prey. Grace needs me.

I slam a fist onto the icy ground.

“You wanna talk about it?” Huddo breathes.

“How the hell am I supposed to keep her safe if I’m fuckin’ laid up?”

His brows lower. His bright blue eyes flood with concern. “You think she’ll need protectin’?”

“I don’t know. But I’m not leavin’ it to chance.” I clench my jaw and roll onto all fours. Hudson stands and gives me some room. I stand on wobbly feet. Huddo eyes me over, and I take a step.

Instantly faltering as my foot meets the ground, and my legs buckle. “I do?—”

Huddo catches me before I hit the ground. My vision turns spotty, and the ringing in my ears all but drowns out his words when his tightened eyes find mine and he says, “Now. I’m gettin’ Grace.”

Grace stands over me. Fuzziness traps me like a bundle of heavy blankets. A heady buzz fills my chest. My body is mostly numb. My head is hollow and like a rock at the same time. I tilt it and the room spins.

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