Page 60 of Vow to Protect
“Sure we can. We’ll have popcorn and chocolate.”
Tilly trots off, hand in hand with her substitute mother. Kaleb and Freya have been through so much on their own journeys, and they both remain strong and determined. I should never have pushed them away. They are my family and Tilly’s.
My phone buzzes in my trouser pocket. “Alex,” I answer with a grin. “You nailed the hotel, let’s hope you found a herd of unicorns.”
“Well, not exactly, but they’re close enough. Didn’t you have horses at your parent’s estate?” he asks.
“Yeah, why? Do you want to buy one?”
“No, no. Just checking. You’re taking a three-hour trek to the Mediterranean Sea tomorrow.”
“Athree-hourhorseback ride?”
“Yeah, don't worry, it’ll be totally worth it. If I wasn’t so busy this week, I’d be on the first jet to the south of France to join you.”
“You’re fucking kidding me, right? Three hours on a nag in the wilderness? You’d fly out for that?”
“Think of it this way, you’ll spend quality time with your family, Brett.”
“Okay, I hear you, asshole.”
“I’m sure it will be one helluva surprise.”
“It better be, or I’ll fly straight home and turnyouinto a fucking unicorn.”
* * *
Kaleb and Freya stayed back at the hotel to spend the day with their son, Syrus. Riding out with a baby would be both madness and mental torture. Our private tour means it’s just Tilly, the guide and my heap of aching bones.
Going head-to-head in a fistfight with Malakai was like meeting a prime bull. The bruising on my knuckles can’t be hidden, nor the unhealed scar above my eyebrow. My playboy looks have turned somewhat rougher around the edges, helped by the tattoos. As we near the coast, apricot blends with pastel pinks. The sky meets the ocean in a mesmerising splash of peaches and cream. Salty wind teases the rugged mane of my stalky mare. I inhale physical freedom and acknowledge my inner prison with a sigh.
I’ve grieved for Raen’s death and celebrated her rebirth. Selfishly wishing I could track her down, if only to tell her how much I miss her.
“We’ll be coming up to the water soon. You can dismount if you like and take a stroll down to the shore. Any moment now, a wild herd of white Camargue horses should gallop along the beach.”
Tilly throws her leg over the back of her horse and plops down to the coarse grass. “White horses? Like unicorns?” she asks, clapping her hands.
The guide grins and waggles his brows. “Did you know that the Camargue horse is one of the oldest breeds in the entire world? Studies have shown they’re related to prehistoric horses. So I guess you could say they are real-life unicorns.”
Her gasp thrills me. The excitement bubbling through her body is worth the three hours of salt marsh scenery. “Quickly, Daddy, let’s get closer.”
I dismount and hand the reins to our guide, then grab Tilly’s hand and trample down the embankment to the sand. A thunderous rumble generates a powerful surge of energy inside me. Looking left, I point to the mass of white horses speeding towards us, tearing through the shallow water. Foals keep pace with mares. Stallions spar with wild abandon, embracing their spontaneity.
My thoughts drift to Raen, wherever she is in the world, finally seeking her independence. The herd gallops past us, kicking up lumps of wet sand and showering each other with sea spray. I gaze down at Tilly, vibrating with hysteria. “That was special, huh?” I slide my arm around her shoulders and hug her close.
“Can I have one?” she begs, all fluttering lashes and toothy grin.
“You can’t have one of those horses, Shortie. They are wild and free.” My heart pinches. “Those horses deserve to live in the open and without being trapped in a stable.” As I explain, a flurry of emotion wracks inside my chest. “I’ll buy you a horse when we go home.”
“I don’t have a home anymore.” She slots her hand in mine and squeezes.
“I’ll buy us an even better home and a pretty white horse with a long flowing mane.”
Her eyes pop. “Do you believe in angels, Daddy?” Tilly’s head angles to the rolling waves behind me.
“Why do you ask?”
“Because I can see one.” She points to the horizon. “It’s the angel who saved me from the bad men, Daddy.” Tilly’s voice wisps around my ears. “She’s over there.”
