Unbridled Billionaire

Nodding to Bennett, who was already in the stall, Presley put her hand on Sun’s withers and whispered near the horse’s ear. He whipped his head around fast, and Presley heard Kane’s step behind her, but she didn’t flinch. They’d played this game before, her and Sun. The horse didn’t bite or hit her with his heavy head. Instead he corrected at the last minute and pressed the side of his muzzle against her shoulder, pushing hard. She stumbled, chuckling, then reached up to give him a rough rub behind his ears.

“Likes to play, does he?” Kane asked.

Bennett laughed from his position on Sun’s other side. “Believe it or not, he’s like a big kid. And she’s incredible with him.”

Presley felt warmth creep into the pit of her stomach. No matter how often someone complimented her on her knowledge, it was this connection with the animals in her care that meant the most to her. Especially with Sun.

She checked him over quickly, just to make sure in the daylight that there were no adverse effects from last night’s quick trip. Then she and Bennett discussed what he needed over the next week. Her big baby got a good rubbing and a piece of apple she was hiding in her pocket before they left.

After locking Sun back down, Bennett said goodbye to them outside the stud’s stall door and went to tend to the other horses.

“He’s right, you know,” Kane said, “I’ve never seen anyone so in tune with horses.”

Presley ducked her head, embarrassed by Kane’s compliment, even while that warm glow spread. “They can be sensitive creatures. It’s all about knowing them, what they need. Of course, Sun and I go way back.” Maybe that’s why the horse was the one thing her daddy had willed to her alone. “Daddy bought him for me the year my mother died,” she found herself adding.

Wow, what a maudlin subject to introduce. But Kane didn’t hesitate before he asked, “How old?”

Though she now regretted bringing it up, she answered, “Six.”

“I was fifteen when my mother died after a long fight with cancer.”

She glanced at him in surprise. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she might have remembered this about the Harrington family but had forgotten in the loads of other, more recent, gossip. His dark eyes were solemn, his gaze direct. It almost made her feel as though she could actually talk to him about things—private things she mostly kept to herself now that her daddy was gone.

“Did your father also insist on bringing in a new mommy?” she murmured, though she did add a bit of a smirk to lighten the impact of her question.

Kane smiled too, but his dark gaze remained serious. “Nope. From then on out, it was just us guys. Action movies and baseball games. When we were older, beer and pizza nights.”

“That must have been nice...”

“What must have been nice?” Marjorie’s voice was jarring, not just because it was so close and loud, but because Presley could only remember one other time her stepmother had ventured into the stables. She’d never been back.

Presley quickly closed her gaping mouth as Marjorie appeared from behind Kane.

Kane didn’t flinch, of course. “We were just talking about remarrying.”

“I see,” Marjorie said, nodding as if she had all the knowledge in the world. Her bejeweled pantsuit and heels were completely out of place in her surroundings. “I’m afraid our girl has never appreciated what her father and I tried to do for her. I’m sure you were more grateful to your father...”

“He never remarried.”

Short and sweet. No apologies. Presley was beginning to enjoy this.

The shocked look on Marjorie’s face melted into confusion, but she quickly recovered. Presley suppressed a sigh as her stepmother prattled on about her own marriage and how she couldn’t understand why Presley had never taken to her. There ya go. Tell all our dirty little secrets.

“Did you need something, Marjorie?” Presley finally cut in.

“Oh.” Marjorie blinked, obviously reorienting herself to her mission. “I saw you arrive, Kane, and wanted to make sure there were no hard feelings from last night.”

No I’m sorry for stealing your money. But why would Marjorie think she needed to apologize for that?

“I’m over the moon to have my Presley taking care of things and wouldn’t want you to think otherwise,” Marjorie said. “She keeps this place running...”

Presley raised a single brow, surprised Marjorie tore herself away from her society lunches long enough to notice, much less be grateful.

“If I could just get her to listen to me more—”

Please, stop talking.

But no, Marjorie just had to keep going. “She has so much potential, you know.”

“And she’s living up to it every day,” Kane replied.

Marjorie and Presley both focused in on Kane. Presley couldn’t tell which of them was more shocked. No one had ever defended her against Marjorie’s inane yet often hurtful prattle in this house. Her father had let it go on and never gave a clue to his own thoughts. At times, he had even reiterated Marjorie’s message in his own way.

Oh, he’d loved Presley. She had no doubt. But he’d thought she’d be better off as a prissy princess, not a tomboy, even though she could run this business better than any man here. She’d never understood that.