Her Billionaire Prince Page 16

  “Jay, dear, could you please get me a drink?” Nina said. “I’m parched.”

  “Certainly, Mother,” he said, flashing a look of concern toward Talia before running the errand.

  “Come sit beside me, young lady,” Nina said, patting the chair beside her.

  Talia stared at her hand and then sat down. If Talia were to marry Jay, they’d always be testing their power dynamics. Just the thought exhausted her.

  “Something wrong?” Nina said.

  Talia smoothed her dress. “What do you mean?”

  “You and Jay having a lover’s quarrel?”

  “We were just…enjoying the gardens,” Talia lied.

  “It’s not a secret that I don’t like you,” Nina said. “But I definitely don’t like liars.”

  “I don’t owe you anything,” Talia said. “Not yet.”

  Oh, Nina did not like that. But she sensed the older woman calming. Biding her time.

  “Well. What will the two of you do after the race? Can I be privy at least to that much?”

  “I told him I wasn’t ready for a decision yet. I want to focus on this week’s race.”

  “Of course. Racing is very important to you, is it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then how would you like it if I gave you money so you can buy that little filly of yours?”

  Talia blinked, her mouth falling open. Then she closed it, her cheeks turning pink. “That would be a lot of money.”

  “And by giving you money, I mean I would buy her from my son’s horse collection and give her to you.”

  Horse collection. Is that all Eula meant to this woman? Horseflesh to trade for what? For Talia to leave her son alone? Even if Jay and Talia didn’t cave in to this woman, would it be worth the years of what was sure to be her petty interference in their lives? Better to cut this one loose. The grass would be greener on the other side.

  “Jay wouldn’t sell his horse to you,” Talia said.

  “Oh?” Nina arched an eyebrow. “I’m sure I can concoct a reason why he should.”

  “Can’t you at least wait until after the race to bring it up to him?” The last thing Talia wanted was to muddle the race with promises that people had to keep.

  Nina gave her a steely glance. “I need to know right now. After the race, everyone will be going their separate ways. I will be heading to Mondragón. I doubt we’ll have time to discuss this. The offer is on the table, take it or leave it.”

  “I can’t think about this…”

  “Well, then, your loss.” Nina stood up.

  “Wait,” Talia said.

  Nina turned glittering eyes toward her.

  Talia felt like a rat trapped in a corner. She hated this, hated the power this moneyed woman had over her. She loved Jay―there, she admitted it―but being around his mother made her dislike him simply by association.

  Talia thought of Eula. Jay said he wanted to be more involved with his horses, but what would guarantee that he wouldn’t sell her off to the highest bidder without any concern for her well-being? Eula was more than just a mare to be bred. She needed someone who would ride her, keep her in shape, and push her to even greater heights.

  “I’ll do it,” she said barely above a whisper.

  “Perfect,” Nina said. “So this is what you are agreeing to do…”

  This woman was relentless.

  “You will act as though you are not attracted to him whatsoever. Maybe you could use the excuse that you love someone else.”

  Talia wanted to laugh. Dating hadn’t been on her radar for so long, unless one counted Jay.

  Nina continued, “If you need to, you will be rude to him and break his heart. That will effectively sour him on you.”

  That was convenient anyway. They’d be parting ways in a few days. Why not just ramp it all up sooner?

  By the time Jay returned, the two women were talking amicably about where Nina had traveled in Colorado.

  “We were just talking about Mesa Verde,” Nina said. “Weren’t we, Talia?”

  Jay handed Talia a glass of punch, which she quickly knocked back because she was crazy parched. She could sense him studying her, but she refused to look his way.

  May as well start on the road to perdition.

  When the band struck up another song, he stood, extending his hand to her. “Dance with me?”

  “Sorry,” she said, feeling Nina’s eyes on her. “I’m…I’m still winded from dancing earlier.”

  “We’ve hardly danced in the last hour,” came his terse reply. But he sat down.

  The girls returned to their group, chattering about fantastic hats they’d seen. Talia was grateful for their distraction.

  Katy sat beside her. “Are you having fun?” she asked.

  Talia wanted to cry. Katy was being so kind, and Talia didn’t know how to answer her.

  “Yes,” she lied.

  Again, she felt Jay’s eyes on her face.

  Let him think whatever he wants. Let the end come swiftly between us.

  Within the hour, the party was mercifully done. Nina made her rounds, saying goodbye to people. Apparently, she had many friends here.

  In contrast, Talia felt like a nobody.

  Like a jockey who’d just sold her soul for horseflesh.

  Jay kept his distance from Talia, and not until they all headed outside did he address her directly.

  “Ready to go home?” he asked.

  “I…I think I’ll just ride in the limo. Why don’t you take Katy with you?”

  The group watched their conversation.

  “No,” he said in a clipped voice. “Katy can ride in the limo.”

  Katy bobbed her head up and down in agreement. Talia had no choice but to follow Jay across the emptying parking lot to his car.

  As soon as he started the engine, he said, “What did my mother tell you?”

  Talia swallowed. She didn’t know when Nina was going to tell him about Eula, but she may as well be the bearer of bad news.

  “Your mother offered to buy Eula from you and give her to me if I left you alone.”

  He pulled out of the driveway, his face in darkness, but she could sense a coiled watchfulness about him. A building anger.

  “And what was your answer?” he said.

  Her finger traced the smooth upholstery on the car door handle. “I said yes.”

  The car accelerated. Fast. So fast that the wheels whined slightly as they bit into corners.

  “Can you please slow down?” she asked. “You’re scaring me.”

  He slowed down, but not by much.

  “So she was right,” he bit out.

  She glanced at him. “About what?”

  “That you’re a gold digger.”

  If what that meant was that she was willing to do what it took to get money to get her beloved Eula, then so be it. “I guess so.”

  Was he not going to ask why she had agreed to it? Was he not going to ask how much pressure she felt from Nina? Was there going to be no discussion that maybe, had they agreed to a future together where she could still pursue her ambitions, she would have decided to stay?

  His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. He was a good driver, and the car hugged the road, but he almost ran over a terrified rabbit who scampered out of the way.

  “I can’t believe you chose a horse over me,” he said, shaking his head.

  “Well, you’ll probably choose Mondragón over me.”

  “We could have negotiated details. That wasn’t the end of our discussion.”

  “How could I expect any less?” she cried. “You seemed pretty set on it.”

  She watched Lexington’s quiet rural landscape flashing past.

  After a long period of driving in frigid silence, they reached her truck. She would drive back to her rental alone. What she had once considered a sanctuary now felt bereft of anything good. She’d lost Stormy, and now she was going to lose Jay too. But at least she would have Eula. If Jay was open to the id
ea. And Rascal, of course.

  The emptiness that engulfed her seemed bottomless.

  “My dress,” she said, suddenly remembering.

  “Keep it,” he said curtly. “I certainly don’t want it back.”

  She fought back the tears threatening to spill out. Who was this angry, dark stranger. She’d taken it for granted that he would always be sweet and undemanding. But now he was cold.

  And she certainly deserved his wrath.

  “Is tomorrow soon enough to give Eula to you?” he asked. “Or did you want to cut off all ties tonight?”

  Cut off all ties, cut off all ties, cut off all ties. The words echoed in her mind and rattled in her heart.

  “I can still run her for your stables on Saturday,“ she said.

  “I just thought you might not want to share your winnings. Money seems like your top priority right now.”

  She wanted to defend herself. To tell him she loved him. But that his mother had driven her to actions that she’d never have considered were it not for her meddling.

  “No, tomorrow is okay,” she said. “I…I can pay to board her.” She offered it before she had any real plan.

  “Don’t worry about it. I won’t miss the money.”

  She flinched as though he had slapped her.

  He nodded and parked but left the engine running.

  There was nothing else to say. Not even goodbye. Like a robot, Talia got out of the car and shut the door with a dull thud.

  Jay wasted no time ripping out of her yard and down the driveway, leaving her in a cloud of dust.

  As if she didn’t feel dirty and sordid enough.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  “Well. Your Prince Charming obviously chose a different Cinderella after the ball,” Larry said. They were in the barn, having just finished a training session.

  Talia paused while brushing down Eula. “What?

  Larry pushed out his lip in the direction of his gaze. Outside the barn, Jay ran past. Alongside him was Katy in cute purple workout clothes.

  Since when had Katy picked up running?

  Talia didn’t think seeing them together could hurt her heart as much as it did, even though she had practically been pushing Katy into Jay’s arms. She took a deep breath and then focused on Eula’s shiny coat, brushing it in determined strokes.

  “I guess he’s not so into you,” Larry said.

  “I guess not,” Talia said, her voice clipped.

  Larry paused in wrapping Eula’s leg. “Wanna talk about it?”

  Talia glanced at Larry. He looked so kind, so sympathetic. It would feel good to unburden to somebody. But what was there to say? That she had been a jerk, choosing Eula over Jay? Perhaps more accurately, being willing to be bought off so she could keep a horse. Even if it was a horse that needed some TLC.

  “You were right,” she said. “It was a foolish dream. I’m just a jockey, and he’s a prince.”

  “You don’t need him,” Larry said. “You’re a beautiful woman, Talia. You can have anyone you choose.”

  Their eyes collided, and she dropped her gaze, feeling uncomfortable. She felt bad for him. He seemed like a nice enough guy, but he was way too old for her. And she just wasn’t feeling it.

  She smiled politely. “Thanks, you’re sweet.”

  Larry was about to say something else, when George entered the paddock. He picked his way gingerly around puddles.

  “Good morning,” he said, bobbing his head toward Talia then Larry. “This is for you.” He handed Talia a sealed envelope. “From His Highness.”

  She clasped the envelope to her chest and nodded. “Thanks.”

  Larry gave her a curious look, and she turned away to open it.

  Could it be a letter of apology? Maybe he wants to talk to me.

  They were Eula’s papers. Jay had signed over the ownership to her, Talia Morris. There was also a check for the remainder of her salary, with a note, “You can ride her at the Oaks. J.”

  Tears pricked her eyes. Jay, generous even in the face of rejection.

  “Thank you,” she told George, who nodded and high-tailed it out of there, sneezing.

  She should be happy, shouldn’t she? She’d just received Eula, whom she’d wanted for so long. But all she could see was the signature of the man who would never be hers.

  “Something good, I hope?” Larry asked.

  Talia lifted her head and forced a smile. “Eula is mine.”

  “No kidding. Are you pulling my leg?”

  She shook her head and held up the paper for him to see. “Free and clear.”

  Larry whistled. “Wow, you got all that money put together, huh? Impressive.”

  “Yeah,” she said, hedging. “His mom kind of helped me.”

  “Really? That surprises me. Sorry, but she seems like the Wicked Witch.”

  “That, she can be,” she murmured under her breath.

  Larry patted Eula’s withers. “Congratulations, sweet thing. You got a new momma.”

  “I’ve always been her momma.” Talia smiled. “It’s just official now.”

  “All done,” Larry said, patting the bandages around Eula’s leg. “She’s good to go.”

  “Thanks, Larry.”

  “Anytime.”

  Talia led Eula out to the path leading to the breezeway. She looked forward to riding today. She needed to do so, more than ever. As a foster child, riding had always been her escape. She could endure anything but being separated from Stormy, and some of her foster families knew and milked it for what it was worth. She couldn’t ride Stormy until homework was done. If she misbehaved, it was a no-riding day.

  Once in the arena, she started Eula on a slow clip and then built up her speed. She moved well for Talia. Eula was such a dream of a horse.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jay and Katy running alongside the fence. Talia ignored the ache in her heart as she coaxed Eula faster and faster until she was almost in a racing gallop.

  Talia knew she was going too fast, but she had so much pent-up emotion and energy that she felt reckless. But she had a good seat, and she knew she would stay on, no matter what.

  ***

  Jay and Katy ran quietly together. Katy didn’t volunteer information, thank goodness, and he didn’t ask for any. He was just glad to be out to clear his head.

  He saw Talia straightaway as she led her new horse out of the paddocks to the breezeway. His mouth twisted bitterly and he averted his eyes so he didn’t have to witness the commanding way with which she walked with Eula, as though she were a royal getting ready for competition. There was nothing particularly remarkable about the color of her shirt, or her pants, but the combination still made his breath snag in his throat.

  Resolutely, he faced forward, focusing on his breath as he ran. But there she was again, riding past and giving him a show. She sat high on the horse as jockeys did, going faster and faster until Jay could sense a desperation in her movements. A recklessness. Despite his vow that he no longer cared about her and that the horse meant the end of their relationship, his muscles tightened, and he slowed down in his run.

  “Wow, they look magnificent together, don’t they?” Katy said.

  “She’s crazy; that’s what,” he said.

  Katy looked at him in surprise.

  He steamed with anger. If she were to break her lovely neck…

  Talia slowed Eula down until they turned a corner. Within a few furlongs, they would come alongside Jay and Katy. Jay wanted to pretend to not see her, but irrepressible Katy flagged her down. Talia obliged and slowed into a circle then a jog straight to them.

  Jay lagged behind, trying not to look up at Talia’s flushed face and shining eyes.

  She looked magnificent.

  He tamped down the feelings surfacing and, instead, tried to fan the flames of his annoyance.

  “You looked great out there,” Katy told Talia as she was dismounting.

  “Thanks,” she said. Talia’s glance darted quickly to
Jay and then away. “I got your envelope this morning,” she told Jay.

  “Good,” he said.

  “Thank you so much.” Her tone was warm and grateful.

  He nodded curtly and then looked into her eyes. Suddenly, their break-up hit him like a ton of bricks. Of course he had no hold over this woman.

  Despite this, he couldn’t help but say, “You were going pretty fast out there.” He tried to sound casual, but a nagging note crept into his voice.

  Talia frowned. “She’s a racehorse.”

  Katy looked from one to the other. “I’m going to run back,” and she did.

  As soon as they were alone, Jay said, “Did you have to risk your safety with such a stunt?”

  “A stunt?” she bit off.

  “You could have been hurt had she stumbled.”

  She scoffed. “Jay, you’re scolding a jockey. I ride horses fast. Besides, she didn’t stumble.”

  They faced each other, gazes intense. Talia said, “She’s no concern of yours anyway.”

  “What happens in my barn is my concern.” He placed his hands at his hips.

  “Then maybe I should start looking for another place,” she said.

  “That’s ridiculous,” he said. “I didn’t mean that.”

  “I have much to do,” Talia said. “Excuse me.” She turned Eula back down to the rail without looking back.

  As he approached the house, Katy was still outside stretching. Katy glanced at him with an understanding smile. “You’re head over heels in love with her, aren’t you?”

  His eyes widened. He bent over his shoe laces to retie them. “No,” he denied.

  “It’s okay; you can admit it to me.” Katy patted his arm. “But your mother, huh?”

  “She’s part of the reason,” he said. “But we really didn’t need help breaking up. Talia has no room for me.”

  “Silly girl. You’re a nice guy. Can’t she see that?”

  He winced. “Apparently not.”

  Katy stepped forward and hugged him. He hugged her back. It felt good to be understood by someone. As they stepped away from each other, Jay noticed his mother watching them from the window. Happy and content.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT