Tears sting my eyes.
Life is so unfair. After everything I’ve been through, I just figured I was due a break.
Apparently not.
I press the heels of my hands to my eyes to curb the tears in them, and I blow out a breath.
When I feel a little more under control of my emotions, I pull my hands away from my eyes, lifting my head, and my heart nearly leaps out of my chest when I see Kas standing in the doorway.
“I’m sorry.” I jump to my feet. “I was just getting back to work.”
His voice stops me. “You can have the time off on Friday.”
Not only am I shocked by his words, but by the sound of his voice as well. It sounds gentle. I’ve never heard him speak that way before. Not even when he apologized earlier.
“Thank you,” I whisper, looking up into his face.
His eyes meet mine. There’s a flicker of something…compassion maybe? But it’s gone as quickly as it arrived.
“But I want you in at seven thirty on Friday and for you to work during your lunch to make up the time.”
“Of course.”
“And, Daisy?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t take personal calls on my time again. You do, and I will fire you.” With that, he turns and leaves.
What?
Did he know…that I took Anne’s call?
How?
I glance around the bathroom, suddenly feeling very uneasy. A shudder rolls through me.
Then, I force myself to get back to work, so as not to rock the boat.
Ten
I input the code into the keypad and wait for the gates to open.
It’s so quiet. Well, it’s always quiet around here, but it seems especially quiet. That could have something to do with it being seven thirty a.m.
It’s Friday, and I’m in early, as promised, so I can leave to make my appointment with Anne.
I haven’t seen Kas at all this week. He hasn’t been here when I have been. I asked Cooper where he was, and he said Kas would do this from time to time, disappearing during the day, which got me wondering where he might go.
Maybe he’s got a girlfriend.
I get this weird feeling in my chest at the thought.
Shaking it off, I walk through the gates and up the drive. I veer off the driveway when I reach the paddocks.
“Hey, Butterscotch.”
Butterscotch is fast becoming one of my favorite horses. She’s a palomino. No, I haven’t suddenly gotten all horsey. Cooper told me.
I’ve been hanging out at the paddocks on my lunch hour.
I met Ellie, Peter, Mack, and Tash. They were all lovely. Ellie, especially so. She seemed really friendly. She invited me to go to the pub for lunch with them the next time they go.
It was nice to be asked. To be included in something so normal as going to the pub for lunch with my work colleagues.
But, in the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but wonder if they would still invite me if they knew I’d just gotten out of prison.
The other thing that’s been bugging me is that, clearly, Kas hasn’t told anyone that I was in prison. If I’m being honest, I thought he would’ve.
But I’m not complaining. It’s nice not to be judged at my place of work. So, if Kas is keeping his mouth zipped about my past, then so am I.
I met Dom, the gardener, as well. He’s a really nice guy. After my little disagreement with Kas on my second day, I was outside, sitting on my favorite bench and having my lunch, when he came over to introduce himself.
“I brought you treats,” I tell Butterscotch. Reaching into my bag, I pull out two of the four apples I brought with me.
Danger, Butterscotch’s paddock pal, spies me with the apples and comes trotting over. He’s a big-ass horse. Black as night. Gorgeous.
“Don’t worry. I didn’t forget about you, Danger.” I reach out and feed him an apple.
As I turn my head, something in my peripheral catches my eye.
And that something has me turning fully around.
Kas is standing on his balcony. And, when I say standing on his balcony, I mean, he’s up on the stone railing.
Standing there, hands on his hips, face turned up to the morning sun.
He’s wearing black running shorts and a black T-shirt.
He looks like a god.
A mean god.
He moves down to sit on the edge of the railing, legs dangling. Then, he slides his butt off, putting his feet on the outer ledge, keeping ahold of the railing with his hands, so he’s standing on the wrong side of it. The not-so-safe side.
My heart starts to beat faster. My eyes are glued to him.
I watch as he casts another glance skyward. Then, without hesitation, he moves down into a crouch. One hand still on the railing, he slightly leans forward.
And jumps.
Noise pops in my ears, and I realize it’s my own voice screaming, “No!”
Then, I’m running toward him, my heart in my throat the whole time.
He’s going to die.
Oh my God, he’s going to die, and I don’t know CPR!
Why didn’t I learn CPR?
And why the hell did he just jump?
My mind is going a million miles a minute as I sprint toward him, my bag banging against my side.
And I watch in fascinated horror as Kas hits the grass, landing on his feet in an almost catlike way. The motion takes him down to a forward roll, and he’s back up on his feet in seconds.
What the…bloody fuck?
And I’m still running.
Kas turns his head, seeing me, and his stare brings my feet skidding to a stop.
There’s about thirty feet between us.
He watches me for a long moment, no hint of emotion on his face.
Then, the fucker grins.
He actually grins. And then he takes off running across the paddocks, heading for the forest at the back of the estate.