“Thanks for rescuing me.” She looked over at Whitney when she noticed the laughter had stopped. She was staring at Will with the look of a star-crazed fan.
“Let’s make a deal,” Whitney said to him in a remarkably calm and superior voice. “You and I remarry, you do the reality show with me, and I’ll tell you all about Chad… or Ethan, or Jonathan, or any of his many names.”
Kenna turned and stared at her. It was all a big act. She couldn’t believe it.
“How about this,” Will countered, his voice deadly soft, “you tell us all about Chad and everyone involved in his circle, including the role you and your father play, and I’ll turn you over to the FBI instead of to Ahmed.”
“No deal. It’s all or nothing, William, and I'm holding all the cards. You think my daddy will let some security guard harm me? I don’t think so.”
Ahmed stepped forward and took her by the arm. “You had your chance. Move.”
“Take your hands off of me. You’re nothing but a security guard. You have no power,” Whitney sneered at him.
Ahmed didn't flinch. His expression never changed.
Kenna, safe in Will’s arms, turned to him. “Come on, Will. I think I hear a noise outside.”
She turned one last time at Whitney to pity her. “Whitney, let me offer you some free legal advice. You may want to talk fast because even the FBI is afraid of him. By the way, he has diplomatic immunity. So he can do pretty much whatever he wants to you, and no one is going to be able to do a thing about it. Under the Vienna Convention, the host country can ask for immunity to be waived for prosecution, but it’s up to the leader of the diplomat’s country to decide. So, Whitney, do you really think the sheik will waive immunity? You saw him turn his back and walk out of here yourself.”
“That’s impossible. I'm a senator’s daughter! My daddy is a very powerful man and you can’t touch me,” she all but pouted.
Kenna shrugged. Will took her hand and led her out of the stall. “God, Kenna. How am I supposed to make this up to you?”
She looked over at him, and it almost made her want to go back in there and pull some more of Whitney’s hair. Will looked totally dejected. His head was hanging down and he was practically shuffling his feet. He had done nothing wrong, but his expression displayed nothing but guilt.
“Stop, Will. Today is your day. Boots will be racing any moment now. You didn’t have anything to do with this plot. I'm also fairly sure my ex had significant involvement, too. Ahmed will turn her over to Cole in a few days, and then the whole circle will be brought to justice.”
“You still love me? Even after all this?” He paused. “This is yours. Here you go.” He handed her the hat Paige had made for her.
“Of course I do. I love you more than ever, especially since you saved my hat.” Kenna went up on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up. We have five minutes until it’s time to walk Boots out, and there's no one I want beside me more than you. That, and Boots seems to have a crush on you. He may not race if you’re not there.”
They laughed and Kenna stopped as she left the barn to fix her hair. She ran her fingers through it, and Will pulled out pieces of hay from her hair and dress.
He leaned over and placed one large hand on her cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Mr. Ashton! Mr. Ashton! What do you think Boots’s chances are of winning?” a man’s voice boomed from behind her. She smothered a laugh at his pained groan upon hearing the question.
Chapter Eighteen
“How are you?” Paige asked as soon as Kenna made it to Boots’s stall.
“Somewhat relieved, actually. It’s good to have some answers. I know there are so many more to discover, but I feel confident we’ll figure it all out. Right now, I'm just basking in the feeling that I'm no longer hiding.”
“Good, then let’s get my picture. It'll be for my shop! Mo, darling, can you take a picture for us?” Paige yelled.
Cameras flashed from the media and Kenna could already see the headlines: “Sheik Jumps to do Bidding of Hat-maker Girlfriend.”
“You're so bad.”
“I know. It’s fun, though. Mo’s getting a kick out it. Says it'll drive his father crazy. So we decided to go all out for it.”
“Smile, ladies!” Mo took the picture and shot a grin to them.
“Riders up!”
Kenna and Paige moved out of the way for Rodrigo as Will gave him a leg up into the saddle.
“That’s our cue to meet you in the box. Good luck, Will. Hope you don’t mind, but I didn’t confirm or deny any story involving Desert Sun Farm and Ashton Farm, specifically a collaboration between Boots and my Desert Girl,” Mo winked. He really was having fun today.