Obsession(15)
Marj squealed into the phone. “Yay! That’s great.”
“I turned him down. I don’t think it’s a good idea right now.”
“Are you kidding? It’s a great idea.”
“Well, it’s too late. I’m bound for at least a month for my new apartment. I just signed a month-to-month lease today.”
“You did? Where?”
“The apartment over the beauty shop.”
Marj huffed. “That dive? I would’ve found a much better place.”
“Marj, I scanned the ads this morning. The only other places are those apartments on the outskirts of town, and I need a car for them, so the beauty shop it is. It’s a cute little place.”
“If you say so.”
“I say so. Remember, I’m used to living modestly. It won’t bother me at all.”
“I’m sorry.” She sighed. “I don’t mean to go all diva on you. If you’re happy, I’m happy. But I’d still rather have you at the house.”
“I know, but it’s probably good for me to be on my—”
I dropped the phone.
Chapter Seven
Talon
I walked into Jonah’s office, needing to talk. What was it with me and talking lately?
His secretary was back today, though she looked a little pale.
“Are you feeling better, Dolores?” I asked the gray-haired woman who had once been my father’s secretary.
“Yeah. I look a lot worse than I feel.”
“Is Joe around?”
“He just went out to the pasture. I think he’s in the north quadrant today if you want to go looking for him.”
“Thanks.”
I drove out to the stables. Several months had gone by since I’d taken my horse, Phoenix, on a ride. I’d go out and find Joe, maybe help him a little if he needed it. I’d already been to the orchards and taken care of things there for the day.
Phoenix snorted when he saw me. The hands exercised him regularly, but I had been lacking in my attention to him lately. I’d had the horse since I was fifteen. I loved animals. This horse and Roger were my best friends.
I groomed him, saddled him up, and took him outside the barn, where I mounted and took off. The day was clear, the mountains green and violet in the distance, the sky a bright cerulean. Just another day in Colorado. I didn’t appreciate the beauty of my home enough. I needed to bask in it more often. I worked Phoenix up to a gallop, letting the wind ruffle my hair as we sailed through the breeze.
Phoenix. I’d named him after that majestic flaming bird rising from the ashes.
The one with the low voice grunted, finishing.
“My turn,” Tattoo said, pushing Low Voice away.
Tattoo’s rancid breath was hot against the boy’s neck. The boy winced, scrunching his nose.
“You’re nice and lubed up for me now, bitch. I can slide right in and take what I want.”
The boy closed his eyes, detaching himself from the horror surrounding him. Above him, Tattoo pumped, but in his mind, the boy was atop a majestic horse, riding into the wind. Nothing in the world mattered except him, his companion, and the acres and acres of green land ahead of him. He could ride all day and never tire of the beautiful Colorado landscape. The wind whisked through his dark hair. Flecks of dust pelted into his eyes, but he didn’t care. He was alone and wild and free. No one could hurt him here. No one could hurt him…
Until that last thrust, when Tattoo socked him upside the head, his forearm dangling in the boy’s vision, the flaming bird etched there as menacing as the man who bore it.
“That’s it, you little pussy. Take it. Take it all.”
A loud noise echoed around me as I catapulted into the air. In slow motion I descended, and—
Thunk!
My ass hit the ground. Phoenix continued galloping.
When had I let go? I hadn’t fallen off a horse in… Had I ever?
Of course I had, when I was learning. When I was a kid.
Phoenix. The horse had been a birthday gift from my father when I turned fifteen. I’d hemmed and hawed over naming him. Nothing seemed right. Joe had suggested Midnight, which would have been a good fit. The stallion was a glossy ebony all over. My father had suggested Zeus, because the male who’d sired him had been named Cronus. Both were strong, masculine names, but they didn’t work for me. Marjorie, nearly five at the time, had begged me to name him Barney. I almost caved on that one. I had a soft spot for that little girl. After…the…incident, she had been the only good I could find in the world—an innocent baby with pink cheeks, dark eyes, and a smile for everyone. In the end, though, I couldn’t saddle this impressive, muscular animal with a purple dinosaur’s name. He’d stayed nameless for two months…until I saw a poster of a dazzling, colorful bird rising from vibrant multicolored flames at the local five-and-dime.