Off to the Races (Gold Rush Ranch, #1)

by Elsie Silver

He has some serious nerve taking me to bed and still planning a date with another woman.

OH FFS HE WASN'T PLANNING A DATE YOU FECKIN IDJIT

He knew, and he hasn’t said shit.

idjit

Not that it should surprise me. This is par for the course with spoiled man-children like Vaughn Harding.

Insufferable bitch

I walk right past him, shoving my key into the front door. “Don’t bother. I’m going to bed. You should head back to your gala or whatever it is you’re doing tonight.”

🙄😒

“You are so totally infuriating,” he barks, surprising me with the volume of his voice, before quieting to an angry growl, “I’m about done with you running away from me.”

Yes. Sir.

If you hadn’t purposely avoided me all week, you would know this by now.”

“Let me redefine that line you keep talking about: you are more than my employee and I am more than your boss. I’m done giving you space that we both don’t want. It’s not at all complicated. You’ll work with me during the day and underneath me at night. Every night. There will be no tiptoeing. There will be no running. There will be no one else.”

Yes. Sir

“Of course, you just happen to have a condom in your jacket.” His eyes flash at my jab. “I only brought it because I knew you’d be impaled on my cock before the night was through.” Okay. Yes. More dirty talk, please.

“Eyes open, Billie,” he rumbles as he squeezes my chin and tips it down. “I want you to watch me fuck you.”

Which is exactly why I held myself from jumping into the deep end with the man.

Oh please, get over yourself.

“Not enough. Especially considering the way he roped Dermot into the conversation like he has something on him. Not wild about that implication. I don’t even know where to start.”

I knew he wasn't gonna like his Grandfather being brought into that

“Way better weather.” “Way hotter bosses.”

I wink at him and then continue, “I spent my youth being groomed to make someone a gracious wife.” That garners me a chuckle. “Have your parents ever met you?”

“Tell me what you want, baby. Hard or soft?” “Hard.” He slams into me, fully seated in one thrust.

WHAM BAM THANK YOU MA'AM

“Should I make you beg for this too?” “Prick,” I huff out.

“Speaking of handsome, tell me more about how I’m perfect.”

His head drops imperceptibly, and his ears flatten in that signature pissy fashion of his as he looks through the maze of horses ahead of him and realizes he’s not winning. Atta boy.

A lane opens up, and Violet moves in, easing into the middle of the pack. Exactly where DD doesn’t like to be, and exactly where he’ll want to get out of as quickly as possible. They steadily move down the straight, passing the horses that are tiring.

He’s dragging Violet now, leaning down into the bit—he knows what needs to be done. This is where they need to make their big move out of the middle of the pack. This is where they come from behind.

DD flies out of that final bend looking like a small and mighty warhorse. His face is vengeful, his ears are so far back they’re downright aerodynamic. But when Violet’s arms press forward, his ears perk, and they’re off.

In sync, they move up like they’ve just been shot out of a cannon. The other horses look like they’re running in slow motion. All I can hear is blood thundering in my ea...

With only two horses ahead of them, Violet doesn’t bother with moving close to the rail. She sets their sights on the finish line and pushes her hands at him, urging him on. I see her lips moving, talking to him, as dirt sprays up around them.

GOD THE ANXIETY!

My hands move up over my mouth as they barrel down towards me. I want to scream, to cheer, but I can’t tear my eyes off them as they eat up the soft ground and sail past the leaders. Right into first place and more. They blaze across the finish line easily six lengths ahead of the next horse. It’s not even close.

OH SHIT!!!!

He snorts and tosses his head, looking awfully pleased with himself.

A no-name jockey, a freshman trainer, and a horse that no one wanted to handle. We fucking did it.

Cole shows up too, and despite my best efforts to ignore him and just enjoy the moment, I don’t miss the way he gawks at Violet. The way he leans in towards her and whispers something. And the way her face drains of all color and excitement as she stares back at him-slack jawed. Violet doesn’t look like a woman who’s just been congratulated, she looks like a woman who’s seen a ghost. Now that is something I’m going to have to come back to later.

“That doesn’t sound very professional,” is all I say before turning away.

“Girl. You are too serious for your own good. You just won! You’re qualified. Get outta here. Go make moon-eyes with Harding Junior.” I gawk back at him. How the hell did he know? “Billie, for Christ’s sake. I may be old, but I’m not blind yet. You two have been circling around each other for months.” “He’s right,” Violet adds as she tosses a blanket back over DD’s damp coat. “You couldn’t have picked a better one,” Hank says. “Go act your age. Have some fun for once.” “I don’t⁠— “ “Git,”

His intelligent eyes skim my face, looking for an answer in my expression. But my face is an unreadable mask. I mastered this look as a teenager when my dad sold his family down the river to save his political career.

“Don’t you dare interrupt me. I have some choice words to share with you as well, but I can only handle one spoiled asshole at a time, so you just wait your fucking turn.”

This one might be deserved

“So what? If he keeps winning, he’ll make you that in breeding fees in his first year at stud.” Her voice is shrill as she looks at me in utter disbelief, “Time to face facts, Vaughn. Your grandfather did break the law. He did everything they have accused him of. That snake in the grass just confirmed it. Covering it up will not change a goddamn thing!”

“So important that you’re willing to trample all over my career? Violet’s career? Our relationship?” Billie’s head shakes back and forth, her disappointment almost tangible. “Imagine thinking that your desperate need to cover up a legitimate crime—one that undermines the respectability of our sport—trumps everyone around you. Real, living beings are going to suffer for this. And that’s all an acceptable sacrifice to polish up a dead man’s reputation?”

“This is a business decision. I have to stand by my choices, even when employees don’t like them.”

oh that wasn't okay

“Employee?” she snaps at me. “Yes, Billie. Trainers don’t usually decide about the sale of horses they don’t own. I know you feel like this horse is yours, but he’s not. He’s mine.”

ooof digging that hole real deep

Her meaning is clear. She hopes I’ll be happy with my decision. And why wouldn’t I be? All I’ve wanted for the last year is to clear my family name. This is something I had to do and if she can’t understand, then so be it.

okay dude we get it but why protect your dead shady back door business dealing grandfather?! What happens when the media finds out you hid the truth over 20million dollars and a horse that could've saved you?!

“I promise.” I say as I sniffle and nuzzle in harder. I’m pretty sure I’ve soaked his shirt in this spot with my blubbering. “Did you just wipe your nose on me, kid?” I laugh now.

“You be a good boy for your new family.” My voice cracks brokenly and tears rush out, unstoppable in their flow. I tap his forehead, making him blink quickly in confusion. “You win it all for me, little man. Do you hear?” His pointy ears tip forward, and I stand on my tippy toes to whisper, “Run your little heart out. Leave the rest of ‘em in the dust.” Then I sit down on the floor of his stall and let the sobs I’ve been holding back all afternoon wrack my body.

Cole’s perfectly coiffed black head snaps up in my direction. “Sure, Vaughn. Come on in. It’s not like I could be doing anything.”

“You tear that contract up and you beg.”

After Cole laid me out with that verbal ass-kicking, he still forced me to go through the financials for the farm with him. Sadistic bastard that he is.

LMFAO

I imagine he’s rolling around in a twenty-million-dollar pile of cash.

Dumb ass

Mira called me once to check in. I was snarky on the phone and she told me she wasn’t cut out for motherhood and to please call her back when I was done acting like a child. Then she hung up.

“Number eight, formerly raced under the name Double Diablo and owned by Gold Rush Ranch, has just submitted a change in name and ownership.” What the fuck? I thought this was done already. “Please note in your programs that number eight is now registered under the name Mister Black.” My mouth goes dry, my tongue like sandpaper. That’s what I’d jokingly told Vaughn I’d name him months ago. What the fuck kind of sick joke was this? “And the colt is now both owned and trained by Miss Billie Black.”

She’s cool in the irons, calm like a rookie jockey has no business being.

Stefan Dalca’s flashy bay horse is in the lead. But DD is gaining on him rapidly. Where the other horses are starting to tire, DD’s fiery attitude is pushing him harder. Faster. He smokes them all. He and Vi fly towards the finish line, in sync, both laid out flat. Wild eyed and determined.

“I sold him to you,” he says, stepping closer. Like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “I don’t have that kind of money, Vaughn.” He smirks at me, looking cocky. “I found a dollar in your grooming stall. I took that in trade.”

“You sold me a derby winner for one dollar?” Disbelief seeps into my voice. Is he fucking crazy? He shoves his hands into his pockets and rocks back on his heels. “Yup.”

“I can’t believe you actually named my horse Mister Black. It makes me sound like a total nut.” He blinks once, slowly. “That’s… what you have to say to me?”

lmfao

“Kiss me, Boss Man.”

Something I've wanted to say to my ex boss man

When he drops his head towards mine, I lick my lips, wetting them, so I can feel his breath dance across my mouth as he moves in.