Wild Horses by Claire McEwen Read Free Book Online Page A

groups, scared and miserable.”
    â€œThat’s awful,” Nora said.
    â€œThey have thousands of horses in these holding facilities. Most of them are forced to live in terrible conditions. Yet they continue to round up more.”
    Nora felt sick, imagining all those miserable, frightened horses lost in government limbo. But she’d been frightened, too. She remembered the hooves, and huddling by the rock that had saved her life. “So you stole them.”
    â€œMoved them,” he corrected. “We’ve tried everything else—talking with the manager at the DRM station, a big letter-writing campaign, getting animal welfare organizations involved. But the government spins its wheels and the horses pay the price in a slow, painful death from the heat. So we got them to some land where they can be safe. And free.”
    â€œI just don’t get it.” She was casting around in her mind for solutions. As if she could, tonight, solve a problem he’d apparently been working on for a while now. “There has to be a way to help them, legally.”
    â€œIf there is, I couldn’t find it. And even if the DRM makes better rules eventually, these horses would still suffer. I’m truly sorry that you got caught up in our plan. But can you understand that sometimes you have to do a little bad to make something good happen?”
    â€œIn theory.” It was all she could say to reassure him. How many times had she listened to her dad’s excuses for his criminal behavior? There was always someone who wouldn’t give him a break, a deal that was too good to be true—one excuse after another for stealing, and conning and dealing.
    â€œWill you keep my secret?” He leaned forward, elbows on the table. Negotiating now for his safety. For her silence.
    â€œThat you’re a horse thief?”
    â€œOr a horse liberator,” he smiled faintly.
    â€œSemantics.” She couldn’t let him off the hook.
    Todd studied her for a moment, as if pondering how to respond. “We always had this thing, you know. This banter. This way of talking. I’ve missed it.”
    She stared at him, trying to figure out if he was serious or if he was only trying to make her feel special so she’d keep quiet about the horses. “We’re bantering? I’m pretty sure we’re disagreeing.”
    But he was right. They did have a connection. And she’d loved it. Because she was usually shy and serious, and for some reason he was the only person she’d been witty with. The only person who’d brought that out in her.
    â€œMaybe it can still be our thing.”
    Warning sirens, flashing lights and stop signs filled her mind. He was throwing out these offers of connection like candy. But he was a stranger to her now. “Whoa, cowboy, there is no our . No thing .”
    â€œIf you say so.”
    The cocky demeanor really did suit him. But he was wielding it like a hypnotist with a watch. “I know why you’re doing this.”
    â€œDoing what?”
    â€œReminiscing. Reminding me about all the good stuff in our relationship—a relationship that you happily walked away from.”
    â€œYou could have come with me,” he said softly, leaning back, looking at her squarely. “I wanted you to.”
    â€œAnd I couldn’t.” Her stomach was in knots, her brain almost hurting from trying to figure out his motive. “Please don’t bring up all this old stuff. Don’t use our past to get what you want now. I won’t say anything about last night.”
    He looked relieved. “Thank you.”
    â€œBut I hate that I’m a part of your deception. By asking me to keep quiet about what you did, you make me a part of your illegal activities.”
    He nodded. “I get it. And I appreciate your help.”
    They sat in silence for a few moments. Then Todd leaned forward. “Tell me what you were doing out