He Saved Her Child And Left Me In The Fire

Chapter 3

Adrian pulled free from Sophie's arms and hurried toward me.

"Nora? What are you doing here?" His voice was gentle as ever, but I could hear the tension.

"You recommended the instructor. I booked a trial lesson."

"Oh, right." He visibly relaxed and reached for me. "But the adult lessons are in the other arena. What are you doing over here?"

So that was why he'd felt safe sending me here. Separate arenas, with a fence in between.

He'd been so sure I wouldn't cross it.

I looked past him at Lucy, peeking out shyly from behind Sophie.

"Who's she?"

Adrian swallowed. "You remember Sophie. My secretary. She's a single mom. It's hard managing everything alone, so I stopped by to help."

Even now, he thought he could get away with it.

I couldn't take my eyes off the silver locket around Lucy's neck.

I forced a thin smile and walked toward her. "My grandmother left me that locket. Why is Lucy wearing it?"

I reached to take it off.

"Nora!" Adrian clamped a hand around my wrist.

His grip hurt. I jerked back, and my elbow caught the horse behind me. It reared with a shrill whinny.

Adrian spun around, spreading his arms in front of Sophie and Lucy.

I stumbled backward and fell. Pain shot through my ankle. I tried to get up, but my leg wouldn't hold me.

Just as the horse's hooves came down, the instructor lunged for the reins and hauled it away.

At last, the commotion subsided.

Only then did Adrian seem to remember I was there. He hurried over and crouched beside me, reaching to pick me up.

"Nora, where are you hurt? Let me see—"

I knocked his hand away. "Don't touch me."

His face went white.

Bracing my hands against the ground, I got up on my own and limped toward the exit.

"Nora!"

I kept walking.

Outside, I hailed a cab to the hospital. Nothing was broken, the doctor said, just a mild sprain. A day's rest should help.

Not long afterward, Adrian burst into the examination room, his forehead slick with sweat. He crouched in front of me, searching my face.

"Nora, I didn't mean to push you away. I was scared the little girl would panic or get trampled. Please forgive me."

He took my hand, lowering his voice. "I know you're upset. I shouldn't have taken the locket."

He pulled it from his pocket and held it out.

"I only lent it to her for good luck." He held my gaze. "See? It's right here, Nora, just as it was. No one can take what's yours."

"Okay." I took the locket.

My calm seemed to unsettle him more than anger would have. "Are you feeling sick? Is it your ankle?" He bent to examine it, careful not to hurt me. "Are you hungry? I'll get you something downstairs. I'll be right back."

He kept glancing over his shoulder as he left, as if I might disappear the second he looked away.

A little later, I limped out of the examination room to find Sophie waiting for me.

She smiled. "Ms. Ellis, I'm asking you to let us be a family."

I said nothing.

"You know Lucy is Adrian's daughter. She's getting old enough to understand what's going on. She shouldn't have to grow up as his dirty little secret."

Her eyes filled. "Adrian's exhausted, going back and forth between us. If you care about him, let him go."

I almost laughed.

Instead, I opened the file my lawyer had just sent and held my phone out to her.

"These are the divorce papers. Get Adrian to sign them, and he's yours."