Chapter 106

‘If you can outwit your opponent, why resort to brute force?’ Raymond had said to his young daughter. ‘A mind, Elodie, is a sharper weapon than any blade.’ His words, a balm to her burning rage, chased away the bloody haze clouding her vision. She wouldn’t be that darkness. Storming into Sebastian’s house, yanking him out of bed and beating the answer of him was easy. Probably wouldn’t take more than an hour. But this wasn’t the way her father would want her to handle the situation. Taking a deep, restorative breath, Elodie refocused on the steel beast before her. She took a break after two hours and went right back to it. She didn’t succeed that night, but at least she knew what she did wrong and what mistakes to avoid. *** The La Hacienda horse ranch unveiling was a spectacle that drew a multitude to its gates. The air was thick with excitement, and the sun, warm but not scorching, painted the day with a touch of romance. Couples, enticed by the allure of horseback riding and the pro