Page 120 of Forbidden Forget-Me-Not
“I’ve been making calls. You’ve been…busy.”
I shut off the hose.
“I’m always busy. What’s your point?”
He stepped closer, and I resisted the urge to retreat.
“You know how small this world is. Especially at the top.” His gaze lingered on my face. “People talk.”
“And?”
“And I don’t like surprises on my property.”
“I’m not here to cause problems.”
He reached up and caught a loose strand of my hair between his fingers. I went still.
Atlas reacted instantly, his ears snapping forward.
“One call,” Dylan continued, voice low, like he was trying to seduce me. “You’d have backing. Sponsorships. Access to the best. Doors closed for most riders would be open for you.”
“I don’t need doors opened for me. I’m forging my own path on my own merit.”
His mouth curved up.
“Such a sweet and unrealistic notion. Don’t be stubborn, Kaylani. Everyone needs something.”
His hand went to my waist, and I shoved him back hard enough to force distance between us.
“Don’t,” I said, lifting my chin.
I was sick and tired of entitled men thinking they had the right to touch me, to order me around, and to use me for their own gain.
The air shifted, and despite the bright sun, it felt darker. He examined me differently now, calculating.
“You’re asking me to take a risk. Housing you. Letting you train here while your father is making a lot of noise.”
My stomach tightened. So, Dylan knew.
“I didn’t ask you to do anything. You are being paid, handsomely, I might add.”
His eyes hardened. “This isn’t just about money. I have plenty of that.”
He stepped closer, boxing me in with his arm against the wall, but he didn’t touch me.
“You need allies, Kaylani. Real ones.”
“I have allies.”
His gaze flicked toward the aisle.
“Do you? Your brother and one guard. You’ve either ordered him to stay with you…or he stays for another reason.”
My nostrils flared, and my hand tightened on the hose, itching to strike.
“You don’t want to be alone in this, and I already know that your father will approve of a more permanent merger.”
His hand moved to touch me again, and I smacked it away.
