Free Final Scream by Lisa Jackson Page A

paddock to the other. Brig held on tightly to the reins. Near the fence, under a lone cedar tree, the colt reared, tossing his giant head, and Brig’s thighs clamped tight. The colt bucked forward again. Brig ducked.
    Cassidy’s fingers curled over the top rail as man and beast pitted will against will.
    With a whistle of protest, Remmington bolted forward, stopped, then shot straight into the air. Brig hung on like a burr. Again the colt ran the length of the fence line, a lather worked into his gorgeous coat, sweat staining the back of Brig’s shirt and running down his face. “Go ahead, try and throw me, you miserable son of a bitch,” Brig growled and the horse threw back his head and stood stock-still.
    Cassidy held her breath. The dust settled. Flies droned again. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Brig seemed to have won and that was good—she’d be able to ride her horse again soon. But would he be the same fiery colt she adored or just another mindless piece of horseflesh with a broken spirit? That thought settled like lead in the pit of her stomach.
    “That’s better,” Brig said, relaxing and patting Remmington’s red neck.
    “Is it?”
    “Hey, don’t say anything, okay? We’re working here.”
    Anger coursing through her blood, Cassidy jumped into the paddock. “I don’t want him to act like some wimpy—”
    “Get out of here,” Brig ordered in an even tone meant to keep the horse calm. “What’re you trying to do, get me fired?”
    “From what I hear, you do a pretty good job of that yourself!”
    “For the love of Jesus, leave, Cassidy. I’ve got a job to do and it’s not safe while I’m working with him. Who knows what he’ll do!”
    She kept striding to the horse. “You can’t order me around!” Noticing the lackluster look in Remmington’s usually flashing eyes, she felt a horrible sense of disappointment. “Get off him!”
    “Not yet, Cass—” He twisted in the saddle to see her more clearly. His mouth turned down at the corners.
    “He’s my horse and I said—”
    A flash of red hide swirled before her. Remmington, sensing his enemy had been distracted, reared high into the air, forelegs pawing, his whole body shuddering, and Brig, still twisted in the saddle, tried to keep his balance, but it was too late. The colt landed on his front feet, kicked up his rear legs, and Brig went flying, soaring through the air to land with a sickening thud on the cracked earth near a pile of manure. “Son of a bitch!”
    So he wasn’t hurt. “Are you okay? I didn’t mean—”
    “Get out of here!” Brig roared at Cassidy, but she was swallowing a smile.
    “Guess you’re not finished with him yet, are you?”
    Springing to his feet, Brig dusted his jeans and glared at the colt. “Leave us to our business, Cass.”
    “Give it up, McKenzie.”
    “Never.” The fire in his blue eyes was as bright as the flame in Remmington’s.
    With a victorious squeal, Remmington spun and started running along the fence line, heading straight for her.
    “Cassidy! Get out of the way!” Brig lunged forward. “Oh, shit—”
    She jumped onto the fence as the horse barreled past, his body brushing against her so hard that she lost her grip and fell back to the ground. Pain fired through her shoulder.
    “For the love of Christ!”
    She started to get back onto her feet, but Brig was at her side, and before she could say anything, he’d swung her into his arms and walked her to the gate, which he shoved open with a knee. Anger lined his dusty face, sweat dampened his hair, grime and dirt streaked his arms, and the cords in his neck bulged with fury.
    Kicking the gate closed, he plopped her onto the ground. “Don’t you ever—”
    “You can’t lecture me!” she said, cutting him off and wincing as she moved her arm. “This is my property and you’re working with my horse.”
    “And you could have got yourself killed, trampled, knocked unconscious or all three.”
    “No way,