Free Betrayed by Alexia Stark Page A

people began to rise from their seats. Caroline saw her
father and Robert's parents step close and could tell from her
father's relaxed pose that he was happy with whatever was
transpiring. Before Robert could fight through the throng toward
her, she turned, lifted her skirts, and bolted for the doors,
escape the only thought in her turbulent mind.  
    Her heart slammed painfully
in her throat. The ache in her chest brought tears to her eyes, but
she ignored the pain. With fleet feet clad in heels, she sprinted
toward the horses that were staked out by the reception tables in
the large field overlooking the lake to the right of the church.
Without thought, she made her way to Whisper, the pretty white mare
daddy had bought just for her and planted a foot in the stirrup.
Tossing her leg up and over, she settled in the English saddle,
hiking her dress up her thighs.  
    Gathering the reins, she
caught sight of Robert following her out and turned her horse
round. Kicking the mare, she lowered her body and they raced
alongside the lake toward an unknown
destination.  
    When she glanced over her
shoulder, it wasn't Robert following her, but her father instead.
She slowed her mare to a walk, letting him ride up beside her. The
horses walked side by side, nodding their heads in unison as her
father glanced over at her.  
    "I love you," he said
simply, as if he knew she couldn't handle anything else at that
moment. For a while they rode in silence, though her mind raged at
the injustice of it all. The lake sparkled, crystal blue with white
whipped tops where the wind played on the surface. Fragrant crushed
grass scent lingered in the air while the horses stepped along,
nickering like old pals. The sun, high and bright but not too hot,
warmed her flesh but did nothing for her frozen
core.  
    Finally, the roar of her
thoughts burst out. "How could he?" the words were a near whisper,
but she could tell by her father's stiffening spine that he heard
her.  
    “How about this,” he said,
not looking her direction. He gazed over the lake instead, his warm
features oddly at ease. “why don’t you go on your
honeymoon?”
    She shook her head.
“Everything will be set up for two. I’ll be all alone, and feel
stupid.”
    “So take
someone with you.”
    She wondered how
everything was always so easy to him. Didn’t he see the problems
with his plan? “The only person I think I can face right now is
you. I mean, June was my friend.” She paused, the words sinking in.
“Well, I thought she was my friend.”
    “It’s
understandable your trust is shaken. Trust me, getting away would
be good for you. Time and space heals all.” He flashed her a quick
smile, and she stifled the question bubbling up within her. Has time and space healed you? She knew he missed her mother dearly.
    “Why
does everything have to be so hard?” she whimpered, tears filling
her eyes. Before she knew what was happening, he pulled his
stallion up next to her and gathered her in his arms. She let him
drag her onto his horse in front of him. Winding her arms around
his neck, she pressed her forehead to the hollow at the base of his
throat while he took the reins of her mare. Whisper walked
alongside, bombproof and docile as could be. He held her tight, his
lips near her ear.
    “I could
have handled things better. I’m sorry.” His soft voice filled with
regret, but she shook her head, a grin fighting through her
tears.
    “No way.
You were great. I swear, every girl needs a daddy who’ll threaten
to snap a guy’s neck for being a douche.”
    His chest rumbled with
laughter, and she curled into him, loving the comfort of his
embrace. Though she sat sidesaddle, her fear of falling was oddly
absent. Daddy would never let anything bad happen to
her.
    As if he heard her
thoughts, he pressed a kiss to her hair. His chest lifted as he
inhaled, his words startling in their simplicity. “How about I go
with you?” He pulled back, looking into her eyes. “I