My Soul Laid Bare: Book 4 (The Soul Keeper Series) (6 page)

Father Max assured me it won’t happen again. He acted like he’d seen it a million times before, and I was just another simple case of easily possessed asshole on the loose. I don’t know how they figured it out, but since he did the exorcism, I haven’t had a black out yet. I pray he’s right, but it scares the shit out of me knowing he might actually be.

It’s a rude awakening knowing there are things on this earth that are maleficent by their very nature. Now that I know it’s a possibility, I’m afraid for my sisters even more so. I wish I’d stuck closer to home. Stupid love, making me move half way across the country just to be in her presence. God I’m an idiot! I shake the thought out of my head. No, she did love me. I know she did. I could see it in her eyes. What we had was real. I need to quit telling myself it wasn’t and accept the reality that I screwed our perfect love up.

I pull into our property and see the sign Dad had made is finally up over the entrance. “Montgomery Creek Stables,” A new name for a new start. That’s what I need, a fresh start. Maybe I should give real thought to transferring back here. I’ll mull it over this summer and see how I feel before the next semester. Baylor would have me back in a second with my new record times.

My dad emerges from inside as I walk up, and he wraps his arms around me.
“Good to have you home son.” He pats me on the back as if I’d collected dust while I was away at Yale.

“
It’s good to be home Dad.”             

He slides his arm over my shoulders and guides me through the door. The smell of something savory cooking, wafts from the direction of the kitchen, and a flash of Brennen cooking Thanksgiving dinner flashes through my mind unwanted, and unprovoked. The memories of her still haunt my days and stir me in the night, and I’m tired of it. A young woman steps into the archway leading into the kitchen. She leans against the casing and lifts a coffee mug to her lips.

She’s stunningly beautiful, and I fight noticing with every ounce of my being. But I’ve somehow managed to drift nearer to her in the last ten seconds, and my dad is suddenly nowhere in sight. I didn’t even see him slip out. I need to get my head on straight, not notice the new hire. She has warm glossy brown hair and tan skin. Her legs go on for miles, and her jeans fit her in a way that leaves nothing to the imagination. They look soft like she’s lived in them for years, and my fingers long to know just how soft they actually are. Her eyes are a sea glass green and have captured my attention like two giant gems sparkling just for me.

“
You must be Sam.” She extends her hand out toward me. “I’m Cat Emerson.”

There's a gentleness to her voice that could coax a wild mustang into the saddle with just a whisper. I can see why the girls like her. There's no denying she's got a way with her eyes that puts fears to rest, a quality sought after by stables near and far. Liam our first stable manager had that quality, and it's what helped put us on the map. I shake her hand and feel a surge rush through me like nothing I've ever felt before.
“Welcome to the team. I'm sure you'll fit right in. Everyone here is pretty nice. But I'm sure you've already found that out for yourself.” As soon as I get the words out, I make a break for the back porch, eager for some fresh air all of a sudden.

Dad is sitting in the rocker fiddling with something in his hands. I ease down in the creaky metal chair across from him. The wind chimes play sweetly with the occasional breath of wind.
“Are you actually whittling something?”

My father doesn't say a word just keeps toiling away at whatever's in his hands.
“So where'd you find this Cat girl? She hardly looks experienced enough to be the manager of such a large stable.”

Just as my words leave my mouth the screen door slaps shut. The girl in question comes sauntering out and steps down the stairs like her whole life has been one giant carefree moment. Cat’s long mane of hair catches in the breeze like it was on cue, and now she turns back to face me looking like some hot supermodel on the cover of Cosmo. My face flushes with color. I'm sure she must have heard my questioning her skill level. My father still keeps his mouth shut tight. The girl looks humored as she turns back and heads toward the barn.

My dad has always been a man of few words especially when he doesn't know the right ones to say. I wish I could tell him everything I've been going through. I wish I could tell him why Brennen and I ended. Part of me wonders if he has any clue how long this had been going on.

“
By the way, she's staying at the small house by the lake, so I hope you didn't have any plans for the place this summer.”

My sisters emerge from the house looking like they’ve aged years since I last saw them. And I hate it. They take turns hugging me, and I squeeze the daylights out of each one. They are just the right touch of familiarity I needed at that moment. They dull the edge I’ve been walking on for the past few months, just enough for me to finally catch my breath.

“So did you meet Cat yet?” Mia asks in a sing song voice. Maci just rolls her eyes. She is the one who is more like me. It’s scary how alike we are sometimes.

“
Yes Mia, and I’ve been trying to find out more about her, but dad won’t answer my questions. Maybe he’s the one with the hots for her,” I tease, tapping the bottom of his boot with my own. He huffs in a silent protest.

“
Maybe he just wants you to find out for yourself,” Mia suggests.

“
Uh huh. That’s why we’re not telling you a thing either.” Maci says with a huge smile on her face. They band together thick as thieves in a river of pudding. If I didn’t know better, I’d think all three of them were playing cupid.

“
Well who says I care anyway?” I pass off like I could care less because really I could. Who cares if a beautiful girl is living in the home I had planned on sharing with Brennen one day? Who cares if she’s qualified or not? It’s dad’s ranch anyway. In three months, I’ll be back to swimming and studying and not much else for the next decade.

“
Um, you may care because she just took off on Clancy’s gelding, Night Fury.” Alarm bells ring in my head, and I turn to watch in horror as she leaps over a tall fence with our most valuable horse. I’m off the porch in seconds and running toward the fence line waving my hands like some kind of lunatic.

I hear the cackle of laughs from the porch as Cat cuts the horse sharply left and takes another leap back over the same fence coming straight towards me. She lands the large steed with ease and hops off just as I reach her, running at full speed. Night Fury bucks up, frightened my hasty approach, but settles once he recognizes me.

“Are you crazy? That horse is the only thing that’s going to save this sinking ship.” The horse jumps up again not liking my tone.

She eases back the reins and calms the horse with just a sleepy-eyed glance.  Once he’s settled, she turns back to me and tries the same look on me. I back away a good two feet as my lips form a hard line.

“If he is to be the best, he has to get trained by the best. And that training started two weeks ago while you were off cramming for finals.” It’s only then do I realize she has an Australian accent and it catches me off guard for a moment. How self-absorbed am I to miss that? She continues on her tangent.

“
He’s got the potential and the willingness. I only saddled him to get him used to the tack. He’s the one who took off toward the fence. I just got him over it. He’s as stubborn as his father, this one. If you don’t get him used to beginners training now, he’ll be just another flashy show pony for some spoiled brat to drain her daddy’s wallet with.”

“
And what makes you the best?”

Her eyes flash to the ground and back up to me filled with resolve.
“My resume is on file. Go look it up if you really want to know. I’ve got nothing to prove to anyone but the Lord above.”

Her accent is so adorable when she’s angry. The corners of my mouth pull up fighting for a chance at a smile.

“Well let’s see the damage you’ve done.”

She huffs out but keeps hold of the reins while I run my hands over the horse. He’s grown considerably since the last time I’ve seen him. It kind of bothers me that Brennen chose his name, and I try to shake her out of my thoughts yet again.

“We typically don’t saddle anything under three. You could have ruined him with that stunt.”

“
This ox could run clean through the wall of the barn and not get hurt.”

She’s probably right but I can’t seem to get enough of her angry Aussie accent. Her perfect little nose is all scrunched up, and she’s rocking back on her heels like she’s ready to lay into me. It reminds me of that little kitten in the old Looney Tunes cartoon that spits and hisses at the bulldog ten times his size, and I fight the urge to snicker.

“He probably took off because he heard me. I was there the night he was born, and he’s always had a bond with me.” 

“
Well, he needs to get bonded with me since I’ll be his trainer from now on. You need to steer clear of the stable, or your back porch for that matter.”

“
He knows the sound of my truck too. You want me to ride my bike into town?” She bites down on her lip and fights the urge to laugh.

“
I give up on you Samuel Montgomery. You’re a hopeless case.”

“
My mother was the last person who ever called me Samuel, and it was only when I was in deep shit.”

“
So I'm right on the money, you're saying?” She glances at me from the corner of her eyes and I go to refute her, but that look melts something in me. Instead, I follow behind like I'm her trained puppy. She goes to return the horse to its stall.  Clancy bobs his head up and down as soon as I walk inside letting out a barrage of snorts to get my attention. I grab a lead and take him out of the stall.

“
Has he been out today?”

“
No, I figured you’d want to ride him when you got home.”

I nod and take his tack out and ready him for a ride.
“Mind if I come along?” she asks. 

“
I suppose. I won’t be much company though.” This day has been lived in a fog along with the past few months. I can’t stop thinking about how she lied to me about Elijah. I’ve figured out that the first time she mentioned him was before our high school prom. She said he bought her the dress she wore that night. That night was so magical for us. I would have never guess she had someone on the side back then. That whole weekend I behaved like the perfect gentleman because I knew she wanted to wait until she was married to make love. Now, I’m still a virgin and waiting for marriage is not on my moral compass, far from it in fact.

I have entire boxes of condoms in my bag because half the swim team paid witness to my girlfriend cheating on me and the fight that ensued. The days that followed bared gifts of foil packets by the bucket full. Guys apparently only know of one way to mend a broken heart, and it doesn't involve a carton of Rocky Road. Maybe that is just what I need to get over her, but I could never bed some girl just for the sake of easing my loneliness. If so, I would’ve taken the chance with Payton a couple summer ago. She and I dated when I first moved to Virginia after she started coming to the stables for riding lessons. She was willing, but I didn’t want to be her first. I don’t think I want to be anybody’s first. That is way too much responsibility, except Brennen. She's the exception to the rule. I would have gladly been the forty year old virgin if she’d have me.

  “That’s all right by me. You’ve said more than enough to me for the day, hell the week for that matter.”

I tick my head back at her audacity. I hate to admit it, but I kind of like this girl.

Cat glides on a young bay horse like she is a professional – an athlete. I could see it in her posture the first second I met her. I wonder if she’s done the deed. She’s brazen and beautiful and at least close to my age if not a bit older.  My gaze begins to wander to her perfect bottom. I’m mesmerized by the steady rhythm of her butt coming off the saddle and back in.  Suddenly, I’m in real danger of pitching a tent right here in the saddle. Cat Emerson may be just what I need to dull this ache for the summer.

We ride to the very back of the property just as the sun is beginning to sink. It doesn't seem like we've been gone for nearly two hours. Part of me wishes we could keep going, but it's time to get back. If not, we’ll be wandering around in the dark, and Clancy turns into the biggest pussy after dark. Then again, after learning about the dark side, maybe he has a right to be. If it is true what Father Max says, and demons have possessed me for most of my life, then what else is out there? If demons are real, what other monsters lurk in the shadows?

  She follows behind me on the way back, probably still unsure of the way. I can feel her eyes on me, boring holes into the back of my head. I hope I wasn’t too hard on her. She probably thinks I’m a giant asshole now. I rub Clancy’s velvet smooth neck and hate that I miss this so much. I remember when my dad first put me on the back of a horse. My mom looked on, worried that I might get hurt, but Dad knew I would love to ride. Horses have always made me feel more at ease. Sometimes I'd go missing in the middle of the night, and they'd find me sleeping on a makeshift bed of horse blankets in the stall next to that old Chessy.