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The truck jerked again.
“This isn’t right.” Londyn brought the truck to a stop, shifted into park and pushed open her door.
A loud bang sounded from the trailer, and it rocked on its wheels.
“It’s Butterscotch,” Londyn said and ran to the rear of the trailer.
The mare let out a startling scream that curdled Nash’s blood. The trailer shook violently as the animal inside slammed its hooves against the inside walls.
Londyn unhooked the latch.
“Wait,” Nash said. “She’s upset. You open that door, and there’s no telling what she’ll do.”
Londyn hesitated.
Butterscotch kicked the walls again and screamed like nothing Nash had ever heard before.
“At the rate she’d going, if I don’t open the door and bring her out, she’ll kill herself.” Londyn yanked open the heavy metal door.
Nash grabbed Londyn and pulled her back behind the door as Butterscotch leaped through for the opening.
Her lead stopped her at first.
Her eyes were wide, and she was foaming at the mouth, lunging and fighting against her tether.
The metal loop on the trailer wall where her rope was attached snapped.
The buckskin leaped out the door.
“Butterscotch!” Londyn pushed free of Nash and dove for the lead.
The mare reared, her hooves coming so close to Londyn.
Nash’s heart leaped into his throat. He grabbed her around her waist and hauled her back against him.
The mare came down on all fours and took off like her tail was on fire, bucking and kicking as she raced across the prairie.
“No!” Londyn fought her way free of Nash’s rip. “Butterscotch!” She ran after the horse.
Nash followed. Though pain shot through his knee, he kept going, cursing the injury that had ended his Army career. He didn’t catch up with Londyn until she’d gone nearly a hundred yards.
By then, the mare had disappeared into a dusty haze.
Londyn slowed to a stop, breathing hard. She bent at the waist and braced her hands on her knees. “Have to...find her.” She shook her head. “She’s never... run free. She won’t...survive...on... her own.”
She dragged in a ragged breath and started running again.
Nash didn’t let her get too far this time. Reaching out to grab her arm, he pulled her to a stop.
“Let go of me,” she cried, tears running down her cheeks. “I...have to...find her.”
Nash pulled her into his arms and held her. “We will. But we can’t do it on foot. We’ll need help.”
“She doesn’t know...how to survive...in the wild.” Londyn buried her face against his chest. “She’ll die.”
“No. She won’t,” Nash insisted. “We’ll find her.”
Her fingers curled into his shirt, and she looked up into his eyes. “Promise?”
