Page 17

Jacob set his hand on the horse's neck. "Those are my friends, Annie and Phoebe," he said to the horse. "Would you like to meet them?"

Freedom lowered his head and blew out through his nose.

Jacob nodded. "Annie, come on over."

Annie dropped Phoebe's hand and eased toward him. Phoebe tensed slightly as her daughter neared the enormous animal and held her little hand to his nose. Freedom wasn't wearing a halter, and he could trample her daughter in a split second if he bolted.

A part of Phoebe wanted to grab her daughter and pluck her out of the stall to keep her safe, but she made herself do nothing. The best thing she could do for Annie was to allow her to become brave, to believe in herself, to believe in her power. Which meant Phoebe had to turn off her mama bear and trust Jacob.

Annie patted Freedom's massive nose. "Like velvet," she whispered in awe. "Mommy. His nose is like velvet."

Freedom snorted again, but Annie didn't flinch. "I can see his ribs," she whispered.

Jacob nodded. "Freedom was owned by a man who didn't take care of him, so I brought him here."

Annie looked at Jacob. "Did you kill the man?"

Oh, God.

Jacob didn't flinch at the question. "No. I didn't. That's not my job. I took Freedom and gave him a home and love."

"Is the man going to come after him?"

Again, questions that hit too close to home for the six-year-old. Phoebe hated that Annie still had those fears. She'd have to work harder to help her feel safe.

"No," Jacob said. "I made sure of that. Freedom is safe here. This is his forever home."

Annie suddenly burst into tears and flung her arms around Freedom's neck. Jacob immediately put his hands on Freedom as well, soothing the horse so he didn't panic.

Phoebe didn't know what to do. She wanted to go over and hug her daughter, but something inside her told her to wait. To let Annie have this moment with Freedom.

Freedom turned his head and rested his chin on Annie's lower back, and the two of them stayed like that.

Jacob looked over at Phoebe, and he smiled.

That smile. Her belly fluttered. His smile was so endearing. So warm. So honest. She'd trust this man with her life. With Annie's. Which was good, since that's literally what she was doing, but still.

She'd never met a man like Jacob before.

He was a big man. He was rough and definitely tough. A history that wasn't roses and butterflies. A past that made him not like being around people. And yet, he'd unlocked something in her daughter that Phoebe hadn't been able to unlock herself.

She suddenly hoped that they had to stay here for at least a few days. Every moment here would be healing for Annie. She didn't want to go home yet, even if his home was as barren as he'd claimed.

Annie finally turned around, her cheeks streaked with tears. "What if he comes for Freedom?" she asked Phoebe. "Mommy. What if the man comes for Freedom and tries to take him back? He doesn't want to go back. He told me he wants to stay here."

Were those her daughter's words about herself? She didn't want to leave here either? Crap. Phoebe had to keep some kind of boundary up so that leaving here didn't wreck Annie. "This is Freedom's home," she said. "He won't have to leave."

"But what if the man makes him?"

"He can't," Jacob said. "I made sure of it. Freedom is mine by law, and I also have a lot of protection for all the animals on the property."

"What protection? I want to see."

Jacob glanced at Phoebe, but didn't offer to show Annie all his security systems. "Lots and lots. It's a very safe place. No one can get in or out without me knowing it and allowing it."

"No one?"

"No one. Every person and every animal on this property is safe and protected at all times." He said it seriously, meeting her daughter's eyes when he said it.