Page 97 of Finding His Redemption

Jax hopped off the rail and clicked his tongue softly. Echo’s ears perked up, her mismatched eyes finding him instantly. Thatwas new, too. The way she tracked him now, as if he were her true north.

“Come on, girl,” he murmured, and she trotted to his side, pressing against his leg. He rewarded her with a scratch behind the ear.

Jonah led them to the barn, boots crunching on gravel. “We’ll start with your girl, Lazy Susan. She’s getting new shoes today, so she’s already in the cross-ties.”

The barn smelled of sweet hay, leather, and the earthy musk of horses. Shafts of morning light cut through the dust motes floating in the air. Echo’s nails clicked on the concrete floor as she stayed glued to Jax’s side, her body tense but her tail giving a tentative wag.

Anson was at the far end, bent over Lazy Susan’s hoof. Bramble lay close by, as usual—wherever Anson went, he followed. The massive wolfhound was sprawled upside down in the straw, paws splayed wide, snoring loud enough to make his lips flap with each breath.

The sturdy buckskin mare stood patiently as Anson worked. The only sign she was paying attention to their approach was the flick of her tail. The farrier didn’t look up, either, just kept hammering with the same intense focus he brought to everything.

Echo stiffened when she saw the horse, ears going flat.

“It’s okay.” Jax crouched beside her. “Lazy Susan won’t hurt you. She’s a sweet old girl.”

Jonah leaned against a stall door. “The sweetest. Been here longer than most of the men.”

Jax straightened. “Can I bring her closer?” he asked Anson. “She’s curious about the horses.”

“Sure. I’m done here.” He dropped the hoof he was working on and straightened, wiping sweat off his brow with his arm. Hepatted the horse’s flank. “And Suzy’s a good one to introduce Echo to. She don’t startle. Not much bothers her.”

“So I’ve learned.” He guided Echo forward, taking each step carefully. The mare turned her head, dark eyes curious, and blew out a soft breath. Echo froze, then inched forward, nose working overtime. When she was close enough, Lazy Susan lowered her head, and Echo stretched her neck, their noses almost touching.

Jax’s eyes suddenly burned. From the hay and dust, he told himself. “Look at you, making friends.”

“She’s a natural,” Jonah said. “Want to meet the others?”

They made their way down the row of stalls, starting with Jonah’s horse, Sundance, a friendly Palomino Quarter Horse. Then X’s horse, Troubadour, a sleek black Arabian who knew he was beautiful, and tossed his head dramatically when they approached. He seemed to think he was too good for everyone, including Echo. But she didn’t care about the snub. She was too busy cataloging every scent, every sound.

But it was River’s chaotic horse, Tango, that really interested her. Echo took one look at him dancing in his stall, and her tail started wagging hard enough to wiggle her whole butt. She tapped her feet like she was copying him and made happy little whimpering sounds.

“Figures,” Jonah said with a laugh.

“She’s got good taste,” River said from behind them.

Jax turned to see him walking down the center aisle, that crooked grin plastered across his face. “Tango’s got the best personality in this whole place.”

“If by personality you mean complete inability to stand still,” Anson called from where he was packing up his tools. “I didn’t get a good look at his feet. Lila’s gonna have to dose him next time.”

Tango pulled his lips back and neighed as if in protest. Surprisingly, the burst of sound didn’t startle Echo. She barked back, and they all froze.

“Holy shit,” Jax breathed. The sound had come from somewhere deep in her chest, confident and clear. Not fearful. Not aggressive. Just... playful.

River laughed. “Looks like Tango’s got a girlfriend.”

Echo barked again, her tail a blur now. Tango tossed his head and pranced in his stall, clearly enjoying the attention.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Anson said, a quirk on his lips as he joined them. “She’s got something to say after all.”

Echo looked up at Jax, her mismatched eyes bright with what looked almost like pride, as if seeking his approval. He crouched down and rubbed her neck, his fingers finding that spot under her collar that made her lean into him.

“Good girl,” he murmured. “Finding your voice.”

Something about those words stuck in his throat.Finding your voice.Wasn’t that what he was trying to do, too? After years of silence, of burying everything so deep he sometimes forgot who he was beneath all that darkness?

Jonah cleared his throat. “Speaking of finding things, any word on that investigation? The guys find anything useful yet?”

Jax straightened up, his knees popping. “Ghost thinks he’s onto something with the phone records, but he’s still digging.”