Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 629

Seth Sawyer was still grinning, playfully tugging the rabbit away from Nora Reed, when he caught Scarlett Sawyer raising the gun out of the corner of his eye. His smile vanished instantly.

"Scarlett! What the hell are you doing?!"

But before he could finish, a deafening crack shattered the tranquility of the valley, sending a flock of birds scattering into the sky.

The bullet didn't hit Nora, but it struck the dirt mere inches from her mare's front hooves, sending a shower of mud and gravel into the air.

The horse panicked. It reared up, its front legs kicking wildly as it let out a piercing whinny.

Nora felt the world drop out from under her. The violent jolt threw her forward, and she instinctively death-gripped the reins. The rough rope bit into her skin, burning her fingers, but she didn't dare let go.

The mare was completely out of control now, tearing off into the dense woods. Low-hanging branches whipped against Nora's face and arms, leaving a stinging, fiery trail of pain.

"Nora!" Seth's panicked shout was half-swallowed by the wind. He tried to wheel his horse around to give chase, but the gunshot had spooked his mount too. It spun in agitated circles, refusing to obey.

In the blink of an eye, Nora had vanished into the treeline.

"Are you out of your goddamn mind?" Seth screamed, glaring at Scarlett. "You don't point a loaded weapon at people! Did you learn absolutely nothing in your hunting lessons?"

Scarlett's face drained of color, then flushed an angry red. "I... I didn't do it on purpose! It's an old gun, it probably just misfired! How is this my fault?"

"You..."

Before Seth could tear into her again, a blur of motion darted past them.

Scarlett instinctively turned her head, but before she could even register who it was, someone grabbed her arm and violently yanked her off her horse. She hit the dirt hard, choking on mud.

Olive O'Neil didn't even waste a second glancing down at her. She snatched the reins of Scarlett's horse, swung herself into the saddle, and tore off in the direction Nora had gone.

...

Meanwhile, Nora was holding on for dear life. Her body violently pitched and rolled with the horse's erratic galloping. The trees blurred past her in a dizzying rush, and the only things she could hear were the roaring wind and her own frantic heartbeat.

She had no idea how far the mare had run. All she knew was that the trail was getting narrower and steeper. Branches violently lashed against her cheeks, scraping her skin raw.

But she held on. If she let go now, she'd break her legs, or worse.

Suddenly, a figure burst out from the trees to her right. Moving with terrifying speed, the person vaulted directly into the frantic horse's path.

Before Nora could even process who it was, the man leaped up, his hands clamping down on the horse's bridle with absolute precision. Using his own momentum, he yanked the beast's head down with brute force.

The mare stumbled forward a few more steps, fighting the drag, before its hooves finally dug into the decaying leaves. Snorting heavily, it came to a trembling halt.

Nora's heart hammered against her ribs like a jackhammer. It took her several long seconds to catch her breath and look down at her savior.

"...River?"

River Sterling released the bridle, his tone laced with concern. "Nora, are you okay?"

Nora shook her head, trying to clear it. She leaned her weight into the stirrup to dismount, but the moment her foot touched the ground, a sharp, throbbing pain shot up her ankle. She gasped, staggering back.

"Don't move." River glanced down at her ankle, which was already beginning to swell. "It's sprained. You can't walk on that. We need to get you back and treat it."

Nora pressed her lips together, about to decline, but River was already crouching in front of her, offering his back.

"Climb on. I'll carry you back."

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