The Girl They Ignored Returned as the Woman Seven Men Would Die For novel Chapter 78

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Lucas took a sharp breath, his lazy, dark eyes instantly narrowing into a dangerous glare.

In the blink of an eye, his right hand shot out, catching the dangling leather reins beneath the beast's jaw.

Before the hooves could come crashing down, he yanked the reins with brutal force, wrenching the horse's head to the side. At the exact same moment, his other arm locked tightly around its thick neck. Gripping the coarse mane, he used the momentum to swing his leg up and vault flawlessly onto its back.

The maneuver demanded terrifying reflexes and an intimate understanding of a horse's instincts.

Fortunately, Lucas had practically grown up in the saddle, riding since he was twelve.

Despite the deadly stakes, he executed the entire sequence with fluid, lightning-fast precision, securing his seat just as the front hooves slammed onto the wood.

But his body hadn't fully healed.

Under the adrenaline surge, the violent, explosive movement forced him to recruit every muscle in his core, viciously tearing at the surgical incisions over his ribs.

Agony flared through him, making his expression twist violently.

The red stallion's frenzy was far from over.

It violently changed direction, bolting off the stands and tearing back onto the riding track, bucking violently in desperate attempts to throw Lucas off.

Fighting through the blinding pain, Lucas clamped his legs tight and locked his arms around the beast's neck. Once the initial shock of agony ebbed, he wrapped the reins around his palm a few times and violently hauled back—

The horse reared high into the air, letting out a long, piercing cry, before spinning tightly in circles. Finally, under Lucas's iron grip, it slowly began to calm down.

Even then, it continued to stamp its hooves restlessly, fully agitated.

By now, Seraphina had managed to flag down the stable hand from the office, and the two of them sprinted frantically toward him.

The worker rushed to secure the reins, allowing Lucas to finally dismount. He stood there, pressing a heavy hand against his bandaged ribs, his face deathly pale and furious.