Chapter 58

“You’re shameless! Can’t ride, yet you linger. Enough photos? Scram!” Alexis snapped, her irritation a thinly veiled performance for Marissa.

“Just leave,” Marissa added smoothly, her voice gentle but firm. “We’ve ridden since we were kids. High speed’s dangerous for you.”

Paisley glanced at Alexis, then at Marissa, before summoning Maria. Serena was carefully lifted from the horse and into Maria’s arms.

Marissa breathed a sigh of relief. Good, she’s finally leaving. Smart move. Her polite suggestions had been a test for Dominick, but he, and Grayson, remained silent. Their indifference emboldened her to push harder, maintaining her air of polite dismissal.

Then, unexpectedly, Paisley spoke. “Ms. Prescott’s right. Best rider stays. Competition?”

Marissa’s eyebrow arched. A smirk played on her lips. “Serious? You want to compete with me?”

Laughter erupted. Everyone knew Marissa’s coach was Yohan. Paisley? She was notorious for her snail-like pace. The suggestion was absurd.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Alexis scoffed, disdain dripping from her voice.

Alexis, though not from the same elite circles as Marissa or Dominick, carried significant weight in their social sphere. She, and everyone present, felt entitled to dismiss Paisley entirely.

“Leave, I’m not competing,” Marissa sighed, a perfectly crafted show of benevolent forbearance.

Alexis’s patience snapped. She raised her riding crop, aiming it at Paisley’s horse. The message was clear: Leave, or else.

Paisley’s eyes narrowed. She intercepted the crop. “That’s incredibly rude.”

“Manners?” Alexis spat, fury contorting her face. “You trespassed! That’s manners?”

Alexis lunged for the crop. Paisley released it. The sudden movement sent Alexis tumbling backward, landing hard.

“How dare you?” Alexis roared, crimson-faced.

Ignoring her, Paisley turned to Marissa. “Scared?”

Paisley had always found Marissa unbearable. Now, she agreed with Emery’s assessment: bitch. She didn’t care about Dominick or Grayson, yet Marissa persisted, her presence an irritating intrusion. She and Dominick are perfect—a bitch and a jerk.