Sarah.

His heart stopped. He had no idea if she was alive. The devastating thought made his heart pound so hard and fast, he couldn’t catch his breath. He needed to get to her.

Since Ace wouldn’t let him pass, he stopped in his tracks, thinking about the best way to get to her through the horses.

“Did anyone see her get trampled?” Luke held on to his control by a thin thread.

“I don’t think she’s injured,” Jerry called out. “We just can’t figure out what she’s doing out here.”

So far, she hadn’t responded to any of the noise around her. Terribly pale, she didn’t move, but he caught the slight rise and fall of her chest.

“I don’t think she’s hurt,” Jerry called again.

Saying it didn’t make it true.

Luke was about to lose it. He’d never lost control in any situation, but seeing Sarah lying limp on the ground nearly did him in. Sarah needed help, but if Luke didn’t keep a rein on his emotions, he was going to make things worse.

Luke ran a shaking hand through his hair and kept his eyes on Sarah. He took a deep breath and approached Ace, standing a few feet in front of him with Sarah a good ten feet behind her guard horse.

He reached up and stroked Ace and gave him some soothing words. As he stroked Ace, he moved with him closer and closer to Sarah. Although he was talking to Ace and running his hands down his long neck, he kept his gaze on her.

Her arms lay on the grass above her head and her knees were bent and laying to her left. Her long dark hair spread about her head and arms. She looked peaceful, but for the exhaustion etched on her face.

She wore a white tank top and blue plaid flannel shorts. There didn’t appear to be any dirt on her clothes, or her bare legs, so he assumed she hadn’t been trampled. God, he hoped she was all right.

He hadn’t seen her since he’d yelled at her in the training ring, but he hadn’t really stopped thinking about her either.

The closer he got the more worried he became and the knot in his stomach wouldn’t let up. He couldn’t remember ever being this scared, not knowing if she was okay.

What would he tell her boys?

The thought squeezed his heart.

About five feet from her now, Ace stood still right beside him, trying to keep Luke away. Luke wasn’t having any of it and kept walking, using his weight and strength to finally push Ace off to the side.

Finally close enough, he fell to his knees beside her. Ace nudged at her legs with his nose and Luke swatted his big head away. With one shaking hand, he brushed a strand of hair from her cheek and said her name as a fractured, ragged whisper. He laid his palm on her forehead. So cold, goose bumps covered her arms and legs. He wanted to take her in his arms, warm her soft skin, and hold her, safe and protected.