Chapter 3 Get Your Head In The Game

The loud crack of the whip forced the reluctant grade horse to jerk forward. The stretched whining that followed indicated that the horse was highly offended by the whip.

"That's enough, dad. Are you trying to kill her?"

Orion Blackwood rushed forward, snatching the whip from his father's raised hand before he could land another thrash on the poor horse's back.

Drew Blackwood shifted backwards and studied his son through a pair of angry slits. "You're too soft, Orion. Why would we go easy on a horse that's trained for the tracks? What good is that going to do us?"

"Well, this is definitely not the way to train her, dad. You've got to follow them with ease, and you can still maintain firmness by doing that, and achieve your desired result."

Drew sighed and ran his hand over his face in frustration. "How are we going to win at the upcoming tournament if you keep this up?"

"Just let me handle this, dad. Leave Aria to me."

"I mean, there's a thousand better horses you can choose from. I don't understand why you keep insisting on a breed with unidentifiable roots. She's clearly a nuisance!"

Orion felt his blood boil at the statement, and he whirled to glare at his father, who had started to walk away.

"You shouldn't talk that way, dad. Aria shouldn't be treated any differently because she-"

"Save it, Orion. If she isn't making me any money, then she's a nuisance to me. Just so you know, we have to win the tournament. A lot of bets have been placed on us, and we're not about to lose a lot of money because you're being foolishly sympathetic towards a horse. Get your head in the game."

Orion stood there, seething, while he watched his father's retreating back. He'd never understood his father's hatred for this particular horse. Or was it his ambitious spirit? He couldn't tell.

Having lost all interest, he sighed and stomped his foot on the wet soil, kicking up dirt in the process. The grade horse, Aria, seemed frightened by the action, as she galloped backwards, whining.

"Sorry buddy, I guess that scared you," Orion apologized in a soft voice, stroking the thick mane that decorated the horse's neck.

"Do you want me to get that for you?"

Orion turned back to look at his personal assistant, Rusk, who had quietly crept up behind him.

"Nah, I've got this. I'll take her to the stables myself."

Rusk started to argue, but Orion cut him off before he could say anything. "Just... let me do it."

Rusk shrugged and followed closely behind as Orion led the horse to the stables. "Are you good?"

"Man, I hate all of this," Orion replied, shaking his head.

Orion Blackwood was the only son of Drew Blackwood, a Texan business tycoon who amassed great wealth right from the beginning of the contemporary era, and had only grown bigger and waxed stronger in the business world. He was a legit business person, they said.

But Orion had heard several stories about how his father had come about his wealth. The most consistent of them all was the one about Drew being the most recalcitrant street fighter of his time, and having been recruited as the personal bodyguard of the heir of the most popular drug cartel of his time, craftily fought his way to the top.

This was the story that Orion could easily believe, because he saw a hardened criminal underneath all that 'legitimate businessman' facade his father put up in public.

To rightly prove him right, his father had started a gambling business with a racing tournament in recent years. Typical of a criminal.

Now, he was expected to follow in his father's footsteps, as he was going to inherit everything the great Drew Blackwood ever owned, one day.

Casinos. Hotels. Luxury brands. Cryptocurrency hubs. Asset management companies.

Every single thing.

Orio wasn't the least interested in any of these, but he didn't have a choice.

Just as he took out an apple to feed Aria, his phone rang, jolting him out of his thoughts.

He ignored the call, thinking it was his secretary. He wasn't willing to entertain any work calls today. He'd made it clear to his secretary.

"Aria, I'm sorry about earlier. You shouldn't mind the old man, as he's just being grumpy," Orion said to the horse, stroking her mane as she ate the apple out of his hand. "Old men are usually grumpy, so I hope you understand," he added, a smirk on his face.

The phone rang again, and Orion rolled his eyes. Why couldn't they just let him be?

He took out the phone from his back pocket and looked at the caller ID. His brows furrowed into a frown as he saw who was calling, and he signaled to Rusk, who was standing aside and eyeing him suspiciously. "Here, make sure she finishes this, and feed her another when she's done eating," he instructed, handing the apple over to him.

"What's up mate," he said into the phone as he picked up the call.

"Orion, man, it's time."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Zander," Orion replied, totally confused.

"Ugh man, don't tell me you've forgotten what we discussed already."

"It wouldn't be bad if you gave me a recap, you know." He could hear Zander's sigh of frustration from the other end of the line, and he wondered what it was that was putting Zander Raven, the indomitable Zander Raven, on edge.

"Talk to me, man," Orion probed.

"It's about my wife, Lyra."

Orion flinched at the mention of Lyra Raven, and he was offended that just the sound of her name could still get a reaction out of him. "What about her?" Orion queried in the most nonchalant voice possible.

"What do you mean, 'what about her'? We discussed something concerning her, remember?"

"Remind me, Zander."

"You promised to do me that favor, Orion. Don't feign ignorance now, dude. Don't pull that on me."

"Hold up, a favor?"

"Yes, Orion. I'm finally getting a divorce, so I guess I don't have to remind you what that favor is."

Orion cursed under his breath as he grasped what Zander was talking about.

How could he forget?