Forbidden Temptation My Mafia Fiance's Alpha Father (Brooklyn and Aden) novel Chapter 44

Chapter 44
Brooklyn

Aden may be the Mafia King with Alpha blood, but when he sees tears streaming down my face, he is at a loss.

After clearing his throat uncomfortably, he nods to the stable hand, who quickly disappears.

Then, keeping his face calm, he joins me in the stall.

He, too, raises a hand for the horse to inspect before stroking the animal’s nose.

“Who knew,” he says, looking at the horse. “Here I was trying to cheer you up, and all I’ve done is make you cry.” His mouth quirks as he looks at me. “Guess I’ll have to send him back to where he came from.”

“Don’t you dare,” I growl at him, giving him a little shove away from my horse.

My horse.

I bite my lip. “Really? He’s mine?”

Aden shrugs. “This is my stable, and it’s full of horses. What’s the harm in you having just one?”

“And I can come and see him?” I ask, desperate for it, hungry with anticipation.

“Under guard.” He looks at me seriously. “You can come every day, if you want.”

A smile spreads over my face and, without thinking, I move to throw my arms around his neck.

Aiden stiffens, stepping back, and I regain my sanity, stepping back to my rightful place.

“Why?” I ask. “Why did you do this for me?”

Aden leans back against the low wall. “Because I could tell you were miserable, Brooklyn. You might not believe it, but I don’t take pleasure singularly in making people unhappy. I want you to be safe, for Hudson’s sake, as his future bride.”

He watches me carefully. “There’s no reason you should be so sad about this life.”

I look down at the floor of the stall. I wasn’t aware that his perception ran so deep.

“Also,” he says, standing up straight again and putting a finger under my chin to lift my face up. “You’ve been a good girl, Brooklyn. I have noticed. No more illicit trips to the basement, no more obstinate disobedience.” He cocks an eyebrow. “Or at least, not much.”

I keep my face expressionless, not wanting to tell him that I wasn’t being good for his sake. There hadn’t been a lot of opportunity for rebellion in the last few weeks.

Or I might have taken it, for the sake of variety.

“When those in my care are good,” he says carefully, studying my face closely, “they get presents. When they are bad, they get punished.”

He lowers his face, bringing it closer to mine. Suddenly, this stall feels more like a mouse hole.

My gaze shifts to his mouth, watching it form his words. “I’d recommend,” he says softly, “that you stay on my good side. Then you can have more rewards.”

A chill runs down my spine, and a darker part of me—one that hasn’t raised its head for a while—wonders which one, really, I want more.

The horse neighs softly, nudging at the pocket of Aden’s coat.

Aden turns his attention away from me. “All right, boy, you’ve found me out,” he says, reaching into the pocket and producing two sugar cubes.