Page 15

15

MIKA

“ D on’t you think you owe Ana an apology for treating your promise so carelessly?” Nikolai suggests.

“I assure you, it was for the best.” Alfie looks tense as he focuses his attention on the young woman who might just be the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen.

I can’t help wondering how he could possibly be interested in me when that’s who he was supposed to be marrying, and I hardly hear Alfie’s words over the ringing in my ears. My head is spinning with the avalanche of information that just plowed into me. Is it hot in here, or is that just me? I’m suddenly finding it hard to breathe.

Alfie called off his wedding? A week before it was supposed to happen? I can hardly fathom why he would do such a thing as I take in the woman he rejected. She’s beyond stunning—and she would match him perfectly. With her wide-brimmed derby hat and her flattering designer dress that’s probably worth a month of my salary, she’s a fashion queen—and he’s the king.

They would make the most beautiful babies, I think, and immediately recognize the absurdity of my observation. Heat pools in my cheeks at the completely inappropriate thought .

That’s when it hit me that this man, Nikolai, just introduced her to Alfie.

Alfie never even met the woman he was supposed to marry? How did he propose? My stomach knots as I realize it must have been some kind of arrangement between Alfie and Ana’s father. Knock me over with a feather—what sort of alternate universe did I wake up in this morning?

Tense silence thickens the air, making my pulse quicken. The Russians—who I recall Francisco warning me adamantly not to piss off—look anything but pleased by Alfie’s response. I get the feeling they wouldn’t be happy with him no matter what right now.

Not that I can say I blame them. Generally, it’s considered bad form to break off an engagement a week before the wedding. Then again, in this day and age, I was under the impression that most grooms meet their brides long before the special day and get to know them before proposing marriage, so I’m clearly out of my depth here.

As if hearing the direction of my thoughts, the breathtaking young, jilted bride turns her sharp blue eyes on me. A cold shiver runs up my spine at the cutting assessment in her gaze. Beside me, Fate dances nervously, picking up on my energy as she grows uncharacteristically anxious.

“You and my former fiancé seemed rather close in the victory circle,” Ana Kapranov observes, her voice as poised and unwelcoming as her demeanor. She looks me up and down as if to get the measure of me, and she seems to find me rather disappointing. “Remind me, Papa, didn’t you say Mr. Bonetti bought his new stables just over a week ago? Perhaps his new trainer is the reason I’m no longer worth marrying.”

My stomach plummets as she cuts right to the heart of the matter, and I wonder how accurate her speculation might be. The last time I saw Alfie, he left no room for misunderstanding about his desire for me. He couldn’t possibly have broken off his engagement over it, could he? All because I told him I wouldn’t be his mistress? The notion is so far-fetched, I’m confident that’s not the case.

But Nikolia doesn’t seem to draw the same conclusion as his violent gaze rips me apart once again. His lips curl slowly into a wicked grin. “If a horse trainer is all that’s standing in the way of our agreement, she can be easily taken care of,” he observes, his slow drawl raising goosebumps across my flesh.

I get the sense that this man could make the gossip about Alfie sound like child’s play. A cold sweat breaks out on the back of my neck, and suddenly, I’m as desperate to get the hell out of this alleyway as Fate.

Alfie steps in front of me as if to physically shield me from Nikolai’s terrifying gaze. “I’ll break your fingers one by one if you even think about touching Mika,” he says coolly, his voice as calm and steady as ripples on a still lake.

The way he says my name makes my heart do a strange somersault. It shouldn’t affect me nearly as much as it does, but it sounds incredibly intimate. Based on Nikolai’s expression, I get the feeling he picked up on it as well. The towering Russian huffs, and I catch the cold smirk that spreads across the younger man’s face on Ana’s other side.

“We’ll just see about that,” Nikolai says coldly. He and his men turn as one and sweep back down the alley toward the grandstand.

A violent shiver racks my body as I stare after the terrifying men. In my life, I’ve faced powerful men who don’t mind throwing their considerable weight around to get what they want. I’ve been threatened for standing up against them and fired over advocating for the animals I care for. However, I have never wondered if my life could be in danger before, but when Nikolai Kapranov said I could be “taken care of,” I’m certain he didn’t mean he could find me a job far from Alfie’s proximity.

Around me, Alfie and his contingent of Men in Black—or so I’ve dubbed his security—jump into action. Their circle around us closes in as they reach into their suit jackets for what I can only assume are weapons they’re not supposed to have on the racetrack. It sends a fresh wave of adrenaline rushing through my veins, making my hands shake, and I shove them in my pockets to hide the involuntary response.

“Marco, take the chopper and half the men. Get Nina home. Now. We’ve pressed our luck enough for one day, and I want her safe.” Alfie’s tone is sharp with authority and almost intimidating in its severity. “Double the guards around the estate. Then send men to the stable. The Kapranovs could target it to make a point. Call and confirm once reinforcements are in place, and don’t let Nina out of your sight.”

I recognize Marco as one of the guards who is always with Alfie as he nods curtly. He gestures for several of the men to close ranks around Alfie’s sister. As they do so, her hazel eyes grow round, and her fingers flash in agitated conversation with her brother. Alfie responds just as quickly, then he reaches up to cradle her jaw with one hand. The gesture is so tender, it wrenches my heart, and I feel awkwardly out of place, as if I’m intruding on an intimate moment.

Before I can look away, I catch the shimmer of unshed tears in Nina’s eyes, and she throws her arms around her brother’s waist, burying her face against his chest. His eyes meet mine over her head. He looks deeply troubled for once, his lips pressing into a thin line as he wraps his arms around her shoulders and gives her a tight squeeze. I don’t know why, but it fills me with the sudden urge to cry. I swallow hard, averting my eyes to give them a moment of privacy. Then Nina’s gone, barely visible at the center of her towering circle of guards as they rush her quickly toward the waiting helicopter.

“Let’s go,” Alfie commands, his flat tone leaving no room for discussion. Gripping my upper arm, he keeps me close to his side as his remaining men close in around us.

My palms are sweaty as I take Fate’s reins to guide her, and she bounces nervously beside me. Piper, still perched in her saddle, looks anxious, and she hops down as soon as we get back to our row of stalls. The tense silence seems to alert the grooms that something’s wrong, and they pause, the celebration of Fate’s win all but forgotten.

“Pack it up,” Alfie says, raising his voice to address everyone. “I want us out of here within the hour.”

“What?” I demand, stopping in my tracks and pulling my arm from his grasp .

Hector and Piper keep moving, taking Fate to the grooming stall to unsaddle her and rub her down, but I turn to face Alfie.

“We’re leaving,” he states—another command.

Considering the underlying tension in his exchange with Nikolai, I can see why Alfie would be on edge, but leaving? That seems like a bit of an overreaction when we’re in such a public place—and the races are just getting started. “We can’t just pick up and go. We’re supposed to be here for two more days. We have several more horses that still have to run today ,” I insist.

"It's not worth the exposure after the threat the Russians just made.”

The grooms who hadn’t been a part of the procession from the race track pause, their interest suddenly piqued. They don’t stop packing completely, but their nervous glances increase the building tension. Tingling fear trickles into my belly, but my frustration flares up, overwhelming the warning instinct because, once again, Alfie and his world are getting in the way of my methodical training.

“These are young horses,” I argue, jabbing my finger toward the stalls where the rest of our Thoroughbreds wait. “They need every opportunity they can get to acclimate to the track while they’re at an optimal age. Do you have any idea how much it would cost us to just up and leave?”

“I don’t care about the fucking money,” he growls.

“I’m not talking about money!” I insist, my voice rising. “You hired me to train these horses to race, and if we walk away now, we could miss that perfect window to spark their competitive drive. You think you can just waltz in here and know what’s best, but you don’t know anything about horses. You said you would let me decide what’s best for the animals, and as soon as it no longer suits you, you just take control and tell me how it’s going to be.”

Alfie’s eyes flash dangerously, and a tendon pops along his jaw as he clenches his teeth. Glancing up and down the alley, as if to see who might be listening, he grabs my upper arm once again. It’s not a painful grip, but it’s firm enough that I can’t just pull away as he hauls me toward the tack room we’ve been assigned for the duration of the races. Rather than make a scene, I keep pace with his long stride as I brace for the coming argument. I won’t back down. This weekend is important, and if we leave now, we’ll be giving up critical experience that some of the younger horses might never have the opportunity for again. I don’t want to completely derail their progress over some stupid confrontation. Sure, Nikolai threatened me, but it’s not like he can actually do anything to me—not here, not now. Even if he’s some hotshot head of the Russian mafia, he wouldn’t dare come after me in such a public place.

Alfie glances down the alley once more to ensure no one’s watching us, and while the grooms studiously keep their eyes fixed on their tasks, I know they’re paying close attention to the argument. Alfie’s men keep their distance, though they man each of the entrances to our designated area.

My stomach lurches nervously as Alfie pulls me into the tack room and shuts the door behind us, leaving us completely alone. Francisco’s snide comment about what Alfie and I do behind closed doors leaps to the front of my mind. My heart flutters, and my stomach knots with shame as my body responds enthusiastically to Alfie’s sudden proximity. This is a small room—barely bigger than the average size of a changing room—and I’m intensely aware of how close we have to stand, how high I have to lift my gaze to meet his.

“Listen, Alfie—” I use his first name, hoping it will help persuade him, but he doesn’t let me finish.

I realize a second too late that the fire in his eyes isn’t anger. He steps forward, invading my very limited amount of personal space as he forces me to take a step back. I gasp, the breath leaving my lungs in a rush as my shoulder blades hit the tack room wall. Before I can think to move, Alfie pins me in place, his hips aligning with mine, his powerful arms caging me against his muscular chest. One strong hand curves around the back of my neck as his thumb tilts my jaw up—and then his lips seal against mine.

Heat radiates from my core, sending waves of tingling anticipation through my veins. The air fills with an electric charge, as if moments from a lightning strike, and the hair on my arms stands on end. His kiss is passionate, filled with desperation as he claims my mouth. It’s as if he’s been trapped beneath the water’s surface, suffocating all this time, and I’m the only one who can provide him oxygen. I don’t know what to say—what to think. I was so ready for a fight that my muscles stay rigid, my fingers fisting around the lapels of his suit jacket. Intense desire wipes my mind blank, and for a moment, all I can do is succumb to the throbbing ache building in my core. When Alfie breaks our spine-tingling kiss, I’m out of breath.

My mind is in shambles as I try to make sense of what just happened, and I search his blazing hazel eyes for an explanation. My heart hammers against my ribs, counting the seconds.

“You belong to me now, Mika,” he breathes, his deep voice so dark and possessive it sends the butterflies in my stomach into a frenzy. “I refuse to risk your life over a few meaningless races. There will always be more.”

My lips part, but no sound comes out. I don’t know what to say. Our staggered breaths mingle as Alfie keeps me trapped against the tack room wall, his body pressed against mine so I can feel every last rock-hard inch of his cock. My body throbs with treacherous desire. His words echo through the haze of my attraction, and my eyes narrow as their meaning finally hits home.

“Belong to you?” I hiss. “I don’t belong to anyone. I’m not a horse you can buy or sell on a whim.” Heat flashes across my skin as insult overcomes my instinctive arousal.

Alfie’s eyes hold mine, his expression burning with an intensity that frightens me. The authority that radiates from him now is what makes men follow his orders without question, and if I weren’t so hell-bent on standing my ground, I could easily forget why I’m arguing. He presses the pad of his thumb against my lips with surprising tenderness, silencing me as my heart races.

“Damn it, Mika. That’s not what I mean,” he rasps, frustration coloring his tone. “I want you. Fuck, I called off my wedding for you. You’re all I want, and I knew it the moment I met you. I bought the whole damn barn to be near you. That means you’re under my protection now, and I take that responsibility very seriously. ”

“Because I work for you?” My voice is breathless, my pulse fluttering at his shocking confession. I wondered what could drive Alfie to such an extreme when I found out he broke off his engagement, but I didn’t think his desire for me could be the answer. He seemed so ready to make me a meaningless fling, but if he’s done all this to be with me, that can’t be all he wants. Could it? No man would buy a racing stable and end his engagement for a one-time fuck.

“Not just because you’re my employee,” he says softly.

“Then why?” I murmur.

“You don’t know?” he retorts impatiently, his frustration escalating. “You’re all I can think about. I’ve never met a woman so real and passionate and captivating.” He pauses, his eyes closing momentarily as he swallows hard. When he opens them again, they blaze with new ferocity, a passion so intense it threatens to swallow me whole.

It feels as though a magnetic pull keeps drawing us together with unstoppable force, tempting me to forget all the reasons I shouldn’t want Alfie. The silence is tangible, the air sharp with unspoken desire, and my anger evaporates in the wake of his almost romantic confession. I don’t know what to say. Alfie doesn’t just want me. He sees me. He hears me. He broke an alliance with a very dangerous family to be with me. I shouldn’t like that, but a small part of me that I can barely allow myself to acknowledge does .

I’ve never wanted Alfie so badly.

He leans in slowly, his eyes holding mine until the last moment, then he captures my lips once again. The touch unleashes all my pent-up desire, flooding my body with heat.