Forbidden Temptation My Mafia Fiance's Alpha Father

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 joinsin 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 cfrom." "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 cand see him?" I ask, desperate for it, hungry with anticipation.

"Under guard." He looks atseriously. "You can cevery 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 watchescarefully. "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 ofone 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 foundout," he says, reaching into the pocket and producing two sugar cubes.

He holds them out to the horse, who eats them eagerly from his palm.

Then, Aden produces two more sugar cubes and hands them to me. "To get your friendship off right." Aden takes a few steps back as I feed the horse, enjoying the feel of his coarse mouth hairs against my palm.

When he's finished eating, I go back to petting him, marveling at this beautiful creature. I can't believe that he's mine.

"What will you nhim?" Aden asks, still watchingfrom the doorway.

"Hmm," I say, considering it, looking at the horse.

Then, I decide. "Heathcliff." Aden givesa look.

"What? You don't like it?" "Such an ugly name," he says, but there's no real bite in his words, "for such a beautiful horse. Why did you pick that?" "Because," I say, turning to Heathcliff and smiling lovingly into his face. "Whatever souls are made of, his and mine are the same." I brush his forelock away from his rich brown eyes. As if he understands me, Heathcliff presses his nose to my chest.

A beat passes.

"Well well," Aden says slowly. I expect him to tease me, but he doesn't.

The young lady has read her Bronte, at least. Though I do wonder if such a great passion is a bit wasted on a horse."

I blink at him, shocked that he understood my reference. twouldn't have thought Wuthering Heights was En on the reading list for the Mafia King. Then, I speak without thinking. "Well, I suppose that until a greater passion reveals itself, I will spend all my love on him." Aden lifts himself from the wall, standing solidly in the stable doorway with his arms crossed.

"I wonder what my son would say to that," he says, low and soft.

I blink at him, panicking as I realize my mistake.

I have just tacitly admitted that there is no passion betweenand Hudson.

Neither of us say a word for minute, but then Aden turns away.

"Come," he says, looking back towards the parking lot. "That's can enough for nowe you m can cback in the morning. We'll see whether or not you can ride." I take a quick moment to lay a kiss in right in the middle of Heathcliff's forehead.

"I'll be back soon," I whisper to him. "I'll bring you apples." He knickers in friendly response as I bolt the stable door and hurry after Aden.

Back in the car, I stare at the barn until it fades from my sight. Then, I turn forward, steeling myself for the return to Aden's world.

Because tonight, I know, he and my father have arranged something else for me.

Perhaps the horse was just a way to geton Aden's good side before the real trial.