Fall For My Ex's Mafia Father novel Chapter 39

A smile spreads over my face and I resist the urge to throw my arms around him, so thrilled am I. But, I have more questions.

“Why?” I ask, a little breathless now. “Why did you do this for me?”

Kent leans back against the low wall. “Because I could tell you were miserable, Fay. You might not believe it, but I don’t take pleasure singularly in making people unhappy. I want you to be safe, for Daniel’s sake, as his future bride,” he looks at me carefully, “but there’s no reason you should be so sad about this life.”

I look down at the floor of the stall. Have I been that obvious? I knew that he noticed, but 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 have been a good girl, Fay. I have noticed. No more illicit trips to the basement, no more obstinate disobedience.” He smirks, then. “Or at least, not much.”

I keep my face expressionless, not really wanting to tell him that I wasn’t being good for his sake. There just 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.

My gaze shifts to his mouth, watching it form his words. “I’d recommend, Fay,” 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 awhile – wonders which one, really, I want more.

The horse nickers softly, nudging at the pocket of Kent’s coat. Kent turns his attention away from me, chuckling. “All right, boy, you’ve found me out,” 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, Kent produces two more sugar cubes and hands them to me. “To get your friendship off right.”

Kent takes a few steps back as I feed the horse, enjoying the feel of his coarse little 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.

A few minutes pass in silence as Kent lets me get to know my new friend. Then, I hear his voice again.

“What will you name him?” Kent asks, still watching me from the doorway.