Fall For My Ex's Mafia Father novel Chapter 57

Last night, in the car, seeing Fay shake like that – the shock, the trauma in every muscle – it was one of the worst feelings of his life. He frowns, thinking of it now, of his extreme reaction to Fay’s physical danger.

He’s a mafia boss, for heaven’s sake, Kent tells himself. It’s not like he hasn’t lost people to this business before, hasn’t put his loved ones on the line on an almost-daily basis. So what was it about this girl that made him absolutely horrified at the thought of her in danger?

Kent grits his teeth, uncomfortable with the potential answers to this question. He knows that he wants her on a physical level – god, every day he’s confronted with that horrible fact. But this other feeling, this…protectiveness. He shakes his head, unwilling to delve into it just yet.

Instead, Kent stands up straight from his spot at the stall door and walks towards the riding rink.

The lesson is coming to a close, the instructor talking eagerly to Fay, who smiles down at him from her place on the gelding’s back. When Kent comes to lean against the rink’s fence, the trainer gives him a warm smile.

“She’s a natural!” the trainer says, resting a comfortable hand on Fay’s knee. Kent glares at the touch and the trainer, grimacing a little, quickly removes his hand. Fay doesn’t notice.

“See!” she says to Kent, laughing. “I told you I had a natural seat!”

“I didn’t doubt you for a minute,” he says simply, giving the trainer a stern look. Knowing his boss, the trainer says a gracious goodbye to Fay, promising to see her again next time, and then heads back to the barn.

“He’s really nice,” Fay says, nudging her horse so that he walks over to Kent.

“You just like anyone who gives you compliments,” Kent jokes, reaching out a hand to stroke Heathcliff’s neck.

Fay’s eyebrows raise, almost disappearing beneath her helmet. “A joke!” she laughs. “Kent Lippert made a joke!”

He laughs with her, perhaps a little surprised himself. “Don’t get used to it,” he says quietly. “It’s not a common occurrence.”

“No kidding,” she says in response, smiling indulgently at him.