Page 86 of She Belongs to Me

The horse was a huge gamble, but I wanted to make Alexandra smile. God knew she deserved something to be happy about.

I’d been lucky given the quick timing, finding the perfect horse for her. I only hoped the adventure wouldn’t put a rift between us. She was still shaking. I hated that for her. I only hoped her love of horses outweighed the fear wrapped around her like a tight blanket.

“You can ask me anything,” I told her. She’d caught me in a stymied place before. I wasn’t good at small talk. That’s why suffering through my sister’s dinner parties usually drove me crazy. Leaving her was my usual behavior, which pissed her off.

“Talk? You’re crazy.” She was way too stiff.

“Yes, talk. I give you free rein to ask me anything.” I certainly could regret that. Her rebellious attitude allowed her to slide me a single, split-second look of displeasure. We were making progress.

“I don’t know you very well, but I do know certain subjects are off limits,” she said, although her jaw was so clenched, I was surprised I could understand her at all.

“What subjects?”

“Oh, like what you really do for business. Have you killed dozens of people? Do you use violence on a regular basis? Stuff like that.”

The questions almost caught me off guard. I’d done a good job of presenting myself as a bad guy. Usually, that’s what I would prefer, but not in this case. “I was serious in that the majority of the corporation delves in completely legal activities. Producing and selling olive oil and wine are highly regulated, and the operation is scrutinized. The police don’t take kindly to crime syndicates trying to make their operations legitimate. They need arrests.”

“Like you’ve been arrested? Ha.”

“I’ve had my close calls, but nothing to do with my business activities.” At least she was talking and seemed slightly more comfortable on Sassy’s back.

“Oh, do tell.” She shifted in the saddle and almost screamed, so certain she was going to fall.

“Relax, and I had a lead foot as a kid. I wrecked a car that wasn’t mine once and was damn lucky I only had a few scratches.”

“Oh, a regular bad boy.” She dared feeling comfortable enough to look in my direction for longer than before.

“You have no idea. I thought my dad was going to allow me to be locked up for longer than the one night I was in jail. He could have gotten me out on bond, but chose not to.”

“Good for your father. Tough love.”

I snickered. “It worked. After that I wasn’t perfect, but my activities were confined to less dangerous situations.”

“You mean you were just more clandestine about what you were doing? Under the radar? I know how that goes.”

“Well, maybe. But you? You were Mother Theresa growing up.”

She managed to laugh, which was a good sign. “Hardly.”

“You were the perfect girl. You always got excellent grades. You never broke the law. You obeyed all the rules including speed limits. You weren’t a bully or a flake. I admired your strength over the years.” And I wasn’t lying in the least. I truly did.

“You were paying attention.”

Her voice seemed so reserved, full of surprise. “Just because I wasn’t a warm guy visiting very often didn’t mean I wasn’t paying attention. Your health and happiness were very important to me.” My thoughts drifted to Greg and the last conversation we’d had prior to the christening. He’d mentioned life was going to get so much better. As he’d said, ‘things were looking up.’ I hadn’t asked questions because he’d been so excited.

Maybe I should have pressed him.

“Because of the promise made to my father.”

“In part. Yes.”

“There’s something else in your life that troubles you today. I can feel it. Whatever happened changed your life as my father’s death did.”

She was far too astute for her own good. “There isn’t a human alive who isn’t shaped by their past in one way or another. I’ve been very lucky. I had incredible parents, two siblings who I adore even if we fight like cats and dogs at times. We have money, influence, and never wanted for anything.”

“I didn’t say you were complaining. I only said that whatever else happened shaped you, stripping away joy from your life.”

How true.

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