Page 33 of Sergei
“It’s okay.” She placed her palm on my bicep, and her expression relaxed. “You don’t have to apologize.”
“One of the horses has a bad case of colic.”
“Oh.” She returned her hand to her lap. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It happens. We managed to get her back on her feet, but she wasn’t faring well. The vet decided to take her back to the clinic.”
“I hope she will be okay.”
“She should be. Our vet is one of the best.” I glanced over at her as I explained, “Mother takes in horses like her. Broken ones… ones that no one else wants. She gives them a second chance, where most would just put them down. Needless to say, we use the vet a lot.”
“Oh, wow. That’s amazing.” Her face softened into something that made my chest tighten. “Your mother has always had such a big heart.”
Her words were kind and comforting, but they did little to make me forget the way her eyes cut through me withdisappointment when I finally made it back into the car. Certain she had seen the whole exchange with Misty, I almost told her right then that Misty and Gabby just worked for my mother, and neither of them meant anything to me. But before I could speak a word, a strange sound broke the silence.
At first, I couldn’t make out what it was, but then, it happened again. This time, Alina wrapped her arms around her stomach, and it hit me. Her stomach was growling. Neither of us had had a bite since breakfast, and the poor girl was starving.
“I haven’t fed you.”
“It’s okay. You’ve been busy.” She grimaced. “Besides, my stomach is just being dramatic.”
“You’re hungry. That’s not being dramatic, but I’ll take care of it.”
I continued easing out of the drive and started toward home. Alina sat back in her seat and looked out the window, and it wasn’t long before her stomach growled again. It gnawed at me, and I knew I couldn’t wait a moment longer. I grabbed my phone and scrolled until I found the number I wanted.
Malcolm.
The kid was barely twenty-one. He was all muscle and energy, and he reminded me of a lost pup who hadn’t figured out if he should bite or heel. He was one of the first I’d taken on when we started construction on the casino, and he was hungry in a way that had nothing to do with food.
I could tell right away that he had potential, but he let his temper lead him instead of his brain. I saw something of myself in him and decided to take him under my wing. I kept him closer because I knew he wanted to prove himself, but more than that, I trusted that he would keep his mouth shut about Alina.
As usual, he answered on the first ring. “What do ya need, Boss?”
“Go to Romano’s,” I answered. “Pick up two of my usuals, a bottle of wine, and a dessert. Bring it to the apartment.”
“I’ll have it there in half an hour.”
The line went dead, and I slid my phone back into my pocket. I glanced over at Alina, and the knot in my stomach all but disappeared when I saw that she was smiling. I took that as a sign that I was on my way to rectifying the mess I’d made of the night. I certainly couldn’t have made it any worse.
Once we were back at the apartment, Alina handed me the toboggan and gloves and waited as I put them back in the closet. Without thinking, I closed the door and continued into the kitchen. I tossed my keys on the counter and glanced over at Alina, who was hovering next to me like she wasn’t sure if she should sit or stand.
“How about a glass of wine?”
“That sounds nice.” Her lips twitched with a hint of a smile. “I’ll have one if you’re having one.”
“Oh, I’m definitely having one.”
I went to the cabinet and pulled down a bottle, and I’d just started looking for the corkscrew when there was a knock at the door. Knowing it was Malcolm, I didn’t panic. I simply put the bottle down and started for the door. I didn’t get far before I heard a metallic scrape of a key followed by the click of the bolt unlocking.
The door swung wide, and in strolled Malcolm, grinning like he owned the place. “Hey, Boss.”
“You knock and then let yourself in?” I didn’t bother trying to hide my irritation as I snapped, “What the hell is the point in knocking?”
“Courtesy.” Malcolm shrugged and placed the bag of food on the counter. “Figured I’d give you a warning before I walked in on something.”
“You keep using that key without permission, and I’ll take it back.”
He smirked. “Thought you trusted me.”
