Bound by Fire: Burning desire (#2)

Ace p.o.v.

“Come on.” I stretched my arm out as I stood up.

“Where to?” she eyed me weirdly

“For a ride.” I smirked. She finally gave in and put her hand in mine. Pulling her to my chest we started walking to the stable. I helped her onto my horse, Thunder, and climbed on behind her. Daleyza held the reins in a death grip staring straight in front of her. “Is this your first time horse riding?”

She nodded making me chuckle. “Relax…” I whisper in her ear as I place my hands over hers on the reins. She inhaled sharply and eased in against my chest. We slowly started moving and I felt her tensing up again. After a while she was relaxed enough to enjoy the view.

A smile crept up my lips as I remembered all the times I used to do this. Horse riding is one of my favorite pass times. I really miss doing it. We strayed from the path and ended up by the lake. I jumped off the horse and tied it to a stump nearby. Helping Daleyza down, we walked along the lake.

“It’s really beautiful here.” she whispered and I hummed in response. We were quiet for a while before she spoke up again. “How come no one ever talks about your mother?” I took a deep breath before I started talking. Talking about my mom was always a difficult topic.

“She didn’t want to be associated with all the dangerous things linked to the mafia.” I didn’t look toward her. I didn’t want to make eye contact with Daleyza. “From what I know she fell in love with my dad without knowing who he was.”

“I can’t believe your dad actually loved someone beside his post.” She scoffed and I chose not to say anything on that.

“When my mom found out she gave him an ultimatum.” We reached a bench and sat down.

“Ultimatum?”

“Hmm. She still wanted to be with him so she asked him to run away with her. At first he agreed and asked for some time to organize everything.”

“That’s sad.”

“Yeah. When she realized he was stringing her along, she fled. Leaving him behind, but it was too late. She was already pregnant. He forced her to stay with him, but she couldn’t hold out for too long. When I was 3 she moved with me. Till this day I have no idea what she said to him to let her move to Russia. When I turned 18 my dad brought me back from there and I started training to take over.”

“If your dad and your mom love each other why don’t they live together now?”

“He doesn’t know where she is.”

“What?”

“That man has poisoned everything he laid his hands on. I don’t want my mom to get hurt because of that man again. For 18 years I’ve seen her struggle and yet loving me like I was her whole world. Not once did she complain but I know the wounds my dad caused run deep. I couldn’t stand by and see her go through all that again so once I took the reins of the gang I relocated my mom so she’d be off my dad’s radar.”

I turned my head and saw Daleyza staring at me with a strange expression.

“What?”

“Nothing.” She shook her head. “Why do you think she can ‘help me’ as you put it?”

“When I joined my dad she was so scared she used to call me multiple times a day to check in on me. So I figured she could give you some insight how to… control your emotions.”

“You really think she can help?”

“If she can’t, no one can.” We silently watched the sun set, walked to the horse and rode back to my mom’s house. Daleyza seemed lost in her thoughts. “What’s going on in that mind of yours?”

I felt her tensing up against me, like she was startled. She shook her head slowly.

“Nothing.” I could barely hear her voice. I got off the horse and helped her down.

“Daleyza…” Aiden suddenly ran towards us and Daleyza’s whole demeanor changed.

“Hey, monkey. You look like you’ve had fun.” She laughed pinching his dirt covered nose. He nodded enthusiastically as he giggled. “Come on let’s get you cleaned up.”

I watch them walk away for a moment then return the horse to the stable.

“He reminds me of when you were his age.” I suddenly hear behind me.

“Yeah… I can see some of the resemblances.”

“Some? I think it’s a lot.” My mom smiled. As she linked her arm into mine and we walk inside the house. “Why don’t you come here more often?”

“Ma…”

“I know, I know. You don’t want to expose me bla bla. But you can call me from time to time to let me know you’re alive and well.” I know she’s trying to guilt me. She always does this.

“I thought you get enough information about me from your spy.” I laughed.

“Yes of course a mother loves to hear about her son’s wellbeing from his best friend instead of him.” She rolled her eyes. “Now go freshen up. I’ve made your favorite for dinner.”

“You’re the best.” I smile.

“I know.” We laugh and I head up to my room. I was about to enter when I heard laughter coming from the bathroom. I slightly push the door open and smile seeing the sight of Daleyza trying to keep Aiden still in the bathtub to rub the dirt off his face. Ever since they’ve been in my life everything automatically seemed brighter.

The ringing of my phone brought me back from the day dream. I turned around as I took my phone from my pocket and walked into the small balcony connected to my bedroom.

“I thought I told you not to bother me.”

“I know A, but we have a problem here.” I didn’t respond so he continued talking. “The shipment that was supposed to arrive. We were attacked when we went to retrieve it.”

“So? Finish the morons that tried to steal from us and make sure they won’t even dare to get the thought in their mind again.”

“Yes boss… but…”

“But?”

“I think they weren’t there for the goods.”

“Vik stop beating around the bush and tell me what’s going on.” I gritted my teeth.

“We were delayed for about an hour of when we were supposed to be at the docks. If they were after the goods they would have made their move by then but they waited till we were there. The guys I send a head to scope the area reported that the men were around for a while.”

“So is it or is it not taken care of?”

“That part is taken care of…”

“Vik…” I was running out of patience.

“The cops got involved… and they took custody of the container for investigation.”

“WHAT? How could you let that happen?” I pinched the bridge of my nose with my fingers.

“And…”

“There is more? What kind of imbeciles…” I huff out a breath. “I’m coming over.” Without waiting for a response I cut the call. Dialing the number of my pilot I make the arrangements to head back to America. I managed to push the door too hard as I stepped into my room, making it bang against the wall. Without missing a beat I see an object coming towards me from the corner of my eye. Reflexively I duck and the object ends up hitting the wall behind me. I turn around to see a heavy glass vase scattered in a hundred pieces.

I look to the direction where it came from.

“The hell Daleyza?”

“It was a reflex.” She shrugged.