Forbidden Temptation My Mafia Fiance's Alpha Father

Chapter 80

Chapter 80

Brooklyn

"Good, Brooklyn! Good!" Lucas says, his voice eager and encouraging.

Aden's trainer couldn't come on short notice, so after watching me from the fence, Lucas is putting me through some exercises.

"You hold onto the reins," Lucas says, smirking at me, "like the handlebars on a bike. Like they're going to keep you from falling off."

I tilt my head at him. "Well..." I hesitate. "Aren't they?"

Lucas laughs, looking up at me from his place on the ground next to Heathcliff.

"No," he says gently. "The best riders barely even use the reins. You've got to learn how to communicate from here.

He shocks me, embarrassing me even, when he smacks his thigh.

Lucas doesn't notice my discomfort, instead moving to Heathcliff's head and unbuckling his bridle,

replacing it with a halter-a head harness that has no reins at all.

Then, he attaches a long, long lead rope.

"Well, some of us aren't as invincible as you are," I say. "Nor do we have your experience."

"You don't, but you will," Lucas says with a smile.

I bounce up and down as Heathcliff trots in circles around Lucas, who stands at the center, the end of the long lead in his hand.

I'm scared at first, not having anything to hold onto.

Lucas even makes me put my arms out to the side like a bird, to make me avoid clinging to Heathcliff's mane for safety.

But then, as I get the hang of it, I start to understand what he meant.

I really had been holding on to the reins for dear life.

balance and holding on with

to how the horse

out to the side, I shoot Lucas a happy look and he laughs, pleased to see me catching on. "Well done, Brooklyn!" he shouts to me. "Can you kick him into

sure if I

hesitation, laughs at me

doesn't quite call me a coward but...well, it's

together, giving Heathcliff a little nudge with

picking up the pace into

my weight into the balls of my feet and my heels, standing in the stirrups, and feeling a

you now, a voice inside me thinks. And I try and

whoops with joy and I can't help myself as I laugh

down, put your weight at the back of the saddle to slow

as he says, as Heathcliff

still laughing with joy as Lucas walks over to us, gathering up the length of the long lead as he

up at me. "You're riding like a real

out of my face, tucking it back beneath my little velvet

at him. "You going to teach

coming close to Heathcliff's shoulder and smiling

like

raising his eyebrow.

how to

all the rodeo

do

BUMS

me blush. I'm

have to admit, though...I didn't hate

looking guy older than me only by a few years, with sandy brown hair and a

strong-jawed and, like most of Aden's guys,

Or was he just saying it

that I'm not paying attention to a word he's

blink. "Um, can you repeat

worry about it," he says, holding up a hand to help me dismount. "Come on, let's let Heathcliff

nod and take Lucas's hand, swinging my

elegant a dismount, I think, then