Page 117 of Forbidden Forget-Me-Not

It didn’t feel that way, but I gave him a polite smile.

“I’ll meet you at the front door,” I told Goran before heading down the hallway and nearly colliding with one of the servers.

It was the same girl from last night.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you. Are you okay?”

She nodded. “Fine.”

Her eyes lowered, and she slipped past me like I would bite.

I watched her go and shook my head. Goran was right, this house didn’t feel safe.

When I rejoined Goran near the front entrance, he scanned me as if expecting to see blood and bruises.

“Ready?”

“Yes.”

As we stepped outside, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this house held secrets larger than the guest rooms. I was grateful beyond words that Goran had stood outside my door all night.

Even if he insisted on calling it duty.

Chapter

Thirty-Two

GORAN

Kaylani on horseback was the epitome of freedom.

Sunlight caught in her hair as Atlas cantered beneath her. It always amazed me that such a powerful animal could move with that much control. Dust lifted behind them in clouds while she took a line toward the oxer.

She held him back until the perfect distance from the jump, then gave him his head, and they soared. Every time, I half expected him to grow wings and the two of them to disappear into the sky.

For a moment, she was simply a rider again. Not a daughter at war with her father. Not a mafia princess. Not a woman who was as forbidden as an angel. Just the woman I loved doing what she loved.

Applause drifted from the rail. I glanced at the handful of people watching. Of course, Dylan stood there, looking as smug as ever.

My jaw clenched tight. I tore my gaze away from the prick when my phone vibrated in my palm.

Dimitri.

The name glowed on the screen, and the device suddenly seemed like a loaded weapon.

I let it ring twice.

Ignoring him was dangerous. Answering him felt worse.

Stepping away from the ring, my boots crunched over gravel until the sounds of hooves and chatter faded behind me.

“Yes,” I said, answering the ticking time bomb. I kept walking until I reached the end of the driveway and was out of view.

Silence greeted me first.

“Yes? Is that how you answer the phone?”

“Sorry, sir. I’m working. How can I help you?” I kept my voice controlled. I didn’t want to antagonize him.