I am deeply sorry for the late update. School and work is making writing hard for me. I will try my best to continue updating regularly.
A vote and comments will take a few load off my shoulders. Thank you ❤️❤️

Giveon ~heartbreak anniversary.

This is bad. This is really bad. "it hurts doesn't it. It's just for a while" I pat princess's head and hear her neigh softly. Smoothing her brown fur with my palms. She caught a cold and has to be isolated before it spreads. Her constant whining and neighing shows her dislike towards the idea.

"let's give it five days" I reassure her. She neighs loudly as she takes her head out of my embrace. I pull her back. "okay, four days" She sends me a look that says "seriously?"

I shrug. She gruffs and turns away from me whilst swishing my face with her tail as she makes her way further into her new stable. "Okay, okay. Three days"

She still doesn't look back so I bring out my secret weapon.

An apple. I throw the apple over to her. She feigns ignorance and I pretend to leave. After a few seconds I return and catch her chewing the apple.

"Ha!, couldn't resist, could you?" My lips can't help but form a smug grin at her. She gruffs angrily at me before she goes further into her stable with the apple in her mouth. She turns back, giving me a nice view of her buttocks before resuming to her snack.

I sigh dramatically.

"She'll come around" Rex the stable keeper comes into view. His dirty blonde curls glue to his forehead as a result of sweat. The same sweat that makes his chest glisten. I know this cause he's shirtless. He's always shirtless. And I still blush inwardly when I see him.

He chuckles as he walks closer to me, blocking the sunlight with his unholy body. I watch him with guarded eyes, he's a flirty guy. Back then, we'd flirt back and forth but things have changed. I, a mafia boss. He, a stable keeper. Not only would our romance be unacceptable, it would be a flaw in my character. Love. It's not something I really want to have. To love is to suffer and I have suffered enough.

"Still a grumpy princess, I see" He jokes, his hazel eyes twinkling with mirth. My eyebrows furrow at him.

"Was that supposed to be funny"

He shrugs.

It's a lie. It was a bit funny but I won't let him think so. I came here to get a report on the animals. The faster I get it, the earlier I leave this place before he succeeds in making me blush. My shoulders straightens. "I'm here for Alex" I say with a clipped tone. He nods with a smug smile playing on his lips.

"This way, milady" He gestures with a slight bow with his hand hand stretching out, towards the entrance of the stable. I shake my head at his antics before following him out of the stable. He walks ahead of me with his back to me. The sight of it is seductive. Working in the ranch does has it perks. A well defined sculptured body, his back muscles strain as he walk. He has an amazing body that compliments his beautiful face.

But not as good as Rolan's. My sub consciousness retorts and I can't argue with her.

I shake my head vigorously to shoo away the unclean thoughts in my head. What's wrong with me? I've seen different handsome and built men from different countries but I don't fawn over them like I do with Rolan. Rex is a different case, I've had a crush on him since I was six and he was nine. We were nicknamed "Romeo and Julie" but like I said, things have change.

"There he his" his husky voice pulls me out of my thoughts. My dazed gaze leaves his smug face to look at Alex, the ranch manager.

He's standing  outside the sty with a straw hat behind his neck and a register in his hands, he seems to be jotting something down. I turn to face Rex. "Thank you" I mutter.

He nods "Anytime, beautiful" I turn away quickly before he sees the blush creeping up my neck.

The clinging noise my boots make alerts Alex of my presence. He looks at me, the frown on his face vanishes, replaced with a warm smile.

"Davinia" He greets.

I bow to him. "Alex". The grunts of the pigs becomes louder as I get closer to the sty. Alex hands over the register to me and begins to summarize the ranch report to me.

"The harvest is complete and has been taken to the winery. We had few loses this year, the climate change worked in our favour" He begins and I listen whilst briefing the record. Last year's harvest was really poor, a flood came and destroyed our fruits and crops. We had only produced a limited amount of wine because of that.

"The expansion of the barn has been complete and would be put to use after a week. You should take a look when you're free"I nod and return the record back to him.

"The pigs are in their mating season but they've refused to mate" He states. I scratch the bridge of my nose as I think of the situation.

"Is it because of the change of environment?"

"We also thought it was the reason but they don't feel uncomfortable and they've been sleeping well"

"I'll have a look"