TRAILING TRISHA - A Black Hounds Motorcycle Club Romance (The Fox and the Hounds Book #2) (3 page)

Dante stroked his forehead in irritation. It was a habit he had picked up from his late father. “What the hell do you want me to do then?”

His sister sucked in her lower lip. He knew she did that whenever she was in deep thought or mentally crunching millions of numbers. “Look, I’ve no right to tell you what to do as my brother and as my CEO. It’s your life and your company. The only advice I can say is keep your distance from Trisha but keep her happy at the same time.”

Dante raised an eyebrow. “That’s like telling a tennis player to do a backhand and a forehand at the same time.”

“Just… keep her happy,” Lucia replied, looking away. “This whole thing could blow up in our face if we upset her. The cameras are always watching. Until this is all over, we need her.”

He headed out of her office. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Is there anything else you want to tell me?”

He decided against telling her about the Red Aztecs patch. She had enough on her plate with managing the company. There was no need to alarm her over something that could be a simple hoax. “No that’s all.”

Like always, Lucia was right. He had broken the speed limit with Trisha. He needed to throttle things down and take control before the two of them ended up as a fiery wreckage. The ground rules for their relationship had to be simple if either of them had any chance of getting through this.

The two of them just needed to act like a couple when the cameras were on. He’d propose to her and she’d stay with him until the IPO went through without hitch. Then, they would go their separate ways and probably never see each other again.

If nothing else, Trisha Kaplan cared about her farm. She’d stay with him if it only meant to keep her farm financially stable. In a way, it would be fitting for her to use him the same way his company was using her.

And it would hurt to have Trisha be with him for just his money.

Dante felt a twinge in his heart at the idea of Trisha leaving him. Worse, she could hate him and not want anything to do with him and the Alastair family. The young man never felt so scared and alone since the death of his mother.

He turned his thoughts to that of his late father. Even after his untimely death, Dante felt a sense of constant comparison to the man. Would he be proud of the man his son was becoming?

Dante always tried to put his family and club members above himself. He had to do what was best for the company over his personal feelings. If it meant giving up hard drinking or street racing, it was an easy sacrifice. If lying to Trisha about his feelings for her meant that his father’s dying wish could come true, then… he had to make that sacrifice. It would be the best decision for all the employees and club members. It would be the best for Trisha and him.

If only he believed it himself.

Whenever his heart was in turmoil, Dante went outside to clear his head.

He needed to ride.

“Do you need anything else, Miss Kaplan?”

The taxi’s fine leather interior and sleek exterior were at odds with her muddy farm. She would’ve felt embarrassed having such an expensive car in front of her ramshackle farm. Any onlookers would’ve thought some rich folk from the city made a wrong turn. “No, I’m good. Are you sure you don’t need any money? Not even a tip?”

“The Black Hound group has been one of our closest business partners,” the taxi driver chuckled. That motorcycle club had its thumb in all manner of businesses. “It’s been a very beneficial relationship for both of us. It’s the least we could do for Mr. Alistair’s guest.”

Technically, she was a business partner as well. “Yes… it has its benefits.”

The man nodded. “Well, if there isn’t anything else, I’ll be off. Call us anytime you need a lift. Free of charge!”

“Goodbye,” she replied, mustering a smile. She even waved at him for good measure. “Try not to get stuck in the mud. Half of these roads are made of dirt!”

Trisha spent the rest of the day submerging herself in running the farm. There was little need since her senior staff took care of both the field work and the business side of the equation. Nonetheless, the farm was where she was most comfortable. It kept her mind off Dante.

The Black Hounds had been a boon for her business. They had provided her with new resources and business partners. The farm would be operating at full capacity over the next month. Trisha even considered buying more land which seemed unthinkable a few weeks ago. She could even extend her line of credit assuming she didn’t go to the Black Hounds for money first.

Her employees had taken to the new resources like a fish to water. New tools could be seen in the hands of her field workers. She had even sent an order for some new farming vehicles that had been perpetually on her wish list until now. Trisha could even hire back some of the workers she had laid off. The Black Hounds had revitalized her farm.

Then again, this money was pocket change to them.

Despite all her efforts, the woman’s thoughts kept drifting back to Dante. So much of her life was now interwoven with that man. His company supported her farm. His sister even picked out dresses for her.

His sexy smile made her heart race.

What did last night mean?

Trisha had always put her farm over her personal interests. Her mother had to bring her kicking and screaming to the high school prom. She’d rather spend her time picking strawberries with her father than sharing strawberry punch at the prom with the date her mother had saddled her with.

She certainly had never made love to man she had known for barely a week. Technically, she and Dante weren’t actually dating. She was supposed to be a hired actor who would smile politely at the cameras. Trisha had no idea why she had slept with Dante when there was no reason other than she wanted to do it.

What if he decided to end their business arrangement?

There were plenty of women out there that would be his pretend girlfriend. More importantly, they wouldn’t be stupid enough to fall for him. They would keep their emotions in the trunk while their pragmatism would be firmly in the driver’s seat.

It had barely been a week and Trisha didn’t know if she could last another day. There could an entire year of fake smiling and waving at the cameras. She should’ve been nominated for an Emmy award considering her performance.

But what she felt the other day was so real. Dante’s kisses seemed so passionate and sincere. He had bared his heart to her. He had told her his deepest fears and regrets. He had cherished her as if she was the only thing in his life worth living for.

No man could fake that.

Trisha brought her mind back to the business documents before her. The farm girl would be lying to herself if she didn’t miss the predictability of running a farm. Sure, there was a painful drought and her debts needed their monthly payments. Nonetheless, it was straightforward work. She didn’t have to worry about her tractor sleeping with her one moment and breaking her heart the next.

What she felt with Dante was magical. It wasn’t just the sex. Just talking to him about whatever topic crossed their minds felt natural. The last time she felt such emotions was when her parents were still alive.

And just like that, painful memories surged forward.

Trisha remembered her mother turning pale and gaunt in a matter of weeks. Her father put on a brave face but he couldn’t completely hide the pain in his heart. It didn’t take long before he followed her mother to the grave.

She thought she had encountered a kindred spirit in Dante. He had lost his mother to sickness as well. His memories of her felt so honest and heartfelt. A kind soul remained masked by the reluctant placed mantle of the family business.

Just like her.

Nevertheless, she had to keep her guard up. Vultures had circled the farm since the death of her parents. The Black Hounds may have been a boon for her business but even an obedient dog could bite you when threatened. This motorcycle club had a bad reputation for a reason. She had read about the sordid details surrounding their past.

She had read about Dante’s sins from his youth.

A knock on her door interrupted her thought. “Miss Kaplan, we’ll have a visitor arriving soon!”

She closed her business folders. “Who is it, Harold?”

It would’ve been rude for him to arrive on short notice so Dante called Foxtail Farms in advance.

“Dante, let me in.”

Those were her words to him as he spilled his heart to her. Now, he wondered if she would do the same to him. His time with Trisha had been some of the best in his entire life. Not even riding a high performance motorcycle on the most dangerous road in Europe could compare to her. The woman was simple, hardworking, and clean-living. He didn’t need to pretend to be Dante the CEO whenever he was around her.

The man drove well below the speed limit suggested by the road signs. It was unusual for a thrill seeker like him. Nonetheless, he never liked to drive fast when his head was unfocused. That was a one way ticket to the hospital.

Or to the grave.

Another part of him wasn’t eager to reunite with Trisha. He felt so inadequate before a kind, honorable woman like her. She deserved the best. The young woman only choose to be with him in order to save her farm.

By most standards, Dante Alistair was a success. His motorcycle club had begun a successful transition into the automobile industry. In fact, his company was making record profits. Government officials, including the Secretary of Transportation, were meeting with him for luncheons. He was on the cover of magazines that most people glanced at but never picked up at the supermarket checkout counter. He had marriage proposals from girls aged nine to ninety nine.

When he became CEO, Dante only had a few goals in mind. He wanted to make the Black Hounds into a legitimate and respected business. He wanted to keep his club and, by extension, his new employees safe. Other than that, the young man didn’t have any other lofty ambitions.

The biker liked to drive and have fun like any other average Joe. He didn’t need millions of dollars to be happy. The best bikes were the ones you built yourself on a shoestring budget. He never thought about marrying and starting a family. He certainly didn’t know how meeting and falling for Trisha Kaplan would fit into this plan.