Chapter 41

Alejandro’s POV

For a second, I didn’t move.

I just stood there, staring at them.

At him.

At the way Ace was too close to her. At the way Mira’s lips looked slightly parted, like she had just been kissed. At the way her expression still held shock, confusion, something fragile that made my chest tighten in a way I didn’t like.

Then the anger hit. It washed over me in the most uncontrollable way.

“Ace.”

His name left my mouth almost immediately.

He turned toward me, his expression shifting instantly when he saw my face. There was no arrogance there, no usual calm. Just something tense. Something that already knew what was coming.

I didn’t even think about the consequences of my next action, I just moved.

I jumped off my horse in one swift motion, my boots hitting the ground hard before I closed the distance between us in seconds. My hand shot out, grabbing his shirt collar and yanking him forward so violently that he nearly lost his footing.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” My voice came out low, but it carried enough weight to make the air feel heavy.

“Alejandro” Mira’s voice came out shaky behind me.

I didn’t even look at her. My focus stayed on him.

“I didn’t—” Ace started, but he didn’t get to finish.

My fist connected with his face before he could say another word.

The impact was solid and satisfying in a way that only made the anger burn hotter instead of fading.

He stumbled back, but I didn’t let go of him.

I grabbed him again and hit him harder this time.

“Alejandro, stop!” Mira cried, her voice breaking.

Ace groaned, raising his hands slightly, not even trying to fight back. “I’m sorry,” he said quickly, breathless. “I didn’t mean it like that—”

I punched him again.

“You didn’t mean it?” I snapped, my voice rising now. “You didn’t mean to put your hands on her? You didn’t mean to kiss her? You’re my best friend for crying out loud.”

“It just happened!” he shot back, his voice strained. “I wasn’t thinking…”

“Exactly,” I cut him off coldly. “You clearly weren’t thinking.”

I shoved him back roughly, but the anger still pulsed through me, refusing to settle.

Behind me, I could hear Mira crying now.

“Please stop,” she begged. “Please, Dro stop.”

The sound of her voice should have grounded me.

It should have. But all I could concentrate was my anger and the betrayal I felt.

Footsteps rushed toward us, voices overlapping.

“What the hell is going on?” Marlo’s voice came first.

“Shit,” Danny muttered as he ran closer.

They reached us just as I moved toward Ace again, and this time, they grabbed me before I could land another hit.

“Yo, chill!” Marlo said, holding onto my arm.

“Let it go, man,” Danny added, stepping between us.

Ace wiped the corner of his mouth, breathing hard but still not trying to fight back.

Zara rushed straight past all of us.

“Mira!” she gasped, dropping to her knees beside her.

I froze. Because that was the first time I actually looked at her properly since this started.

She was sitting on the ground, her face pale, her eyes glassy with tears. One hand clutched her ankle, her body slightly curled in on itself like she was trying to hold the pain in.

“Her ankle,” Zara said urgently, looking up at me. “She’s hurt, Alejandro. Can you deal with your anger later and help her first?”

The words hit harder than any punch.

And just like that, the anger slowly disappeared as reality came rushing back in.

“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath, pulling away from Marlo and Danny immediately.

I moved toward Mira quickly, crouching down in front of her.

“Hey,” I said, my voice softer now. “Let me see.”

She shook her head slightly, tears slipping down her cheeks. “It hurts.”

“I know,” I murmured, carefully sliding one arm under her knees and the other around her back. “I’ve got you.”

She didn’t resist as I lifted her.

I carried her to my horse, adjusting my grip as I placed her carefully on the saddle before climbing up behind her.

“Hold onto me,” I told her.

She did. Her fingers clutched my shirt tightly as I secured her against me.

“I’m taking her back,” I said shortly, not even looking at the others.

No one argued and I didn’t even spare Ace another glance. If I did, I knew I wouldn’t leave without finishing what I started.

The ride back felt longer than it should have.

Every small shift in her body made her wince, and every time she did, something twisted uncomfortably in my chest.

“You’re okay,” I murmured quietly. “We’re almost there.”

She didn’t respond. She just held onto me tighter.

By the time we got back to the house, I didn’t waste a second.

“Miss Monica!” I called out as I carried Mira inside.

The older woman appeared almost immediately, her expression shifting when she saw Mira.

“What happened?” she asked.

“She fell,” I said. “Her ankle’s broken.”

“Bring her here,” Maria instructed calmly, already moving toward one of the couches.

I placed Mira down carefully, staying close as Maria examined her ankle.

“She will be fine,” Maria said after a moment. “It’s just a sprain.”

Relief loosened something in my chest.

Miss Monica disappeared briefly before returning with a small bowl and what looked like crushed herbs.

“This will help with the swelling,” she explained, gently applying it to Mira’s ankle.

Mira winced slightly but didn’t complain.

I stayed there the entire time watching it over her like a hawk.

When Maria finally finished and left us alone, silence settled between us.

Mira looked up at me, her eyes still soft with leftover tears.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

“For what?” I asked.

“For what you saw,” she replied. “The kiss… it wasn’t planned. I didn’t know he was going to do that.”

I studied her face carefully. Looking for hesitation or any kind of doubt but I found none because she was telling the truth.

“I know,” I said simply.

Her brows furrowed slightly. “You believe me?”

“I do,” I replied without hesitation.

And I meant it. Because I knew her.

And whatever that was out there, it wasn’t something she asked for.

Her shoulders relaxed slightly, like she had been holding onto that tension.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

I nodded, brushing a strand of hair away from her face gently.

“Get some rest,” I said. “You need it.”

She nodded.

But as I stood up and walked away, one thought stayed in my mind.

Ace. I immediately went in search of him.

I found him outside alone after a while like he knew I was coming.

He didn’t turn when I approached, but his voice came anyway.

“You hit hard,” he muttered.

“You’re lucky I stopped,” I replied coldly. “And it’s only because Mira was hurt.”

That made him let out a short, humorless laugh before finally turning to face me.

There was a bruise forming on his jaw, his lip slightly split.

It somehow made me feel good.

“You want to hit me again, go ahead,” he said. “I won’t stop you.”

I stepped closer instead. “You crossed a line Ace” I said, my voice low. “You’re supposed to be my friend and I told you how I felt for Mira.”

“I know,” he admitted.

There was a brief silence. Then something in his expression shifted.

“But I’m not sorry for how I feel,” he added.

My eyes narrowed slightly. “What?”

“I love her too Dro,” he said, his voice firm now. “And I’m not going to pretend I don’t anymore.”

The words didn’t surprise me, because I had sensed it but they still pissed me off.

“You think that gives you the right to touch her?” I asked.

“No,” he replied. “But it means I’m not backing down either.”

A cold smile tugged at my lips. “You really think you stand a chance?”

“I think I’m better for her than you are,” he shot back without hesitation. “With me her life will be peaceful. Also, you and I know your dad will never accept her.”

The anger I had tried to contain suddenly burst. I stepped closer, the tension snapping tight between us.

“Careful what you say to me Ace,” I warned.

But he didn’t back down. I guess he just pretended earlier and let me hit him because Mira was there.

Instead, he held my gaze and said the one thing that made everything go still.

“You sure you want to do this?” he asked quietly.

Something about his tone made my chest tighten.

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

He tilted his head slightly, his expression darkening.

“Because if I lose her,” he said slowly, “I might just tell her the truth.”

My brows furrowed. “What truth?”

He smirked. “About the bet.”