Wild Hearts: Love in the Range

3: Games

Inside the estate, Chardonnay was restless. His study felt smaller than usual, the walls closing in on him as his thoughts kept circling back to the same place—Jasper. He couldn’t explain why the thief had gotten under his skin, but there was no denying it.

He’s testing me. Chardonnay realized, standing up from his desk and pacing the room. He wants me to chase him. To confront him.

He wasn’t wrong.

Chardonnay moved to the window, looking out over the darkened grounds of the estate. He knew Jasper was out there, somewhere, watching. Waiting.

For a moment, he considered going after him, confronting him in the dead of night. But no, that wasn’t how Chardonnay operated. He was a man of control, of careful calculation. He wouldn’t rush into anything.

Instead, he would let Jasper come to him.

The game continues. He thought with a smile.

Jasper crouched low, his eyes fixed on the estate as he waited. He knew that sooner or later, Chardonnay would make a move. The man was too smart not to.

But for now, it was a waiting game. A game of patience and precision.

I’ll find your weakness, Vittorio. He thought, his lips curling into a smirk. And when I do, this will all be over.

But deep down, even Jasper knew that this was more than just a job. This was personal now, whether he liked it or not.

And in the back of his mind, a small, unwelcome thought lingered.

Maybe it’s not just about the job at all.

The midnight air was cool, with the faint rustling of the wind as it swept over the vast Vittorio estate. Chardonnay sat on the wide veranda, overlooking the ranch. His body was still, his mind anything but. The night’s stillness often offered clarity, a respite from the noise of their businesses and the constant negotiations. Yet tonight, something different gnawed at him. Not the ranch’s daily operations, nor the casino deals or the hotel expansions. It was him.

Jasper Keats.

The man had slipped into his life without a sound, yet had left a ripple that was hard to ignore. Chardonnay had dealt with criminals before, but none quite like him. He leaned back in his chair, letting his eyes trace the stars above. There’s something about him... He closed his eyes, letting his thoughts wander back to the night of the theft. The smoothness of Jasper’s moves, the precision. He wasn’t just another thief looking for an easy score.

A whisper of a smile touched his lips. You’re different.

Chardonnay took a deep breath, letting the cool air fill his lungs, but the calm it brought was fleeting. He could feel the tension in his muscles, the quiet agitation that wouldn’t leave him alone. He hadn’t felt like this in years.

He hadn’t felt like this... ever.

The door to the veranda creaked open, breaking through the quiet. Chardonnay’s eldest sister, Amaretto, stepped out, her dark hair flowing down her back in loose waves. She was dressed casually, but still every bit the refined woman that represented the Vittorio family. She glanced at Chardonnay, sensing the weight of his thoughts.

“You’re still up,” Amaretto observed, her tone soft but knowing.

“Can’t sleep,” he replied, his voice calm but distant. His hand tightened around the glass of whiskey on the armrest of his chair.

Amaretto took a seat beside him, her gaze following his out to the expanse of the ranch. “Something on your mind? Or someone?” Her voice carried a teasing undertone, but her eyes were sharp.

Chardonnay let the silence stretch between them before he answered. “Just thinking about some... business.”

“Hmm. Is that what they’re calling it now?” Amaretto smirked, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “I heard about the gallery incident.”

Of course, she had heard. Nothing happened within the Vittorio estate without it reaching Amaretto’s ears. But her curiosity wasn’t only born out of concern. She simply enjoyed seeing Chardonnay off balance. A once in a blue moon opportunity.

He shifted in his seat but kept his expression neutral. “It’s being handled.”

Amaretto hummed softly, her smile widening. “If it’s being handled, why are you still up, looking like you’ve seen a ghost?”

Chardonnay shot her a sideways glance, but there was no malice in it. He and Amaretto shared a bond that went beyond the business of the family. She knew him too well, could read him like a book.

Why does that thief have me so worked up? The thought lingered, and he hated that he didn’t have an answer for it.

“I can see this is bothering you,” she continued, her tone softening. “If you need help—”

“I don’t,” Chardonnay cut in, sharper than intended. But when he saw the brief flicker of concern in Amaretto’s eyes, he sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “I’m handling it.”

Amaretto nodded slowly, her gaze not leaving his. “If you say so.” She stood, brushing invisible dust off her dress before offering him a small smile. “Just... don’t lose sleep over it. We’ve handled worse than some thief.”

Chardonnay remained silent as his older sister walked back inside, the soft click of the door signaling her departure. But her words stayed with him. We’ve handled worse. Yes, they had. But Jasper was not like the others. He was careful, methodical, and something about him tugged at Chardonnay’s usually impenetrable defenses.

He sipped from his glass again, eyes locked on the moonlit horizon. Maybe this wasn’t about the theft after all.

Jasper kept his movements fluid, careful. His footsteps barely made a sound as he navigated the narrow alleyway behind a local gallery. Tonight wasn’t about work. It wasn’t about business. It was reconnaissance. It was about understanding the man who now occupied too much of his mind.

Why him? Jasper thought as he scaled the wall effortlessly, slipping into the shadowed corner of the rooftop. Why does Chardonnay Vittorio have my focus? I’ve dealt with men like him before.

But none had felt this... personal.

Chardonnay had reacted too calmly to the theft. That wasn’t normal. There should’ve been more of a response. More fury. More... anything. Yet, there hadn’t been. And that only made Jasper more curious.

He crouched low, pulling out the small set of binoculars he carried in his coat pocket. He had a direct view of the Vittorio estate from his vantage point. The estate was massive, sprawling across miles of land. The kind of estate only built on old, old money.

Jasper scanned the property, noting the positions of the guards. They were diligent, but he had already mapped out their routines. Breaking in again wouldn’t be a problem. But Jasper wasn’t planning another heist. Not tonight, at least.

What’s your angle, Vittorio? Jasper wondered, watching the estate like a hawk. You don’t scare easy. You didn’t even flinch.

His thoughts drifted back to the brief encounter they’d had during his escape. It had been nothing—just a passing glance in the chaos. But something about the way Chardonnay’s eyes had lingered on him had unsettled him. It wasn’t anger he had seen in those eyes. It was... intrigue.

And that made Jasper uneasy.

His whole life, he had been the one to remain in control. He dictated the terms, set the pace. But with Chardonnay, it felt different. The man didn’t react the way Jasper expected. It threw him off balance. And now, here he was, staking out the man’s estate in the dead of night, trying to piece together a puzzle that didn’t fit.

I should just walk away. This isn’t worth the trouble.

But something inside him resisted that thought. Something about Chardonnay Vittorio wouldn’t let him walk away. Jasper gritted his teeth, frustrated by his own curiosity. He was better than this. He didn’t chase people—he chased results.

But now he found himself watching and waiting, as though there was something to uncover beyond the layers of calm composure Chardonnay projected.

Back at the estate, Chardonnay was no stranger to the shadows either. He stood near the window of his study, watching the estate grounds in the dark. He knew someone was out there. He could feel it. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, a telltale sign he had long learned to trust.

He’s here again.

He didn’t know how, but he knew. Jasper was watching him. It wasn’t paranoia; it was instinct. And Chardonnay trusted his instincts. The corners of his mouth twitched into a smirk, his mind playing through the possibilities.

What are you looking for, Jasper? What do you want from me?

It was a slow game, one Chardonnay was willing to play. He would draw Jasper out, piece by piece, until the thief revealed his hand. It was only a matter of time before one of them made the next move.

His fingers idly traced the rim of his glass as he leaned against the window frame, staring out into the night.

"Let’s see how long you can last, Keats."

Jasper cursed under his breath. He had been here too long. He could feel the weight of the night closing in, and the familiar itch to move gnawed at him. Yet something kept him rooted to the spot. Something he couldn’t quite explain.

Chardonnay Vittorio was a man of control, a man who played the long game. Jasper could sense it from the moment he laid eyes on him. But what he hadn’t expected was how deeply it would affect him. It wasn’t just the job anymore.

It was personal.

But he didn’t like personal. Personal was messy. Personal got people hurt. Jasper wasn’t in this game to get attached.

So why does he keep pulling me back?

He clenched his jaw, standing up straight, ready to slip away into the night. But as he moved, he found his gaze drifting back to the estate, lingering on the faint light from one of the windows.

Chardonnay’s window.

"Damn it."

Jasper turned sharply, disappearing into the shadows, the night swallowing him whole.

Inside the study, Chardonnay watched the distant silhouette move through the darkness and vanish. He didn’t need confirmation to know it had been Jasper. The thief had been out there, watching, waiting.

But for how long?

Chardonnay’s smirk widened as he turned away from the window, leaving the night behind him. He felt a thrill run through him, a sensation he hadn’t felt in years.

You’ll come back, Keats. He thought as he made his way back to his desk.

And when you do, I’ll be ready.