‘London?’ Alexi’s voice makes me stop dead as I get to the hallway for the lift and my heart drops like a
lead weight. He’s followed me, and I turn back, ready to face another yelling match or sadistic prick
appearance. I’m just overwhelmed with whatever the hell that was between us back there and he’s
clearly in the mood for putting women in their place today and functioning on high sexuality.
And he called me London, which is usually not a good sign.
I move slowly, inhaling heavily to reel in my chaotic hormones and face him, expecting the worst. He
just looks calm, unemotional and unaffected in the way I am, which irritates me.
One sided sexual tension then?
‘You dropped this.’ He hands me a sheet of paper with my handwriting all over it, a list I have been
ticking off as I work, and I sigh. A little relieved that’s all he followed me for, and bring my eyes back to
his as I take it. He studies me closely.
‘Thank you.’ I don’t know what else to say. There is an awkward pause because he just stands
towering over me silently, looking at me with that effortless deadpan expression of his, and yet the air
between us gets instantly thick and heavy.
My panties are not as ready to drop so dramatically but the embers are still glowing.
‘I’m sorry I yelled at you,’ he mutters quietly. It’s not the most heartfelt apology of my life, and it’s
obvious he’s still being a moody prick as he says it with a slightly strained tone. A look on his face that
he feels obliged to do this rather than wants too, but I guess it’s better than nothing. I can tell it’s not
easy for him to do it.
Alexi never apologises before committing horrible acts of punishment on me, so maybe I am being
saved from future worry. He only ever said sorry when he was letting something go or already
administered the revengeful reaction in the past—never before.
‘I’m sorry I tried to Wonder Woman a rescue for a stinky stray. He ran away by the way. I don’t think he
will be back.’
Impulsively, I fill the weirdness between us with words and back down feebly. Losing all my sass when
he’s this close, even while I am still reacting down in the nether regions like a sex-starved
nymphomaniac; Standing awkwardly, feeling fidgety while trying to stay completely still to hide it.
Think of BOB … BOB, my large well-endowed vibrating friend and a nice night of porn and orgasms.
That should cure me for a while!
‘Actually … he was in the lot when I pulled in, ran right out in front of me.’ Alexi looks grim and despite
myself and my normal lack of empathy for most human beings, a massive pang of pain strikes me
across the chest, killing my libido dead. I grab his wrist impulsively in complete horror, clutching him in
painful panic.
‘Oh my god, you didn’t …?’ Tears hit my eyes, such a stupid reaction over some dumb unwanted
animal but its automatic and I can’t help it. A vision of him running over that poor, defenceless little
beast strikes a massive dagger in my heart. Throbbing instantly as it rips me in two.
Alexi frowns at me as though I am insane and then looks down to the death grip I have on his wrist,
clinging to him needily in the hope he is joking. My knuckles turning white with the effort I am holding
on. He’s probably wondering how it is he can’t touch me but I get to anytime I want. Not that this is
affection. I am on the verge of hysteria over some creepy cat.
‘Little shit dodged me, he’s fine. Probably sharpening his claws on my paintwork as we speak.’ He
answers sarcastically, disinterested in the poor animal’s plight and my eyes widen in shock.
‘You tried to hit him?’ I squeak, appalled that he would try to run it over, a weak defenceless innocent
animal. A poor kitty, one just looking to survive. I let him go in complete disgust, abhorrence all over my
face.
Alexi just rolls his eyes at me and sighs.
‘No. Add animals to my no women, no children rule. Unless he throws himself under my car or gives
me reason to run him over … I am not completely devoid of morals,’ He replies tartly.
No, just a heart.
He brushes away the red imprint I left on his arm as though swatting a fly off, and I almost choke on the
sudden swell of tears that hit me in the back of the throat and eyes.
It calms my internal hysteria but I’m still gawping at him, overly fragile, emotionally now. Unsure if he’s
joking, lying or just being a prick, and when he touches my hand softly, I jump out of my skin at the
unexpected touch.
‘The cat is fine. I told Daniels to get it some food and water if it’s going to be living in the lot. Looks like
shit, probably came here to die. It seems old.’ He adds warily and I get the vibe he’s trying to stop
being a dick. In his weird way.
‘What?’ It just sets me off again though, what he said and this time I do start crying. I don’t know what’s
bloody wrong with me. I don’t want it to die here like some sad lonely unwanted street rat. The thought
is heart-breaking.
‘Jesus Christ, are you having your period or something?’ Alexi steps back as though I’m somehow
offending him by getting upset over something so dumb; I slap him on the chest amid blurry tears and
stupid sobs … distraught and unable to control it.
‘Shut up, I can’t help it. Leave me alone. I don’t have periods and I’m allowed to cry okay. Are you
completely abhorred by women’s tears in case they infect you somehow? It’s not catching Alexi—you
can’t contract human emotions by being exposed to tears you know!! It’s not a disease!’ I slap him in
the shoulder again for being an insensitive arsehole and he just shakes his head at me.
He doesn’t know that I don’t have them and can’t function like a normal woman down there, but it still
annoys me when men use the period dig anytime a female is emotional.
‘Women! … I will never understand you.’ He mutters it under his breath at me and gets a frosty look in
return. He really is a charmer sometimes.
‘Well least you can admit it,’ I snark back at him, wiping my nose on my sleeve and try to stem the
tears. I feel stupid for getting this way over something ridiculous. My hormones are haywire today and I
should probably go lie down or something.
‘I agree about the gun.’ It comes out of nowhere, that brain of his changing direction and it has the
same effect as a sobering stroke, getting me to stop sniffing and blink it away to look at him instead.
‘You do?’ I am not sure I believe what I hear but everything inside of me is surprised into a more stable
mood anyway. Staring at him questioningly as his expression softens greatly.
‘Yeah … So, Jackson always on your ass and you have a new driver, so he doesn’t ever have to
abandon you to park. His name is Wes; he is coming down from my uptown office to be stationed here.
All he does is drive, nothing else. Think you can handle that? Obediently?’ Alexi skims the agreement
part, obviously miffed that he did, in fact, have to side with me on one of his commands and I feel smug
about it. A little warmed by the fact Lord Carrero is rethinking an order and actually compromising with
me.
Hell just froze over.
‘Yes, Sir.’ I won’t argue on this point because, to be honest, I never thought the day would come that he
would ever actually agree with me. I calm myself, smooth my dress down to regain my cool control and
wipe away the last evidence of my upset.
The cat is fine. I am fine. Deep breath.
‘You forgetting something?’ Alexi looks instantly stern and I honestly have no clue what he’s on about.
‘What?’ I just blink back at him in bewilderment, looking down to check my file and then my dress in
case it’s something stupid, questioning everything mentally.
‘Jackson? You’re not staying down here so why isn’t he with you?’ It’s that edgy bastard tone coming
back because … well because it’s Alexi, I guess.
I sigh at him.
‘Oh, for God’s sake, I am in the hallway of your …’ I shut my mouth when I realise what I am saying.
Especially with the lift right at the side of me where I was almost abducted. Alexi just raises that
infuriating brow and stays staring like a cold stone arsehole. I crumble, all resistance wavers, and I am
momentarily rendered compliant.
‘Okaaaay!’ I relent in an exasperated sigh.
‘I shall go get him.’ I make a move to go but the hand he splats on my chest ungracefully to stop me
almost sends me back on my arse and enrages me in an instant. Still not quite getting to grips with the
whole no touching thing, and I sometimes wonder why I bother. He has no concept of boundaries
except when he chooses them.
I throw him my unamused glare and he just ignores it. He presses something on the side of his head
instead and carries on.
‘Jackson you’re wanted. Hallway. Now!’ Commanding, cold, efficient. He’s back to Mafia King. I have to
say, I instantly miss the little hints of human.
I have to do a little double take and blink to really see it, the thing he used to talk into. I can see a small
almost clear thing in his ear like a little wireless radio, and he catches me looking at it as I try to figure
out what it is.
‘It’s how we all stay in touch. This is the mic.’ He points to a tiny little clear dot on the inside of his t-shirt
neckline that’s barely a ‘thing’ and I must say I’m impressed. It’s so inconspicuous it’s barely there and
very high tech, most likely expensive as hell. I lean in to nosy at it and give him an intrigued smile.
‘Gino?’ I ask automatically, and he nods, a hint of pride on his face that’s sort of cute. He really does
love his brother I guess, even if they are weirdly competitive and very strange together. It’s odd to see
an actual caring response from him and I relax a little more.
‘My brother has skill. Tech genius when it comes to security. Now talking of which, he came to invite us
all out for a night on the tiles. You want to come?’ Alexi raises expectant brows, another change in
conversation direction, and a soft smile appearing ever so slightly that distracts me for a moment. I
have to shake my eyes away from how subtly sexy it is.
‘As in a night on the piss? With a bunch of Carrero men? Like a little Carrero gang bang? I’m not sure
that’s my thing.’ I am confused by the invitation, disarmed by it, but Alexi smiles at me properly and his
dimples give me internal butterflies that make me curse myself out.
‘Yes, a night out. A regular club like normal people, not an orgy, and he’s taking Alessandra his
girlfriend. Mico is taking Mandy and a few of our cousins with their women come too. We do this
sometimes, to let off steam. How about it, London, do you want a night off?’ He leans one hand against
the wall to tower over me intimately and I just haul my papers to my chest nervously, overly aware of
how he is making me feel again, crossing my arms over them to feel more secure.
‘As your woman?’ I ask warily, seeing where this is going if everyone couples up for a cosy little family
bonding time, and no way in hell am I going down that route with him again. My heart rate pitches as
nerves move in.
‘No, as just someone who wants to come and enjoy herself for a night. I can take a date if you would
feel better about it.’ He frowns at me as he says it and I get that inner aching pang that springs a quick
answer.
‘Yeah, I think not. I’m not playing third wheel to you and some rancid doe-eyed plaything.’ The thought
of enduring him with some hoe draped all over him makes me feel physically sick.
‘Do you want to come or not?’ Alexi is getting irritated, and as Jackson appears and starts walking
towards us, I sigh dramatically.
‘Fine. As long as having you as escort means I don’t need him for one night?’ I throw a thumb
Jackson’s way and Alexi shrugs.
‘He can come if you are, bring Susan, his wife. Sure she will love being taken for a night on the town.
You up for it cuz?’ He looks up at his goon and throws him a questioning look.
I am not sure I like all this lack of public Mr Mafia and silent respect. He’s being so overly familiar and
normal with his usually obedient man that this feels casually cosy. I am not used to any of this, and I
am not sure I can get used to being on the inside and looking out.
It’s … odd.
Alexi the silent domineering psycho was easier to swallow than this moody something else. I don’t
know if it’s because it’s softening him around the edges and giving me a new perspective, but it’s
making me uneasy. It’s hard to hate him when he’s humanising himself to me, becoming tolerable and
I’m not sure I want that. That’s what he did that night when sex was something else, and I am more
than aware that if he can’t use sex as the same weapon then he isn’t against using everything else. I
still can’t decide if he’s playing me to pull me close or if he has genuinely let me see another side to
him.
I want my reason to hold onto hating him and keeping my distance. I still don’t trust that he won’t flip
like a switch, and if I lower my guard with this new side to him, I won’t see it coming until it’s too late.
‘You know me, Lex … booze and music and a night off. I’m all in.’ Jackson nods with a huge warm
smile that is endearing. He comes across as a gentle giant and I instantly like him.
I gaze back at Alexi again, that handsome face as he focuses on me and gives me nothing in that
appraising look, which lingers over my face for a little too long before he sighs softly.
I should just say I don’t want to go out with them, but the calling of a night away from here and a reason
to get glammed up and let my hair down a bit is too alluring. Part of me wants to see what they are like
when they hang up their day job coats for a night and have a big Carrero get together away from here.
I’m curious to see how much deeper Alexi’s layers go.
I also want to see Gino’s girlfriend. Purely for research purposes, of course.
‘Sorted. Pack a bag and be ready in the next hour. We have a plane to catch.’ Alexi moves as Jackson
closes the gap and heads back to where he came from —I’m still trying to get my head around what he
just said.
‘A flight? What?’ Confusion overruling refusal and he throws me back a smile.
‘I can’t exactly kick back and have a night off in my own city. I need to go where no one knows me.’
Oh. I never thought about that.
Of course, he can’t be anyone but Alexi Carrero in New York. He wouldn’t be able to go unless flanked
by his men, and even then, he couldn’t let his guard down with family and get drunk. It makes sense he
would want to go somewhere as an anonymous Joe and be able to really have a night off properly.
It must be a burden to constantly have to watch your back and be on your guard.
The thought of going somewhere new and exciting with Alexi as just a normal guy is a little intriguing.
Despite myself, I want to see what that’s like, and against all internal warning, I click my fingers for
Jackson to follow and head upstairs to go pack.
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