The Carrero Contract - Selling Your Soul (Mafia Romance) novel Chapter 44

The Hamptons is as dull as I thought it would be and Mico is like my parasitic shadow. He never lets me out of his sight no matter what reason I give him for going out, even for lady’s products; he still stands right there, three feet away as though I’m going to crawl under the tampon shelf and make an epic escape.

Alexi left after that night and I haven’t seen him since. He was gone when I got up. and it’s been five days with absolutely no word from him at all. Not that I should expect word as he never told me he would contact me, and after he left I am certain I don’t want him to. I don’t ever want to see him again after what he did to me and the furthest away I can get from him, the better. I feel nothing for him right now, except hatred and loathing and if I never saw him again, it would be too soon.

I haven’t abandoned my plan of running. I withdrew as much money as I could every day for the last four when we stopped at the cash line and concealed it from Mico, the nosy bastard that he is. I swear now he is the man I have to deal with, and he actually talks, I am starting to see he is as bad as Alexi for his need to know everything and bossy self. You can tell they are related.

Using my own account, not the credit card Alexi left for me to use on food and bills, I have managed to squirrel a decent amount away. I’ve packed my money in the lining of my handbag and sewn it in along with my passport, so if Mico looks he will find nothing. They don’t even know my passport is in my real name, so I have always kept it concealed.

I aim to run first chance I get, and I don’t care where I end up. I have a baseball cap in my bag waiting to be able to cover my tell-tale hair, and I am literally just waiting for that opportunistic moment that Mico lowers his guard. I am always watching for it.

He’s taking me to the wine store to stock up Alexi’s cellar this afternoon, seeing as the group of five security, that he doesn’t think is overly excessive at all for one little woman, has been boozing out the last few nights from boredom and it is running low. I want some bottles of red to kill my nights if I am stuck like this for a prolonged length of time. I might have to get drunk enough to attempt a climb from my bedroom to escape at this rate, as Mico is bloody relentless at guard duty.

We walk into the wine shop and I immediately run for cover behind the nearest shelves when I spot a very familiar blonde head, perky little frame and bubbly tone two aisles away and almost thrust myself into a crate of bottles in a panic to avoid her. Surprise hitting me hard and self-preservation kicking in.

Mico looks at me like I have lost the plot and then his eyes scan the shop and a smile breaks across his face.

‘’Arrick … Sophs … hey cuz.’’ He wanders forward and I glance around to see if the blonde really is Sophie Huntsberger like I fear. Peeking out from my spot I catch sight of her turning and greeting Mico with a hug, fully entangling her petite frame in the hulk of a grizzly bear. I almost forgot she is a part of the Carrero family that all live here and I presume the tall handsome one with her is the Carrero she is living with, Arrick.

I remember the name from that night Tyler’s men held us captive. I guess they are living their happily ever after still, and she looks good. Healthier, happier and it churns up another bout of guilt for what I did to her and I push it aside.

Sophie didn’t deserve the shit I threw at her. She was more of a revengeful knee-jerk reaction to liking someone. I got petty, pushed her away for fear of giving a shit.

I watch safely from afar, cursing my luck at walking into the one girl in this place who would know who I am and last time she saw me broke my fucking nose. Okay, so I deserved it after what I did to her, and I do still feel a little bit shitty for trying to screw her over and drug her into a night of rape at one of my client's hands.

Sophie was someone I started to genuinely like, and then I realised that I did and backtracked epically to stop myself from ever being stupid enough to trust anyone. I pushed that girl down a well in a bid to stop my weak arse emotions from the possibility of a real friend.

It’s obvious the boyfriend is a Carrero, it’s written all over him. He’s fairer than most with sandy hair yet brown eyes and a softer jawline, but he’s related to Alexi alright. Stance, muscular form, quick smile and those straight eyebrows over eyes that can turn from charm to glare in a second. I can hear him talking and he has that same husky depth to his voice like Gino and Alexi do. An unmistakeable sexiness that not all men have, and I guess the Carrero genes are strong and the family resemblance is crazily uncanny. Easy to spot at a distance though, which helps me immensely when dodging people.

‘‘How’re things going with you two lovebirds?’’ Mico sounds almost normal when faced with family, and it’s probably the most I have ever heard him say to anyone in such a chirpy tone. He never really speaks. ‘’Great. Sophie is still at school in fashion, and she’s doing amazingly well, we moved in together into my apartment finally.’’ The deep voice of a guy who wouldn’t be too pleased to meet me face to face. Sophie will have told him how I got her kidnapped after trying to ruin her life so yeah, steer clear of that Carrero. If I remember right she said he was a fighter, or Tyler did and I wonder if this is the cousin that Alexi sometimes trains with. I can see the appeal although he looks incredibly young.

I’m not into boys and college prep boy smiles. I like men with a little maturity and age, but he’s a good match for Sophie. She has a young childish look about her and I can see how they gel. Barbie and Ken of the Hamptons.

‘‘Aww well done, always knew you would do well Sophs.’’ Mico sounds almost human.

‘’Thanks. How’s Mandy? Are you still seeing her?’’ Sophie’s sweet almost childlike voice is all sunshine and smiles, so unlike how she was when I knew her. She sounds happy and it makes my gut ache in envy. Peeking again, I can see her boy has his arm slung around her shoulder protectively and is holding her against him in a way that makes it clear this is the love of his life. He’s handsome, in a less appealing way than Alexi, and strong. Looks like he would protect her to the death if he had to.

I don’t know what that must feel like. No one has ever loved me, not even my mother who was biologically built to love me. She used to scream in my face almost daily about how I ruined her life and drove her to drink and drugs. Every time she pounded a fist into my face in rage for something that upset her, she told me how it was my fault that she got mad and lashed out, if only I would be good and stop angering her. I honestly do not know what love is supposed to feel like, and watching them now just makes me feel incredibly jealous and hostile because I know the reality is that I will never find out.

Turning away and biting on my lip to curb the surge of emotion that wracks my heart and chest, trying to shake free these stupid emotions that Devil Carrero inflicted upon me and then I realise how close to the door I am. It’s like being shaken to sense and suddenly I am very still and silent as my brain catches up with the program and I glance around to double check. Mico is talking, I can hear him, and he has his back to me, distracted with Sophie and her boyfriend.

It’s that little window I have been waiting for, an opportunity presenting itself, and I can’t believe my luck. It literally just fell on me by chance and all thanks to Sophie. The girl really is great at saving my bacon.

I rummage in my shoulder bag, pull out the cap without hesitation, knowing I need to take my chance before it’s gone. I quickly roll my hair up to stuff inside as I pull it on my head. You have to be fast, take whatever chances come your way and always ready to go at the drop of a hat. Glancing back to check that Mico is still occupied I can see he’s still not looking this way. I put my bag over my head to cross my body, so I won’t drop it and take a long deep steady breath to calm my nerves.

I’m ready, I can do this. I need to just swallow and go. I close my eyes, count to five and then step away and head straight for the door. Adrenaline boosting and chest pounding.

Don’t look back, don’t hesitate just open the door and leave. Just go. I walk as fast as I can, glad the door has no sound when I open it and slide out into the street blinded by the sun. So quickly and jerky, my movements made in fear as it overtakes me. I cut left so I don’t cross the window of the store, and as soon as I am out of view, I put my head down and run like the devil is on my arse.