The Carrero Contract - Selling Your Soul (Mafia Romance) novel Chapter 105

I slide into the seat of the private jet, quietly laughing at the emblazoned gold ‘C’ logo on absolutely everything in a very amused manner that gets a shrug from Alexi. It’s not his plane but it belongs to his cousin or something, and I get a kick out of the familiar iconic mark everywhere. I have seen it on buildings in the city and on paperwork in the office sometimes. It’s not Alexi’s trademark, but the business tycoons in the family use it to solidify a brand. Carrero is a household name on a lot of high-quality products and services in the States.

I move in and slump down into the moulded leather of the best aeroplane seat I have ever sat on in my life, enjoying the feeling of well-designed comfort as my weary bones unfurl. Even though this belongs to family; with his money I’m sure he could afford one of his own and wonder why he doesn’t. He travels enough to warrant it.

I don’t understand the dynamics of the Carreros at all, or the way the underworld and above-board sides coexist and share, yet remain separate in public lives. It’s odd.

It seems like they are one secretly huge close-knit community underneath, who are either on the good side or not. Everyone still interacts and knows what the other side is doing and seems fine with it overlapping occasionally; Private relationships, such as meeting his cousins for training or family time out of sight, away from prying eyes. The media never connects the flashy businessmen with the politically ingrained ones like Alexi.

I know his cousin Jacob Carrero is on the New York’s hot men list for the umpteenth year in a row, and yet Alexi has avoided being printed in any sort of glossy his whole life. He is hotter than his cousin by any standard, in my opinion!

Both are known billionaires with many companies at their command, yet somehow Alexi is given a free pass from the media and only those with his dark world connections know of his true reputation and purpose in life.

I guess money can buy you any kind of front you need and equally hide the parts you wish to remain unseen. He has powerful friends in high places and generations of connections that enable this almost split existence. He can pass off as introverted money-maker who frequents events, and those in the know are aware you never cross him or gossip about what his family are if you want to keep breathing. It’s crazy how society lets it go on in the shadows this way.

I guess it’s a form of protection too, for those not embroiled in Alexi’s world and some who are. He can take better care of the innocents if they are not linked to the family’s crime side; protect acquaintances who show him favour. And I know, above all, he has a huge thing about responsibility for his family and protecting them, always. With him, family are priority. I have always known that about him. It’s the first rule in his code book.

Family comes first!

We got here before anyone, the little Club Carrero group of us, so as I relax after choosing my back seat in an empty plane, Alexi moves in from trailing after me at a distance and sits on the seat right next to me and gets comfy too. Stretching out his legs and throwing me a soft smile as he settles in right beside me. I am not surprised he chose to sit here; seeing as everyone coming has a partner and I guess it would look weird if he sat somewhere else and left me alone. Alexi never goes dateless by choice, so he will expect everyone to assume I’m a current plaything.

I don’t really care as long as he knows that’s not how this is.

Apart from Gino, Mico and now Jackson, I don’t know anyone else who is coming with us and as far as I know, it’s a small group.

Mico and his girlfriend Mandy already picked seats at the very front of the plane, facing forward to have some ‘alone time’ and we are right at the back where the tables are because I wanted a window seat and somewhere with a desk space to spread out. I don’t do social groups very often.

I brought some books to read on the flight, seeing as he told me it is three hours to Miami—the billionaire destination for nightclub getaways apparently. I don’t want to spend three hours making small talk with anyone, especially not Alexi.

I can’t believe we are all just hopping on a plane to Miami for one night of getting drunk and partying. It does seem rather random and spontaneous for Alexi, but as Jackson told me in the lift, this is a two-yearly event and it’s the only way Alexi ever really kicks back properly in his busy schedule. My being invited seems a little more symbolic the more I think about it, and as I glance his way to evaluate him, I can’t help feeling this is significant.

Alexi is texting on his phone, oblivious to me while he is focused on whatever and doesn’t look my way, even when I stare at him for a good three minutes. That handsome profile set on what he is reading and he just looks so young tonight. Not intimidating or boorish in any way. He seems relaxed and in a bright mood. Even on the car ride here, he was playful and seemed to ooze a new side to him. It was strange, if not a little nice.

He’s still dressed casually from earlier, with the addition of a leather jacket which only emphasizes the tattoo running up the side of his neck and behind his ear. He had a haircut today and it’s shorter and spikier than normal, he looks like any other hot man on the way to a weekend adventure. Effortlessly youthful and sexy and I pull myself away from overly examining him, aware that he has a very extreme effect on my nether regions when I allow my brain to stray down that path. I am trying not to let my hormones cloud my brain when it comes to him.

I’m distracted by more people boarding and get a smile from Gino as he drags in a tall leggy brunette, who looks very Italian, by the hand. She is slim, tanned, exotic and gorgeous, with a massive set of boobs over a tiny waist under a very tight red dress, and smiles our way graciously.

‘Ehi, Alexi, da tempo non ci vediamo,’ she beams at him, and he looks up waving back—obviously understanding her.

‘Hey, Alessandra, nice dress.’ Alexi gets up, eyeing her up appreciatively, smiling naturally, and moves along the aisle to kiss her on the cheek. I watch in disbelief, a churning of something in the pit of my stomach as she gives him a warm hug and kisses him back. It’s not awkward or forced and he still seems as relaxed as he was.

‘You look so sexy in this. Gino might have competition, huh? She jests cheekily, smoothing her hands over the lapels of his jacket, laughing when Gino frowns at her and shoves his brother in the shoulder playfully. Alexi just winks at Gino and ignores the faux outrage on his face. It’s obvious that Gino has no qualms about his woman’s loyalty. Or else this is just plain sick.

Alessandra has a very heavy Italian accent and I don’t know whether I like her or not. I don’t appreciate her overly touchy way with Alexi, or the fact he seems to be totally fine with it.

I swear to god they better have never had a threesome or I may just leave on the grounds of that thought alone.

She oozes sex appeal and is effortlessly beautiful and sensual in every way she moves. Inhumanely stunning with a body to die for and I can tell even from here her dress is designer. She has taste.

The cut and fit is beautiful and I am instantly envious of her. Not just because she’s ‘blow your mind’ hot, but because she’s standing with Alexi’s arm around her waist cosily as they continue to have a quiet conversation in Italian, as though it’s the most normal thing for him to do. She has his full uninterrupted attention.

Gino seems completely unfazed, waves to me and then slides into a centre seat as his woman is being monopolized by his twin. I am getting no hints of jealous or mistrust from his manner, even while my own heart is pounding out of my chest painfully. Trying to rip my eyes from the sight of them.

I wonder if Alexi finds her attractive, I mean he obviously does. Even I can see her merits, and I am straight as they come. Although I am not against girl on girl when it serves my purpose and I have seduced women before when I needed to.

She leans her arm on Alexi’s shoulder when he lets her go and continues talking, perching against him as though she owns him, which makes me bite my lip to curb the breathy wave coming over me. I feel sick, even though I know I am being dumb—it’s just he used to use women as a weapon on me frequently and I cannot stomach seeing it now, even when it’s innocent. It feels like anxiety or something painful and I try like crazy to squish it down. They carry on chatting, oblivious to my mini meltdown.

From here all I can pick up is Italian, which I cannot speak. Alexi is returning in fluent dialogue too, so I get nothing of the conversation anymore and it’s frustrating to have no clue what’s being said. The odd glances she sends my way unnerve me and I look down, opening my book to appear disinterested. It’s obvious he has mentioned me, and I don’t actually want to know what he just said if I am honest.

Scanning the pages to find the last place I left off and trying so hard to calm myself internally, I jump when dark hair falls in front of me like a curtain as she leans over to perch on my table.

‘Hello. I’m Alessandra. You’re Cam- eell- eeya, right?’ Her accent makes her pronounce my name in a very quirky way that gets a tingle of a smile from me. It’s oddly cute, even if this is the woman who was using my Alexi as a leaning post a moment ago.

I mean Alexi … The Alexi … That Alexi … Not My …

Never mind!

Up close and personal she’s even prettier and that accent is heavy and husky and effortlessly sexy. I can see why Gino would never cheat on her with someone like me. She’s a goddess walking among mere mortals and up this close there is not one blemish on her. He would be mad to look elsewhere.

‘Hi, Camilla, yeah.’ I shake her outstretched soft hand, feeling uncomfortable at the attention of this girl and glance by to see Alexi is leaning into Gino’s aisle, they are locked in deep conversation as we wait for more guests; ignoring our little introduction—Unimportant to him, I guess.

‘Ahhh how sexy, I love your accent. Lex told me you were a cute little English girl, but he didn’t tell me how beautiful you were. You are just adorable.’

Cute. Little. English. Girl!

Is that how he sees at me? Some naïve immature child! Stereotypically British! And cute? What the fuck is cute? Puppy dog or kitten like? Jesus Christ!

I feel so offended and somehow completely gutted if that is how he describes me to people. It’s the most unflattering thing a man could say about a girl who spent her years training herself to be a vixen.

‘Thanks, I wasn’t expecting a siren to board the plane and now I feel a little underdressed.’ I point out charmingly, nodding at her obvious club wear and then back at my casual black trousers and top. I came dressed to travel and packed my outfit. I never even looked at my hair and makeup from what I had done already. She looks set to walk off the plane and straight onto the red carpet, and I hope to God that’s not what we are doing as I will have to get ready on the plane. I should have asked him. I don’t feel particularly confident anymore.

‘I came straight from a shoot. I am a model and just couldn’t resist borrowing this little number for our night away.’ She giggles naughtily and throws me a wicked smile.

A model … go figure.

I feel like I am paling in comparison, yet despite what she is and how she looks I am not getting any catty vibes at all. The exact opposite in fact. She seems genuinely nice and I have never known how to take nice people. I haven’t had many interactions with them and my brain always tries to find out what they are angling for.

I have met very few in my existence and I just don’t know how to interact with them. I feel inadequate and uncomfortable and just smile her way; my inner pangs of emotion settling down once more.

‘I like it. I have a weakness for expensive clothes.’ I distract, turning on the faux sultry charm I normally reserve for men in the hopes it covers how out of my depth I am around her.

‘Me too; I think you pay for quality and glamour and luckily Gino indulges me—My Bambino.’ She glances back and smiles their way; unconcealed adoration for the man she is besotted with, and I get a bigger pang of stomach clutching envy, wondering what it must feel like to have that sort of connection with someone and have it returned equally.

Alexi looks this way, watches us for a moment and then goes back to chatting. Nothing in his expression at all, like always; infuriatingly disinterested in me while Gino sends little puppy eyes wandering over at his woman.

For a second a little sharp spike in my heart hits me and I wonder what it would be like to have Alexi look at me that way.

It’s stupid and destructive. I should wash that toxic right out of my head.

I’m letting this weird mood colour my thoughts and all this crap with him needs to exit immediately. I need to get better control of my messy feelings, sooner rather than later.

I can see more people boarding just past her—A mix of very Carrero looking men and their women and spot Jackson too, with a small blonde pretty. He left the club to go fetch his wife earlier, unlike Mico who had her come meet us here. I haven’t met most of these people and they all split up to nestle around the plane in little groups, waving and saying hey to everyone else. It’s obvious they see one another frequently as no one rushes to congregate in an excited huddle.

‘I better go sit beside my lover; he misses me when I am gone too long. I am sure Alexi feels the same when he lets his beauty out of his sight. You finally tamed the beast in that one.’ She winks at me demurely, catching me off guard.

What?

‘Oh, we’re not …’ I don’t get a chance to finish as she leans in and pinches my cheek in a surprising and very personal manner that shuts me up with the jump she extracts out of me.