The Carrero Contract - Selling Your Soul (Mafia Romance) novel Chapter 109

‘Well, what would you call us … if not friends?’ His gaze narrows on me, smile fading and something more serious in its place. Still not moving, like a tall stubborn mannequin and I relent with an exasperated sigh, knowing he has no intention of going again until he decides he’s moving. Talking is on his agenda for some stupid reason.

‘I don’t know … business acquaintances. People coexisting for a mutual benefit, but certainly not friends! Friends like one another, Alexi!’ I point out scathingly, using my bag to point at him and me as though to emphasise my statement, willing him mentally to just walk forward and get in the damn lift I can hear pinging away about twelve feet from us as they open.

‘I like you, so …?’ He shrugs boyishly, expression solemn now and I know he’s just trying to get to me.

I know that’s bullshit and now he is trying to just pull me into another little mind game.

‘Like a sore head, right? Or like a bullet to the kneecap?’ I ask sarcastically, turning and decide to go it alone. He can catch up or I will simply wait downstairs until pig-headed moves his arse. I am done with this weird chatter he has going on.

‘I was going to say you are more like an itch I can’t scratch. Sometimes though, it feels really good, because I am weird with stuff like that.’ He smirks as he comes level with me, finally keeping pace and this time I eyeroll. It’s hard to stay furious or act indifferent when he starts coming out with this nonsense. I wonder if he drank more while getting ready as he’s merrier than I expected and completely on one. If this is him trying to be funny or endearing then it’s not working.

‘There’s something wrong with you,’ I point out, looming closer to the doors and press the button to call one to our floor once more. We only just missed two of them because of his infuriating stalling and God knows how long before the next. It’s a massive hotel with twenty floors.

Alexi stands back a bit, eyes still eating me up shamelessly and I do my best to ignore it. I’m simmering between bad mood and not giving a shit, and if he could just stop antagonising me until we get there then I might actually loosen up a little.

‘You’re what’s wrong with me, London … You just haven’t figured that out yet.’ Alexi moves closer to wait beside me properly, body heat enveloping me like always and that hated tingly effect he has on my nerve endings. I am starting to get used to the fact that my internal horn trigger is sensitive to whatever he exudes and learning to dismiss it a little easier …

Sometimes.

I turn to look at him but am interrupted when the lift opens before us. I go to move quickly, relieved I have the excuse to move us apart, but he catches hold of my hand from behind in a soft grip, halting me, and I turn instantly, shocked by the touch.

My heart jumps into my mouth and I lose all bravado when he’s practically nose to nose with me in one easy step forward. The urge to shove him away is stalled by the sudden impact of those haunting eyes so very close to mine. Alexi is practically within kissing distance and I breathe in a heady mix of his scent and the aftershave he reserves for nights out. Thrown by this manoeuvre. He smells divine and it just annoys me all the more.

My body does what I hate; goes limp and submissive when caught in his spell and every single sense hits high alert as a steady flow of goosebumps ripple across every surface of me.

‘I think you might be mentally unstable and that’s what’s actually wrong with you.’ It’s more of a whisper, body reacting to his close proximity and my fire burning out so rapidly it leaves me breathless.

‘Maybe you just make me crazy.’ He utters it so softly I feel the breath of his words against my lips and realise how close we have gotten … Heads angling closer, almost mesmerizingly so.

I clear my throat and move away from him, suddenly conscious of the lack of air between us, shaking his hand from mine and pulling it up to cradle on my chest out of his reach. Aware that he’s in predator mode and this is a seduction move that I almost just let myself be swept into. I should have known this would happen along the way, I just didn’t expect it so soon.

‘Feeling’s mutual, now back off before I knee you in the balls. I told you this was never happening, so fuck off. I mean it!’ I push him hard in the chest and get a smug smirk as he steps back unwillingly. Finally, space again. I brush myself off and inhale to remove the traces of his effects over me. Rattled and body on sexual high alert in the worst possible ways. Sensitive to everything around me now.

‘How do you do it?’ Alexi asks. A random thing to say and I blink at him in surprise, halting my visual shaking him off. Itching to just get in the damn lift but he’s driving me crazy with this.

‘Do what?’ I blink at him, infuriated and ready to drag his arse in there as he stands his ground, eyes on me again, boring intensely into mine. They are back to the almost colourless hue he has most of the time; Rimmed with the darkest grey border that sometimes gives them the look of a wolf or a husky. Weird for a human but it only ever added to his appeal. Alexi has eyes that look like they belong on a vampire or a soulless being.

‘You never give up!’

It’s not a sarcastic or condescending statement, but I know it has to be some sort of jab at me on some level, even if he sounds soft and strange. I would say in awe, but I know that’s wrong and it’s just Alexi being a mind-fuck.

‘Okaaay, you are clearly drunk and being odd. Alexi, sober up or I am going back to my room and you can go dance solo. You’re weirding me out with this shit and I’m over it already.’ I throw my hands on my hips and he sighs heavily.

‘I’m not drunk … I’m just … Never mind. Come on, they’re all waiting downstairs to meet up.’ He finally relents; obviously guessing this is getting him nowhere and starts moving.

‘I’m not coming if you’re going to act like a freak with me all night!’ I make a point of standing my ground this time but Alexi is having none of it, he walks by swinging an arm around my waist snugly and forcefully walks me with him so that I yelp at the handsy move. A step closer to our lift and now I am the one who doesn’t want to go in.

‘I’m going to be a gentleman all night and prove to you that I can be a decent guy,’ He grates out stubbornly in a less than gentlemanly tone.

‘Yet you say those words while manhandling me, when I clearly told you that touching me was a no-no!!’ I push myself out of his embrace but don’t get far when he catches my wrist and continues to drag me inside the small enclosed space. He turns on me with a grin that has all dimples and flashing charm on show.

‘Yeah, sue me. I said decent, I didn’t say perfect.’

We walk towards our very glamorous billionaire hangout that’s known for celebrities and crazily rich people, after we get off the same posh shuttle bus that chauffeured us to the hotel.

He may like to be anonymous on his night off but choosing a rich folk, high-profile hangout is rather ironic. I get that maybe it’s because security in these places is high, as we are all patted and scanned on arrival for concealed weapons when we get to the main entrance and all the red ropes blocking entry. I catch him watching me—watching the guard’s hands more specifically, as he runs the wand over my ‘boobage’ area slower than the rest of me with intensely focused eyes on my cleavage. Alexi snarls with an accompanied growl when the man lingers too long, and then gently pushes me forward ahead of him as though to tell the guy enough is enough. It’s not aggression at me, but the death glare honed on the security is very hostile as the goon seems to swallow hard, rather than question the fact I am being moved out of his way.

I get waved by awkwardly and wait patiently for my angry escort. He literally glares the guard down into a liquid mess in his own shoes as he skims over him far quicker than anyone else in line. I guess when a pair of pale greys is locked on your face with laser precision at close proximity, and pretty much bearing into your skull for daring to touch his toy, you move on as fast as you can. He still intimidates people far too easily. I guess it’s that aura of psychotic sociopath he always has circling around him.

‘Relax … Forgetting yourself for one night, remember?’ I nudge him as he is let loose, still throwing the guard serious shade, and yank him with me by the jacket sleeve stubbornly. My own mood is back to light and breezy after the bus over here. Everyone in high spirits and even Alexi seemed mellow, until now that is. I guess it finally rubbed off on me and I can forgive and forget for a few hours while enjoying myself. I’d rather try and have fun than spend the night being the atmosphere killer.

Alexi follows and lays a hand on the small of my back possessively to guide me in front of him, still simmering at that idiot security, but we catch sight of the ones ahead of us who already got through and catch up with our party quickly.

Despite thinking he is an arse I still came with him, so I’m going to play nice and stay close. For all he is, he keeps me safe wherever we go and other men at bay, and I need that from him right now. It’s nice to have someone else have your back and relieve you from always having to be on full alert.

I aim to get drunk; try and have a good time, seeing as we are here now, and then go home to never accept this kind of offer from him again. It’s too complicated between us and it just leaves room for a whole lot of misunderstanding.

* * *

The night is going far better than expected and despite the no touching rule, I don’t mind Alexi being handsy in the way he’s been all night. It’s not sexual or intrusive, just keeping me close, guiding me when we move and pulling me onto his lap when there are no other seats around for me to sit on. So I don’t end up like a third wheel outside of the group, or easily accessible for the hordes of overly touchy men in this club. He’s looking after me in his obsessively protective way.

I can’t fault it when it’s the first night of my life I have been able to truly relax and just be myself in a fun setting.

Sitting in his lap is an odd experience. I mean, it is Alexi after all, and being comfortable in such an intimate way is not normal for us. The first couple of times he did it I sat stiff and awkward, very aware of the warmth of his body under me and how close this made us, and his hands remained loose at his sides. It was as though he somehow wanted to show he wouldn’t touch me.

He hasn’t said as much, but then he’s not much of a talker. With him, it’s always actions over words.

I have to really fight myself on how he makes me feel when we have bodily contact, and I am not going to lie … Alexi has me hornier than hell now I am alcohol powered once more. He’s all manly muscle and good looks and oozes sex appeal, especially when he’s cradling me this way. He feels nice when he touches me, smells even better, and I swear he couldn’t have any more testosterone if he tried. I maybe have had moments of drunken drooling and been flirtier than is safe. My knickers may self-combust if this keeps up.

Alexi, weirdly enough, has been the perfect gentleman. He’s not even openly flirting and hasn’t given me any reason to feel like he’s moving in on me.

That has thrown me a lot, confused me more and only heightened suspicion. I have been second guessing him all night and I can’t stop staring at him when he’s lost in conversation and oblivious to my looks. Trying to figure him out and climb into that closed off complicated brain of his.

By the tipsy fourth and fifth time I am happily draping a free arm around his neck as he keeps one around my waist, he seems more at ease with it too; Chatting to his brother or cousins while I am nestled against him. It’s becoming almost normal—relaxed.

Alexi feels strangely safe and comforting like this; Holding me close, no sense of danger or foreboding that he used to instil in me, and giving other men here a very clear stay away sign, that offers me protection. I don’t get any hints that he will try and push this to be anything else either, but then I shouldn’t let my guard down.

I have to keep reminding myself over and over … This is Alexi Carrero. The one and only.

I am loosening up though, touching him too, when maybe I shouldn’t encourage it. I keep impulsively falling onto his lap when returning from dancing or sitting beside him and leaning into him with his arm around the back of my chair as booze takes effect. I know I’m going to regret being so cosy with this devil, but I am trying to do what he said and forget who we are for one night. No grudges, no masks, no rules. Just enjoy being free and happy for once.

Something that is so very rare for me. Yet here I am, smiling and giggling and genuinely having a pretty amazing time, with him of all people; some unwritten truce tonight.