The Carrero Contract - Selling Your Soul (Mafia Romance)

I guess Alexi is sensitive to head injuries given what happened with Gino, and this isn’t really about me at all. He just happens to get panicky over people dying from brain injury, I guess.

‘I’m fine. I just need you to leave,’ I call out softly. I don’t think I have the energy anymore to even get up.

‘I told you. I’m not going anywhere without you. I’m not leaving you here.’ He sounds determined and I just get agitated once more—our roundabout of emotions and moods that never ends.

‘Jesus Christ Alexi!’ I get up, despite the effort it takes, yank the chair away from the door and pull it open with force, to be faced with him standing, leaning both hands against the frame, so I walk right into his space as he stands bracing himself. It’s a bit like getting slapped in the face being suddenly assaulted with him in such an up-front manner. I practically bang my nose on his chest but I don’t show that it rattles me.

‘Why?’ I implore, exhausted with him already and it’s been less than an hour in his company. I forgot how tiring he can be and how infuriatingly stubborn when his mind is set on something.

Alexi’s eyes run over my face and I swear I see a tiny flinch as he gets a fresh look at the mess of it in this light. We are directly under a weird lamp that overhangs my bedroom door and probably the brightest spot in the apartment. Eyebrows dipping, he flexes that square jaw before looking back into my eyes. He hesitates, a long pause as he just stares at me, that brain obviously whirring and clicking away.

‘I need you in my club.’ He’s the one who moves away this time, and before I get a chance to say anything else the carpenter opens the door and walks in, breaking the tension that’s thick enough to cut with a knife.

‘Door shuts and I fitted a new internal lock and handles on each side. I put some of your dead bolts back on with a wooden panel to strengthen the wood and straighten it out, and will get to the windows when your man returns with the catches from my workshop.’ He draws us away from our conversation.

‘Thanks. Mico will settle the bill when he gets back.’ Alexi turns to him and walks towards the man to check the door, opening and shutting it himself and trying the locks as he inspects its strength. He looks for a moment, completely at home, taking command and supervising something and it serves to remind me of who he is.

‘Put every bolt back on and maybe a couple more, can’t be too safe right?’ He throws me a look over his shoulder and I just roll my eyes at him, turn and walk back into my room and sit on the bed to steady my shaky legs. I think my body has finally lost the fight, and I have no idea how I am still standing. I sink into the semi-hard mattress dejectedly, picking at the bobbled blanket while trying to zone out from reality for a few minutes, to get some respite.

It all feels surreal and like I’m not really here. I am that sleepy.

A few hours ago, he was a distant memory and now he’s here throwing orders around and taking over like he always does; Taking command, filling the atmosphere with his dominant presence.

It’s like no time has passed and I just want him gone so I can breathe. He makes it near impossible to think straight. It’s too easy to sit back and fall under his care when it’s like this and I know he will keep weakening me to the point I end up agreeing to anything. He’s too potent to be around, and I am too feeble to stay standing for much longer.

I look up when movement at my door attracts my attention and catch him standing there, leaning against the frame and looking at me again. I must have zoned out from tiredness to not have heard him come back. And just gaze at him with the heaviest and slowest of exhales.

‘What now?’ It’s quiet, low, defeated because I’m just too tired for this shit.

‘It’s an open offer—for when you change your mind—IF you change your mind.’ His tone matches mine in terms of gentleness and lacklustre. Alexi is relenting, backing down, and now I know something is up with him. Alexi NEVER backs down, ever. I don’t think it’s in his DNA to do so and I squint at him suspiciously.

I curse myself for it. I

can change in four months … maybe I just realise that I made mistakes in how I treated you.’ He frowns at me with a hint of a smile that brings out one dimple and it shakes me a little. A reminder of that

still yours. It isn’t anymore. You gave me my freedom and I’m not handing it back. We’re going around in circles so maybe just admit defeat and leave.’ I shake my head at him, trying to ignore the

and despite all he has been, I don’t feel

him and shoved him around, and he has yet to actually retaliate in any way. Something tells me he isn’t going to; I don’t know how I could know that, but I can feel it. Something has changed in his behaviour; I should stop questioning it and thank my lucky stars he’s playing

in behind Alexi and appears at the door too. Like a saviour in the midst and I’m rushed

she coming with us?’ He sounds bright and weirdly cheerful for such an early hour in the morning. It annoys me that he also expected me to jump and run after Carrero like a sad

I answer for myself and throw him an accusatory glare. Mico was meant to be on my side, not pairing up with his freakishly similar looking cousin on this. He’s the one who told me to

the hell is

pass some sort of look at each other and Alexi turns and walks back into the other room, leaving me staring at my so-called friend and I wonder what the heck that was. Some silent ‘communicado’ between gangsters and Mico is taking over? It’s unusual for Alexi to step out of a discussion when he isn’t winning. Mico sighs and comes in

me right in the eye with sincerity, a genuine pleading frown,

believe you. Four months ago, you stood in that room and told me to cut ties with this life and get far away from it. That he would never

looks from me to the open door, I guess to check if Alexi is hovering

changed exactly? Other than he’s losing money,’ I

I’m not buying it. Everyone can go through patches of being down on their luck; they don’t throw in the towel at the first hurdle. Mico was adamant enough to walk away from me in the hospital and let me go too. I am not going to believe for one second that me hitting a low point has motivated Alexi to grow a heart in his empty chest. He didn’t know until he got here, unless he has been keeping

disbelieving look splattered across my face, and turns

I’ll make sure of that. If you came back, I can promise it

to keep that locked up indefinitely?’ I nod towards Alexi, who seems to be pacing the other room and watching the carpenter at the window, trying not to look in

Mico is acting the same and I feel like I have hit the twilight zone with these two. I wonder what else is going on under the surface of this offer to warrant the weirdness from the two of them, or their insistence I come back. There has to be more to

important in his empire, so I know this is not like a life

is a lot more to him than what you see? He wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t trying to make amends. Give him a chance Camilla, to put right some of the shit that went down.’ Mico takes my hand and squeezes it, making me jump with the movement as he does so, and I stare at him a little distrustfully. Overkill

capable of remorse, so I doubt that’s true.’ I don’t move my

heavily, displaying his frustration, but he glosses over my

Alexi won’t revoke this offer. He wants you to come back. We

her in motion. I have the know-how to make her roll again. No matter how many different ways they phrase it, my answer

I seem ungrateful Mico. I just have to find my own way now. I’m sorry I made you come here, and I will

It’s nothing.’ He sounds defeated too and I don’t get this softly, softly, approach from them. Both are men who get what they want, or they manipulate the outcome of what they want. I have watched them both pair up and smoothly close many deals in the club.