The Carrero Contract - Selling Your Soul (Mafia Romance)

My suspicious brain immediately jumps to the worst kind of conclusions and I pale … blood running icy cold through my veins as my breathing labours.

The thought that maybe he wants me to finish the job I didn’t do very well last time I put a gun to my head flits through my mind. Maybe he’s arming me so next time I can just do it somewhere alone where he won’t have to sit and watch or feel obliged to intervene.

I try to pull my head out of the gutter, but my trembling hands and light head are hitting me with all sorts of warnings. Alexi doesn’t seem fazed at all.

‘It’s for you, take it. I need to show you how to handle it.’ He just carries on as though he’s oblivious to my complete freak-out.

‘I don’t want it!’ It’s out as fast as a lightning bolt, panic hitting hard, and no matter what he has going on in that clever head I am avoiding it at all costs.

‘I don’t care. I need you to carry one from now on. I need you to be comfortable handling it.’ He holds it at breast level trying to get me to take it by holding it practically against me and when I don’t, he grabs my hand and lifts it before depositing it forcefully in my palm.

‘No touching,’ I snap at him, anger overtaking fear and slap the gun in his chest to hand it back. Snapping stupidly, but I am terrified of this beast.

‘Stop being fucking stupid then,’ he snaps right back at me, grabbing it from me and repeats that same forceful movement. Giving me no choice in this and makes me hold this infernal hunk of metal against my wishes.

I knew it wouldn’t take long for the prick to break the hands-off rule and I should use his bloody gun to bitch slap him in the face.

‘Fine!’ I snap yanking it from his grasp, if only to stop his handsy behaviour, and hold it by the trigger with my thumb and forefinger so it dangles below my hand like a dirty rag. Making a show of disobedience and not really wanting to hold another gun in my life, ever again. I am still traumatised from the last time and it’s no better than holding a severed head; I am not about to start Lara Crofting it in the office because he has lost his god damn mind.

He erupts at me, disintegrating his last threads of held temper.

‘Jesus Christ! I am trying to protect you Cam, for once stop being a pain in the fucking ass and let me do that. You’re my business partner now, not my hostess and that makes you a target more so than before. I need you to be able to protect yourself in case anything like before happens again. It was a close call and one where we’re lucky I intervened when I did!’ He is losing his shit with me, yelling and I just shake my head at him, spitting nails and venom all in one go. My self-defence system has kicked in and it’s overflowing with defiance and hostility, my body pulsating with energy and ready to ram it down his throat if he keeps pushing.

‘Don’t fucking talk to me like that. I don’t need to put up with your shit this time and I won’t have you yelling at me or man-handling me like a bloody doll.’ I drop it on the table dramatically, so it thuds and gouges the expensive wooden surface cruelly. I turn to march away, but he yanks me back by the upper arm, almost knocking me into the seat behind with the force, and lets me go instantly when I turn in full fury at him lashing out with well-aimed slaps at those hands.

‘What part of NO fucking touching, do you not get?’ I yell louder than he can, and this time he stops, grits his teeth and silently and murderously stares me down. Unmoving and it’s obvious he is probably envisioning choking me to death over his newly scratched walnut desk. Both of us stiff and facing each other aggressively.

‘Look!!’ It’s that insane psycho tone through clenched teeth and I cross my arms over my chest in a show of indifference. Alexi takes a long slow and deliberate inhale, I guess trying to simmer that infamous temper he has going on and moves a little agitatedly; Flexing his shoulders, unclenching teeth and staring to his left for a moment to reel in his thoughts and fire. I can physically see him putting one hundred and ten percent effort into not turning prick on my ass and it’s pretty weird to feel in control this way.

I can see why he likes it. I get a little buzz.

The Alexi from before would have tied me to his desk by now and reduced me to quivering tears while he watched in evil satisfaction. He seems to be really trying hard not to repeat previous performances and it boosts my sense of confidence around him. Whatever I missed in four months, it’s obvious, Alexi has told himself that he can’t repeat what he did to me before. His club depends on me being here, and he is aware that treating me differently is a must.

stormier than hell because he is obviously furious, and this time with a more even tone starts again. Controlling

compliant and just not make this a fight. I am trying to do what’s best for you, so you can return to this life without a cloud of threat.’ He sounds reasonable, but the grit in the look tells me he is still simmering and on the verge of snapping.

I am back and someone important once more, then maybe Alexi is right. Having something like this on me should I ever find myself in that situation again would level my chances of getting out alive. I hesitate and eyes flicker to the gun as

with a tiny pearl inlay on the side of

it up again and this time, I take it properly and carefully from his firm hand without argument, eyes glued to the piece. Even while

as he says, breath hitching because this makes me more nervous than I care to admit. He can surely feel me trembling with how closely he has come to stand beside me, and for once, he

in my clenched palm. A better fit than his was. Arm shaking because I am so scared of having one of these in my grasp

spine and his breath hits my neck. That internal trigger of fear at a human coming in at me

gun to him and back again sheepishly; confused for a moment that he would remember, and actually care enough to move. It knocks me off balance and I can’t stop blinking his way, unsure whether that was a genuine moment or a calculated one and

think

is how he always starts messing with your head. Do not

a second skin, and adjusts the way I have the gun nestled in my hand, pulling it back slightly so it’s not so outstretched. I lose focus on the death machine and become fully aware of how he is

I might to look at the gun in my hand, I am overly aware of him right in against me as he directs. So close his face is almost pressed to mine, and even though he isn’t meant to be

in complete confusion … it’s crazily

Shit.

makes me

I can, losing my nerve and back out of his space quickly. Knowing when I am too close to the sun

can’t do this right now. I umm

not have him pressed against me with a gun lesson. Alexi just regards me emotionlessly and butts in while I’m scrambling to

to be comfortable carrying this as soon as possible. Here.’ He ignores the weirdness of my behaviour and pulls out a strange strap looking concoction of leather and metal buckles,

Get the fuck away from me.’ I make

You wear it under your dress around your hips so the gun nestles there.’ He nods between my legs and I look down in alarm at the thigh gap I know is under there, alarmed that people would want to put it near their intimate parts. I am not really wanting that hunk of metal wedged in the entrance to my Vajayjay.

Ouch!

clothes you wear this would be concealed and handy to reach should you ever

he thought about this. Thought about me and how I could carry something to protect myself.

Stop caring!

all the time?’ I don’t know what else to say, except start questioning to cover up the emotional meltdown I seem to be having; Pissed at myself

in my own domain—so yes, all the time.’ There’s bitterness