The Carrero Contract - Selling Your Soul (Mafia Romance)

‘Honestly, I can do it, I’m fine. It didn’t hurt.’ I turn towards him to dislodge his arm from around me, agitated with his efforts, patting him on the chest to let me go with a smile through gritted teeth. He leans back up, so we are nose to nose and that’s the last thing I see of his face.

Like a flash out of nowhere someone tugs me out of his arm, so that I stumble backwards into a wall and lose my balance momentarily. Head spinning with the suddenness of it and the black form that literally dive bombs him with such force it takes him flying back against the hall wall so fast I cannot really focus on what’s happening right away.

It takes me a moment to realise what the hell is going on, as Alexi pins him by the throat to the inner hall wall and starts pummelling a fist into the guy’s face. He’s all over him like a fierce animal, wildly unleashed, punching, holding him up and lifting a knee to the man’s abdomen with successive thrusts as he flails any attempts to defend himself. Alexi is too fast and too strong and the man’s nose explodes across his face, covering him in blood.

Alexi has his back to me so I cannot even see his expression, although I know him and the sadistic unemotional trance he went into that night with Santagato’s man is what I am expecting he is in now—Fighting form on show, trained killer. He fights like a machine.

‘Alexi, stop it.’ Hysteria comes from nowhere, bubbling out of me with waves of sheer anxiety, and I launch myself at him impulsively. I grab onto Alexi’s arm to pull him back, but he just physically shakes me off as though I’m nothing more than a light breeze, while continuing his torrent of hate onto the man’s now lifeless body. At this angle I can see him side on. He looks completely deranged, eyes so dark they are almost all pupils and focused intently on annihilation of his victim. It sends a cold icy fear through my veins gripping my stomach tightly. It’s like the lights are on but none is home.

I try again, hauling at the back of his shirt this time as I try to get behind him, pulling and yanking with all my might and slapping his shoulders to stop the assault, but he’s relentless. It’s like I’m not even touching him.

‘He didn’t do anything!’ I scream at the back of him again, pulling and pulling, but he shoves me back with his body aggressively, to shake me off and I get a fright with the unexpected action. I fall over my own shoes, which are ridiculously high, as I crash to the floor and sprain my ankle at the same time. I land in an ungraceful heap and even that doesn’t get him to stop and see if I am okay; Although, I wouldn’t ever expect him to.

He’s never cared about hurting me before or seeing me helpless on the floor.

I try and clamber to my feet, wincing at the ache in my ankle; and then with utter relief, I catch sight of Mico and Gino as they both jump over me and fly in to control their enraged boss. Mico hooking him from behind swiftly, under Alexi’s arms and Gino slides between him and his victim to forcefully push him back while grabbing him around the back of the head and pushes their foreheads together. I am guessing this is a tag team, age-old method of controlling his rage as they all move back five feet and contain the tornado. It’s so effortlessly done it’s almost like a fluid dance. I exhale with a huge sigh of relief, tears running down my cheeks that seem to have come out of nowhere, and my body starts trembling like crazy, with fear, shock and adrenaline.

‘Enough, enough … It’s me, Lex … It’s me.’ Gino is in his face, soothing with words and even though Alexi tries to throw them off at first, he seems to calm instantly. Blinking back to reality as the red mist lifts and he sees his brother in his face. His body seems to lose its rigidity, and both men look visibly relieved that the cyclone is not putting up more of a fight. All of them seem to sag in synchronised movement.

The guy, now slumped on the floor, makes an awful gargling sound with his throat that shudders through me and lays motionless on the floor a few feet from me. He looks like he has been run over by a combine harvester. So much blood and mess all over his face and I feel instantly nauseous at the sight of it.

find it’s not

is truly calm, while Mico slides from behind and goes to check the guy’s pulse, glaring at

scolds and bends to pull the man into a sitting position and leans in to listen to his chest. I can’t look. It’s horrible and stomach churning to look at the pulp left where

churning and bubbling together when sudden fury hits me hard—Almost like an afterthought. Without hesitation, just

a fucking thing!’ I screech at him furiously, blinded by tears and so overwrought with anger that I don’t care if he reacts to my assault. I want him to hit me. I have so much venom inside of me right now it would be the cherry on the cake. Hit me, so I can stab him

with everything I have in me. All that pent-up anger, hurt, heartbreak I harbour, and grudge for the past weeks coming together in one overly emotional blow out and aim all my loathing I have for

a complete fucking psycho … Jealous fucking arsehole! This man

bustles up to slam back at me a second time, icy glare and body poised to fight once more, but I do not give a shit. No fear, no intimidation at his stance or glares. I want to tear his god damn head off. I am not scared of

Alexi roars at me, craning over his brother’s arm as he leans in at me

a fucking moron … who’s fucking blind!’ I snap

I resort to feet instead, struggling to get free and aim any kick I can at him. I am determined to wound him in any physical

up you fucking psychopath. That didn’t warrant beating him to death! You’re completely unhinged, you know that?’ I scream at him through tears and rage and Alexi

should have known it was all an act.’ He spits it at me venomously. Rage and

I fucking hate. I knew it was too good to be true that he was being docile and reasonable these

was, and he has just confirmed it. Alexi isn’t anything like he pretends to be, this is the real face of that utter arsehole.

the shooting, burning pain as the noise echoes like a thwack in the unusual quiet out here. He doesn’t even react, even though it had to have hurt him as much as

I fucking hate you.’ I bite

be any different between us.’ Alexi’s sadistic tone, full on icy and nasty and it’s like a welcome friend. I know where I stand with this man, this arsehole,