The Carrero Contract - Selling Your Soul (Mafia Romance)

“Why do you think I react so badly when you hurt me? Why I run when I think you might do something to make me want to leave you? I’m scared because you can hurt me in ways no one has ever had the ability to do. And you don’t even need to touch me to do it. I act like an idiot because of how I feel about you!”

He just stands stock still and stares at me as though I have two heads, or he didn’t quite hear me correctly. Both of us feet apart, motionless and he just continues to lock those eyes on me for what seems like the longest time. Penetrating my skull as that clever brain ticks and turns over whatever he is thinking about. A return to deadpan, calm and still. Temper evaporating away to nothing. He reverts inside his own head and simmers to a deathly silence in the quietness of the room.

“Do you?” It’s soft, unsure, and I can almost taste the apprehension and fear in those two little words. The same fear from the night he first told me he loved me.

The way my heart constricted and crumbled, and I couldn’t breathe with the terror of what those words could do to me. Only in this case, it’s the lack of them that is killing him. He wants them so badly. My little lost boy coming out and showing face. The deepest part of him that truly needs acceptance.

It’s now or never; I have to take a leap or just let him leave. Tears pouring down my face in place of scowls and hatred, I realise I need to stop hiding or I will lose him. He wants to protect me and leaving me is his plan if I don’t admit that I do.

“Why would I be here if I didn’t? Why would I have come back? Why would I have stayed? You never gave any sane woman a reason to try again, so I was either completely stupid to let you drag me back … or …” I shiver as I say it to him, knowing I’m exposing all of me by admitting this. Giving him back a power he once held and knowing he can wound my heart all over again if he wanted to. It’s a leap of faith and hope.

My heart is telling me he won’t abuse my trust this time. My need to stop him leaving is battling all the red alerts and ‘don’t do it’ right out of me. Maybe in order to trust him, I need to have a little faith in myself to just let go and stop dangling over the precipice.

“Say it. I need you to say it if it’s what you feel. You came back because …” Alexi’s voice is softer than mine now, eyes devouring me and there is so much within them; longing, a need to be loved that I know only too well. It’s mirrored in me every time I look at my reflection. Lonely little children who just want to be the centre of someone else’s world.

Two broken souls who have yearned to truly belong to someone in some real way. Something unconditional, while knowing the worst of you and not letting it stop them, anyway. Seeing your flaws and shrugging them away as unimportant. Seeing your worth. Something we have both wanted and needed our whole lives. Something we can give to each other now.

I hesitate, fear choking me so much I close my eyes and a tear rolls down my cheek. Trembling because it’s a choice I have to make—honesty, and the walls come down. I have no more defences against him, and from here on in we try to do this and mean it. Or lie and keep my safety net intact and he walks away from me, leaves me financially stable but completely alone.

A life without him in it. That’s not a life I want. Even if this way is terrifying me to the core.

“Be honest. Have faith in me and give me the chance to prove to you I can give you the world. Treat you like you deserve and never give you a reason to run, ever again.”

His words dig into my heart, through my soul and hurt me on so many levels. Wrenching the deepest parts of me open, and I can’t keep a grip on the locks of my internal doors anymore. Moving closer to me, all signs of anger dissipating as he focuses softer eyes on mine and hems me in with his sheer size. Breaking me down because I’m hopeless for him.

“I love you. I never stopped.” I say it as a ghost of a whisper, closing my eyes tight to block him out, so petrified of saying the words again but needing so badly to do so, they just slip out. Trying to forget the pain of the first time I trusted him with this part of me. Exposing my weakness for him and knowing he has the power to make me put a gun to my own head.

I know he heard me.

The sudden invasion of his warmth right in front of me, his body moving in close as his fingers trace the tears on my cheek; I blink my eyes open to find him standing so near his nose almost touches mine.

His eyes are glazed with real emotion, the frown is gone, and he just looks incredibly young and unsure so suddenly. A hint of joy but so clouded with uncertainty. His other hand comes to mine and he interlaces our fingers before pulling my palm to his chest and flattening it over his thudding heart. Pulling me closer so we share air. My body instantly electrified from his proximity and I’m overwhelmed with tingles and butterflies.

“Do you mean that?” He sounds different. Vulnerable, soft and low. Nothing like the man he can be, and I know he is as scared as me at this moment. It’s odd to feel it reverberating from him as I never imagined anything in the world could phase Mr cool and indestructible. I can feel it though, his fear pulsating in time with mine.

I nod, unable to say it again or tear my eyes from those endlessly pale doors to another dimension. The guardians of my soul. Alexi’s face completely changes, and I get to see for the first time what a happy Alexi looks like when he isn’t guarding himself. He smiles; full-on Hollywood, dimples and all and those eyes sparkle with it, changing his whole demeanour and expression to an infectious high.

He looks devastating like this and I know it’s not even close to Mafia King at all. This is my Alexi, no one else gets to see him this way.

‘I love you, London. More than you will ever know. I have never felt the way I feel about you with anyone’

It’s all he utters before leaning in and kissing me softly on the lips, my heart bursting like a firework at his touch, sinking against him greedily, my body moulding to his and pulling all the necessary warmth, longing and joy back from him into my cold limbs, taking what I need from him.

A kiss to wipe away the last twenty-four hours. To feel his strong body against me and his mouth on mine. He knows how to make me feel safe, he always did, and I need it now more than ever. When I feel at my most vulnerable with him, he needs to help me overcome that with his own skills at making me secure. Just as he is doing now, wiping all the tears and misery away with the gentlest of touches, feeding my craving for his intimacy and touch.

his jawline gently, scratchy stubble on soft tips, deliciously perfect. Needing this more than air as he

to him that he is what I want, and I’m willing to take a leap of faith to keep him. That trust

watches me, confused by the sudden movement but he doesn’t follow or say anything. Sensing I have something to say or that I need space and just remains still and steadfast in staring at me. Eyes still twinkling and his whole manner seems

off my shoulders, so it slips down and pools at my feet on the floor, leaving me standing before him completely naked. Body shivering with the residue of my bath and the damp robe, but I know I won’t be cold for

always being confident in my own skin with everyone else in the world. Hesitant, trembling and then push down all my nerves and find that inner queen I know is there. Lifting my chin defiantly, I lock

cross my mind about what he feels. Alexi’s adoration shines through at me

you won’t physically hurt me because you promised me, and I believe that you meant it. I know you love me. I have felt it and seen it and standing here now I don’t doubt it anymore. If you walk away and leave me, I’ll never survive, Lexi. I love you and I want

breaks his visual hold on my eyes, not even flicking away to check me out while

everything aside and focus only on how much I want him.

trust you, but trust exists in here, and I’m willing to let it grow. Don’t give up on me.” I lift a little higher, pausing and looking away to his chest, letting his eyes scan all of me as he stands motionless, listening, watching, taking it in and analysing me with that

you will never get rid

laid eyes on him, maybe more so. Standing here assured that my life and future lies with this man. All the doubts lift their heavy weight

business.” I smirk as I say it. Hardly a sweet romantic seduction, but one thing

shithead at the best of times, and he will never do full-blown romance. He clearly likes a dominant woman even when he acts like he hates it and needs one to keep him in hand. No

except me.

deal with this

that when dealing with him.

the most gorgeous unguarded and carefree smile that almost instantly turns me to mush. All doubt and worry melt from that face and those dimples

to be

“As you wish.”

pulls it up over his head and free from that luscious body, exposing tanned traceable lines of muscles. Those endless black ink tattoos from knuckles to shoulders and up one side of his neck across deliciously flawless skin. Glorious eye candy and he doesn’t stop there. He kicks off his trainers and bends, swooping down and giving me that delightful view of the tattoos that sweep onto his shoulder blades in an equally sexy manner as he pulls off his socks and straightens to strip. The sweats get tossed aside and so do the butt-hugging boxers until he

try as I might to not directly stare down at his ample package, I have to take a reminder peek. Even not fully erect it’s enough to make my knees tremble. Reminders of what that important piece of his body can do to

a new tattoo on his chest that stops me in my tracks as my eyes do a second sweep, and I double take,

lock a penetrating gaze and a pointer finger on what looks like a dandelion head with some tiny seeds flying free on the breeze towards his shoulder. A delicate stem curling into a C and flowy script writing inside the shape it

It says Camilla.

more prominent than his others so I guess it’s fairly recent and still looks raised as though it is healing. He glances down as I study it, my heart and eyes brimming to overflow, touched with an intensity so deep it’s physically painful. It wasn’t there last time I saw

He points out blankly then throws me a cheeky smile and an eyebrow raise that says ‘obviously’. Unapologetic for a romantic gesture he didn’t admit to having. He

I sniff as those dratted tears bubble over, suddenly overcome, and he looks down at it

not? You’re mine even if you didn’t agree. I wanted you with me always.” It’s the youthful him from the bolthole, smiling almost shyly as I examine his new addition, reaching out to touch it and gently trace my fingers over the raised bumps and crusted scabs as it heals, careful not to hurt him. So many inner feelings

on his skin forever. I’m so crazily overwhelmed all I can

I sniff, sounding pathetic, but I don’t mean it. I’m blown away, so touched he would do this for me, and it just adds fuel to my desire to

soft and gooey but his heart beats strong for me and this is another layer of proof. I don’t need chocolates and flowers when he carves my name into his chest for

back on him as I completely turn to jelly at his touch. He follows

to want to tie myself to you for a lifetime, little hellcat.” He gives me that wicked smirk of his and I just shake my head

over my skin gently, attending to every curve and line. Igniting a desire so strong the hunger warms my body quickly. Exploding sensations as he trails across and around and over me and cups my arse cheeks before squeezing them

body. Tiny and delicate especially with how carefully

breasts, enjoying his freedom to touch me as he pleases. His eyes following his progress before leaning in to kiss me equally carefully. He’s moving slowly, being deliberately gentle and precise while running his hands and fingers over me until I cannot take it anymore. Working me into a deliberate frenzy so it excites us both into heightened longing. The evidence of his erection growing between us and just adds to my horn levels as it presses against my

and agonising when you haven’t got laid in

arms around his neck to haul him against me impatiently. Burying my fingers in his hair and pushing my nails against his scalp gently to urge him on. Pulling his mouth to mine for a more passionate kiss

grin when I edge my pelvis against him suggestively,

face. Amused that of all