The Carrero Contract - Selling Your Soul (Mafia Romance)

Vegas is hotter than hell, you could fry a breakfast on the tarmac here and even though we only walked into the hotel minutes ago I’m already sweating and gasping for air like I just ran a marathon. I have never been to this city and I’m already wondering how people can live here. The airport was busy and hazy with heat rising from the ground upon arrival that looked like mysterious, magical dimension aberrations, and I feel like I have literally been turning to a puddle in my clothes since we stepped off the plane. It’s stifling.

Alexi is looking suave in a short-sleeved white shirt, beige chinos and shoes while I’m dripping makeup down my face into my sweater and jeans. I thought it might be a comfortable travelling outfit. It now explains the strange look when I said I was putting a woollen sweater on for the journey. Tosser could have told me it’s three thousand degrees the second you walk off the plane.

Mr Tan never seems to feel the temperature, be it hot or cold, and isn’t remotely affected right now. He also never mentioned that we were hauling Gino and Alessandra on the trip and we are stood waiting for them in the foyer because they came in on another flight from elsewhere and are rendezvousing before we go to our room.

“Lexi, I’m too hot … I need to strip off.” Alexi is dealing with the check-in and I’m holding onto the back of his shirt to stop myself keeling over with dizziness. Holding on because I feel faint, claustrophobic and exhausted from travelling, and using his body as a post to steady myself against. Propped behind him at the huge curved wooden desk of the massive open entrance of this five-star establishment.

“Take your clothes off then.” He smirks and throws me back a cheeky smile that gets an eye roll. All too devilishly handsome and devoid of any effects of this suffocating temperature. He’s been in a happy mood since last night. Obviously chipper about something.

“Sure … I’ll just get naked in the lobby and you won’t have an epic shit-fit over men staring at me.” I point out, sighing moodily, and he shrugs and looks back at me over his shoulder again from his leaning position, on the smooth walnut surface.

“You’re mine now … I ain’t got nothing to worry about.” It’s a cocky little sentence and I just gawp at him, trying to understand the logic in that. I don’t think a jealous, possessive side is an easy thing to switch off.

“Dickhead,” I mumble at him as the desk clerk comes back from doing whatever she was doing at the computer to the side. Bringing all attention back to her small curvy frame and huge bug-like eyes, all glowy and blue with three layers of heavy fake lashes, roaming him a little too greedily. She smiles brightly, swishing her hair back seductively behind an ear, all while staring right at his mouth. Salivating at the thought of what she could do if she had a chance.

“Here are your room cards, Mr Carrero, and the driver and car you requested will be parked out front for you in the morning.” She flutters those long spiders at him and perks her boobs up a little as she hands them over, giving him the full-on ‘fuck me’ act I can spot a mile away. It instantly grates on me and answers my theory … jealousy isn’t cured by being together.

I will rip that bitch’s throat out.

I just glare, seething inside with a dull, tight intensity that makes me want to test the strength of my acrylic nails on her face.

It doesn’t seem random either, judging by the edgy little looks and come-on eyes. It’s not completely unbelievable to assume he has been here before and this one endured a night of being tied to his bed. I can almost taste it on her with this lack of professionalism; while his cold demeanour and ignorant behaviour only confirm the suspicions. He seems a little too starchy and closed off, and to me, that screams the loudest. I know him well enough to read how he behaves with past conquests. They mean nothing more to him than an irritating fly buzzing around his head. He’s been there, had what he wanted and lost all interest. He doesn’t waste manners on disposable playthings either.

Alexi takes them from her without really acknowledging her and slides the cards into his shirt pocket. Avoiding eye contact so she backs off, and I literally penetrate the side of his face with an intense unamused stare, knowing full well he has had sex with her on a previous trip to Vegas. He likes to use familiar hotels and circles menus. It’s no shock to come upon old conquests on getaway trips.

“Thanks. Can you book a table for four in the restaurant under my name for eight?” He smiles emptily, not meeting her eyes at all, and instead messes with his watch strap. She almost gushes as she catches his hints of dimples. Over-familiar as hell; definitely fucked him.

MY dimples bitch. Back the fuck off.

I swear I’m growling at her over Alexi’s shoulder but it’s like she hasn’t even seen me. I’m clearly not in her line of vision and she only has eyes for someone she thinks she might get a second pop at. I’m guessing he had a date last time he bedded this shameless hussy, so I’m no deterrent to her.

“I shall do. Any requirements? Such as near the band or the veranda again?” She flutters some more, twirling her hair in a display of obvious flirtation and leans in suggestively so more cleavage pops out of her tailored jacket. I can’t take anymore. The proof is in one word.

AGAIN!!

“Preferably anywhere you are not,” I snap and push past him to put myself between them aggressively. Alexi just steps back, raising a brow as her face turns scarlet and gives up his prime position at the desk so I can stomp my way to it instead. Straight up, cold glaring, hoity-toity stance, and I tap my nails on the table between us impatiently. She clears her throat instantly and evades my snarling eye contact.

“By a vent with cold air would be exactly where I need to be. So, any air conditioners in the room, I want to be right under it. Comprende? If that isn’t too much trouble!” Camilla’s sarcastic, venom laced tone is oozing out of me and I lock a nasty gaze on her face to make her even more nervous as she stutters and messes with papers in a bid to evade my razor-sharp scowl. Standing tall with one hand on my hip and an aura that screams ‘Not in the mood, bitch’.

“Umm.”

She falters, turns to shuffle over something on the desk, dark hair falling messily from behind her ear over that overly made-up face, and blinks a polite and stunned smile my way.

ceiling units. Our whole dining room

guy when he has a woman right beside him. She

dahling, and cool the fuck off. I doubt you have time for a cold shower while tending to your little desk, despite obviously needing one.” I snatch the leaflet she has pushed out in front of us, detailing the hotel; venom and ice in play and turn on my heel to slide my arm into Alexi’s as I pass. He’s smirking at me, totally amused and allows me to lead the way as the nearby

suite.” She calls after us, at our luggage escort to inform him where to take them, in

smugly, walking in step with that confidence of the smart arse he

written all over you. So, grumpy, yes, as you didn’t let me sleep at all last night, so we almost missed our flight. You then had to make sure I was a member of the mile-high club, so I didn’t even get to nap … remember? I’m blaming you for any mood I may

sulking, well she does, and I pull my sweater off as we walk, so done with sweating like I have run a marathon. Letting go of him to sweep it up off my body in a gush of much-needed relief. Taking it off leaves me in the silky nude coloured vest top underneath and finally, I manage to catch my breath with a little waft of air on damp skin. I have no bra on so obviously the first thing Alexi’s eyes do is home in on them and

swinging free in a loose and slightly revealing top that at first glance makes me look naked. He says nothing about it though, seeing

again, even without you in my life; besides, you would miss it too much and it wasn’t all one-sided.” He winks, dismissing my attire with another glance at my

what I

be as bad as him in terms of giving in to his sexual advances too readily, but I’m blaming him for everything, regardless. He has a high sex drive, and when he wants to go at it, he has too much stamina in the sack. Sometimes you just want a five-minute screw and some sleep.

need to cool down and take a nap.” It’s less irritated in tone, but I’m not fully over the blue-eyed slapper making eyes our way. Still tetchy and

sleep on one condition.”

loiter. We now have to await our accompanying duo, they texted minutes ago to say their cab was

he is daring to try and tell me what to do in terms of much-needed sleep,

mention of anything about ‘business’ in front of Alessandra. She has never outright asked Gino, even though she must know something, or at least have suspicions. She travels. She likes to pretend I’m nothing more than a businessman, and Gino comes from a virtuous Catholic family with no skeletons in the closet.” He points out with a hushed tone as we catch sight of the

has her dark hair swirled on top of her head in a sleek bun and a loose-fitting dress that grazes the floor as she walks, with a peek of sandals below.

over me with is you. A little pre-warning that you fucked the desk clerk in future if you don’t want me moody!” I point out and give him that intense look he gives me when he is trying to put a serious point across. Simmering, jealous, and maybe overreacting because I’m truly shattered

up to us and Gino lets go off Alessandra to take a step towards Alexi for a man hug. Our conversation

finally agree on … we should celebrate.” I smile sarcastically at him quickly, before moving away to face them and I get one in return from him as he and Gino embrace. Alessandra shocks me with a hug too and I awkwardly embrace her, pulled into her slight body and almost kissed

grins annoyingly, all know-it-all and smug and then turns and gives me a cuddle that just feels weirdly Alexi. It’s odd that they have so much of them that is the same, yet they are nothing alike. I mean I can tell by

body, height, testosterone. How they squeeze you half to death with a bear

him a kiss to follow it on one cheek, not overly enthusiastic like she was with me and I get the vibe she’s drawing an appropriate line in the sand. She doesn’t want me to feel jealous by being overly soppy with my newfound boyfriend. I think my respect for her just

it’s hypocritical that I’m bothered by that, given I have easily slept with hundreds of men in my lifetime, but it matters, nonetheless. Something I have to

and I’m not really in the mood for the dissection of ‘Camlexi’ while it’s too hot, and we still have some hoe’s eyes on us. Not to mention, an overwhelming desire to lie

in her tone and nudges her

the wedding?” Gino launches in and I give him the filthy look of ‘shut up’ this time.

today.” Alexi shoves me in the shoulder to stop the way I’m making dagger eyes at his brother and then hauls me against him and drapes his arm loosely around my shoulders. Pulling me tightly to him possessively, yet affectionate. I just curl up and lean into that warm mass and exhale heavily to try and stop the weary mood I’m in. Instantly calm when in his arms though. Surrounded by that heady scent that

lacking tone and emotion with a deadpan

strand of my hair, so like his brother, and I shove him away. Slapping at his hand as it makes a grabby motion and I just cower under Alexi’s arm. Moulding into him for some protection from his

attitude this time, deflecting the hint away as my heart rate ups a level at his weird suggestion. I give him a

big white wedding, no fuss. Might even talk this one into it.” That smirk and wink, as his own cuddle buddy slaps him in the abdomen with a look of ‘not a chance’.

get that thought out of your head, right now.” She chastises him, pointing at his face like a schoolmarm, unamused at the suggestion. She

observation about Alexi around in my overly suspicious brain and turn accusingly to him and scowl. A little hint of panic seeping into my bones and restricting the oxygen from filtering to

one for settling down. Gino is right. His silence is at odds with who he is and suggests that there is zero opposition on the matter. The Alexi I know would have shut him down in a nanosecond and yet, this version let it slide with nothing

He leans in and kisses me swiftly, knocking me silent with a quick peck of lips on lips. Last thing I ever expected from his mouth and despite my knee-jerk need to reply with something sarcastic to knock this topic

your dress just yet. White isn’t your colour. Not sure it will ever be mine.” I half mock him, half seriously shitting a brick and try to turn this conversation into something else. The thought of a shotgun Vegas wedding scares the bejesus out of me. That’s a very