The Carrero Contract - Selling Your Soul (Mafia Romance)

It’s bigger than me and I struggle to breathe through the tears I never knew I could cry. He broke me somehow, throughout the day; maybe this whole week has been building to this moment. These past weeks, months, most likely. My heart peeling off its layers of armour slowly and opening deep, dark secret rooms one by one to air them out and set things free.

Something had to give. All the pressure I have been bottling up, everything building. The mistrust, the fear, the heartache. It’s all unnecessary.

I belong to someone who will take me as I am, scars and all, and never judge me for it. Worthless and messed up to everyone else, but he doesn’t care about any of that. It doesn’t lessen the worth he thinks I have. And he sees a queen. He always did.

Finally, I truly believe him. Even when I thought I did … I didn’t.

Doubt—it dies a death and I make a conscious decision to stop questioning and twisting what I see when it comes from him. I trust him; he proves it over and over. For the first time in my life, I have complete, one hundred percent faith and belief in another person. I must hold on tight and never let him go.

He will always protect me and put me first. I just had to stop denying it and running from it. Find my voice and take down that last wall from between us, physically hack it down at the root. He had already done it for me, in every way. Marriage was the last tiny brick for him. You can’t get any more of a declaration of undying love and adoration than jumping to wed a girl who makes you walk through fire for even a smile. No hesitation either … no regrets.

He knew what he wanted, and he took it whatever way he could. He is willing to dissolve it to keep me happy, even after all of that and it says more than he ever could with words. Alexi has always been a man of action over words.

It’s like I’ve waited so long to unburden all of this properly. I guess I needed to really believe in this and standing here in the house where he once tore me down to nothing, I’m somehow finding a way to let it all go. Forgiveness is cleansing, and I forgive him for everything he has ever done. I’m freeing us both.

Fuelled by today, this morning, all this … I don’t know. Either way, my head and my heart are so done carrying it all with me and letting it stand in the way of what I could have. Blocking me from trusting him, having faith in him.

Every scar, every bruise, cut, wound, defilement of my body. Every punch, slap, kick and hand around my throat. Every man who took me against my will and every invisible mark it left on me. Every piece of my shattered heart at the hands of my parents. Every medical procedure needed to put me back together after another violent sexual or physical assault. All retreating into a deep, numb cavern that is no longer connected to me.

It’s as though those scars are now tears and I’m throwing them away one by one, giving them to him because he seems to know how to pull them out and throw them far away. Just holding me, keeping me close and letting me set my heart free.

There’re so many of them, it’s a tidal wave threatening to become a monsoon; maybe when I’m done, there won’t be very much of me left, but there’ll be the parts that are worthwhile to Alexi. The little parts of me he wants to keep and help nurture into something more.

He saw me. In the dark, despite being an invisible shadow. He somehow saw me through all the layers and masks and lies and found that little girl who never really had a chance. Someone to care about. He saw her, held out his hand, and told her it was okay to go with him. A broken little boy who felt as invisible as me, needing to be cared about in the right way. Somehow, we found each other and saw through everything we had put in the way to throw people off our scent. Two wounded little kids aching for home and love. So alike in so many ways.

The man I never believed could feel anything more than disdain for me, standing here to be my rock, holding me up as I expel years of damage and heartbreak into a huge wet patch on his shirt. Healing me just by holding me and waiting patiently until I’m done.

I finally found home.

I finally found worth.

Someone who wants me, for eternity.

Marriage can mean whatever I want it to mean. The proof is in the way he has given me control of everything between us since they came for me—he isn’t Rick and never will be. They are thousands of miles apart as people, and he made sure that monster will never grace my life again.

He is Alexi, my Lexi … and I never want to lose him.

Marriage isn’t his hold on me … it’s my hold on him. My certificate of ownership. Alexi surrendered his soul to me, not the other way around. I see that now. I was always the one with the power.

thought changes

collar around his throat without a second thought or a single fear about it. No matter what I’ve

the real pleasure came in volunteered

vision. Things becoming clearer by the second, with an avalanche effect, gathering speed and seeing him as someone else entirely. No longer a master or someone to push me into the

he does what he needs to do to keep me safe and happy. I see that now. The person he gives me, the person he shows me, it’s for me and me alone. He could walk out of this room right now and that badass Mafia boss could take care of business with a cold heart and lack of empathy, kill someone and walk right back in

losing what we have. I can overcome fear. The silence and desolation of him severing me are so much worse than being his possession. However, I think realising we own each other takes the heavy weight that’s been suffocating me all day and pushes it off

can always ask him later to dissolve it if that’s what I need. Somehow, deep down I know it’s

need. I have to trust in that, in him. I don’t want to go back to being a nameless face in the shadows of

at the casino. I need the title of wife,

to stand up and be proud to be his

across my face to

it settle down.” It’s a mischievous, cocky smile, no shame in his obvious arrogance at all, and

to know what made me so special in a world where he could have had his pick of women. Why

my hair, careful fingers on his fragile prize, and kisses me on the forehead softly before wiping away some of my tears. Sill standing in this brightly lit deserted

naughty with my nice. And your particular brand of sexy and devil red makes for a combination that was made for me. I was never going to

still sliding down my warm cheeks, I smile widely, my heart filling with so much love for him. Pain subsiding, heart fit to bursting, and

It’s too valuable.

all the things which attracted me to you in the first place are probably all the things I should have run away from. I love you for exactly who you are, even when you are terrifying.” I sniff some

lets me go so suddenly I almost fall flat on my face with the surprise of it, such was the amount of my weight he was holding up, and I grab his shoulder to steady myself. A little taken aback by his sudden release. He steps back, eyes fixed on me and before I can really figure out what he is doing, he swoops to get down on one knee in

securely. I’m blinking at him, confused with what he’s doing and just stare. Silent tears, sodden face and acting like a pleb with

stupidly, convinced he’s maybe dizzy or something. I really don’t connect the dots at

again? Date and venue of your choosing because I love you enough to marry you twice.” Eyes locked on mine, smiling sweetly, holding his stance perfectly, I gawp, cover my mouth with my hand as the shock hits me hard

have going on; I sniff through a bunch of short raspy breaths as I self-calm. A little slow on the uptake and

seems so surreal. Composing myself as best as I can although I should really give up and accept, I’m a complete mess. A short moment of

jelly and my insides to mush. Trepidation is in there, peeking

niggles about marriage and what it means, rise from the depths. Simmering inside and refusing to back down but I know I have control of this. They are just thoughts and fears that will warp my mind

name it.” So intently looking into my soul and keeping me grounded. Reminding

marriage goes stale and I’m no longer what you want or need … end it. Don’t be like those men who maintain an empty marriage and visit women like me. Don’t betray me. Just be honest, always be honest. If this doesn’t work, don’t let it drag on. Don’t turn me into an object.” My hands shake as I realise exactly what I’m doing. I’m agreeing to this and laying down the boundaries as we do. It’s our thing. Setting the guidelines, the rules and terms

deep end with this man while all my doubts and questions are screaming at me to stop and be more cautious. I swallow it down and shake

sense and logic. I mean, it was stupid decisions that kept leading me right back to

him is not an option. Life as his mistress will never be

will never happen, but I swear, I’ll never lie to you. I’ll never deceive you, and if things go sour, I’ll fix it, or I’ll end it. I promise.” I

answer. Nerves getting the better of me and tears threatening to overflow once more. It’s that last little moment of panic that feels a lot like stage fright before stepping out into the limelight. Just having a little trouble

There’s nothing to be scared about when you’re with me. I’m not scared anymore. It’s more terrifying to think of a future without you in it than anything else we do together.” Alexi seems so calm and in control, patiently kneeling there on the floor, probably bruising his knee on the Italian marble, and I take

I can do this.

I feel. The right words to soothe my worry. The thought of a future life without him in it does not bear thinking about and all the fears, doubts and niggles quieten to a low hum rather than a deafening choir inside my head. I can live with the little noise they make when it’s all put into that kind of perspective and I remind myself over and over of the facts. Marriage may not be what I wanted but