The Carrero Effect - Falling for the Boss (Billionaire CEO)

They both sit and begin to eat; the silence is awkward and tense, but no one attempts to initiate conversation. The nurse looks around timidly before deciding staring at her plate is the best option and lowers her head. Finally, feeling my irritation rise beyond control, I break the glass-like atmosphere with a sledgehammer.

“Why are you here?” I blurt out, with not so subtle venom.

“I … We needed to talk about things, Emma.” She lowers her lashes, attempting to be coy, maybe even feebleness, but it only angers me. Putting her fork down and crossing her hands on the table she leans toward me.

“About what exactly? The fact that you’re screwing the man who loves to beat both of us up and tried to rape your only child?” I spit, harshly, taking delight in the nurse’s gasp of shock and the color rising up her cheeks.

I guess she didn’t know after all.

“Yes … Emma, he’s gone … I know what I did, I see what I did.” She tries to reach for my hand, but I yank it out of reach. Her voice has that air of victim that I hate.

How many times have I heard this bullshit? How many times has she pushed men away after they hit one of us, only to have him crawl back into her bed days later?

“Too little, far too late, Mother! You think you can just show up here and smooth it all over? Do you even know what he did while you were lying in a hospital bed?” My voice is raised and agitated; I need to regain a little control in this if we are to have it out. I hate that she always makes me break this way.

“No …” Her weak tiny voice betrays her nervousness, she’s afraid I’m going to tell her he succeeded this time. I catch that moment of doubt, casting my mind back to the look on her face when she caught him trying to hurt me once before … The fear he would want me instead of her. It makes me sick to my stomach, which only helps fuel my rage.

“He attacked me!” I snarl. “He’s just the same evil man he was eight years ago, nothing has changed!”

can read her like a book. All she wants to know is if he had

me, to scare me, and he did,” I yell at her, the twist in my gut deepening

didn’t betray her. She’s happy. She never cared about me; it was always about her and her men. I just

temper completely. Something inside of me snapping so very easily. It’s like a damn just implodes and the

and I’m glad … he deserved it! I wish he’d killed him.” I break completely, screaming like a banshee, jumping to my feet, and sending the table into chaos as my body knocks it furiously. The bowls spill and glasses tip over, knocking drinks everywhere. I

sudden realization of how Ray incurred his injuries and I catch the look as it clicks in her brain. The nurse tries to grab the cups to set them straight, without success, all the while her face flaming

… Someone who didn’t have any obligation to love or protect me. My boss! Not my mother … My mother never would’ve stood

her stupid face to a pulp the way

you see what you do to me?” I screech again, tears flowing down my face, emotions getting the better of me.

her small wiry frame to my height to scold me. The nurse stays seated, staring at her hands in her lap as though she wants to be anywhere but here. I have a

inner body lurches at her words as I click on what she said as I scramble to calm myself. “What do you mean he left? You said he was gone … You implied it was your

ever believe she’d make the decision

was over and left. I haven’t seen him since. You chased him out of my life … again!! I hope you’re happy this time, Emma,” she yells at me hatefully, unaware that she’s just incriminated herself with every word

self-absorbed that she is deaf to what she is saying?

recent weeks of agony without Jake built

wall behind her with dramatic effect. Both woman squeal and jump in fright and I push

I hurt my foot, grabbing at my hair, almost ripping it out in frustration. I’m pacing, trying so hard to hold in the last ounces of control I thought I had conquered

to protect myself, and protect her, from this anger inside me that wants so badly to hurt her;