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

I don’t know how to feel. Fear and panic are consuming me, and I can’t process anything beyond the next thirty seconds. I can barely breathe … again. Jake catches my hands and brings them to his chest, pulling me to look at him, slowing my erratic breathing as it matches his. I’ve never had a full-blown panic attack before, but I know instinctively that’s what this is. I let him bring me back from the verge again.

“We are in this together, I won’t sit back and let you deal with all of this alone, bambino. I’ll take care of you every step of the way. I’ll be the guy who gets up and feeds the baby while you sleep, and I’ll change the nappies and take care of mom the best I can. Trust me with this. Trust that I would never leave you to do this alone even if you decide you don’t want me back.” He kisses me on the nose and my heart melts at the way he always grounds me; a thought creeps, and I instantly go cold.

“But this won’t be your first child, Jake. Marissa will give birth before I do and ruin another thing in my life. Your time will be split … between us, between the children so you can’t promise me anything.” Tears run down my cheeks and I pull away from him, anger rising again at the thought of him and her, that horrible stomach-churning vision of his mouth on hers, lingering to always make me ache physically. I slide away from him and cross my arms across my chest, glaring at him, daring him to try to come near me because right now his touch is abhorrent and I’m spring loaded for attack. Having that bitch in my head makes sure of it and this feeling, here, right now is as close to hate as I could ever feel for him.

He watches intensely for a moment before sliding back against the tub, resting himself against it. He knows when to choose his battles, he’s annoyingly good at reading me sometimes, and yet other times as brain dead an idiot as you could possibly get to what I’m thinking.

“I need to say this, Emma. You can look at me like that the whole time if you want but I’m still saying it.” He looks down at my abdomen between us and then back up at my face, his expression serious. I scowl at him more hatefully.

“Marissa may have got in there first, but it doesn’t mean shit. Difference is, this one I want more than anything and hers, I never did … I guess that makes me an absolute shithead for saying it.” He sighs and runs a hand through

his hair, flexing his shoulders, resting both palms on the

back of his head. His expression is that of fatigue more

than anything. “You will always be my priority, despite having two kids, I already know which baby will hold

my heart more.” He glances across at me, apologetically, as though he really does realize how horrible a person that might make him.

tears hits hard. I can’t begin to think about

hell did it even come to this horrible fucked-up

ignores my comment, and continues to watch me closely, keeping his distance while I flounder in emotional turmoil.

felt like jumping off the building or hopping on a flight to Australia and never coming back. I still feel sick every time I think about it, even after weeks of knowing it’s happening. But this … US …” He slides up onto his knees shimmying across the floor toward me, awkwardly, yet extremely appealing somehow. He leans down lifting my chin to look at him, he leans his forehead against mine. The urge to lash out and fight has once again dive bombed into my feet; fatigue and sadness wells up,

how it’s supposed to feel when you find out you’re going to be a father; desire to shout it out from the rooftops and instant love … I love you so much and I won’t let you down.” He grazes his mouth against mine, but I only stiffen at the

I pull away from him, leaning out, telling him clearly to give me space. He sighs and moves back but doesn’t go far. I think he’s starting to realize the turmoil I’m in over him touching me,

there’s an edge to his tone I instantly don’t like. I snap up to glare at

stand. He knows how to ignite my fury button, I’m instantly

no say in this.” He has his stubborn face plastered on, a mild amount of aggression radiating from him, I know when a huge fight is about to erupt, and I have no energy for this. I lift my

of me at something above my head, thoughts circling around his mind. We are standing feet apart, stubborn meeting stubborn. There’s a change in his expression as

stroke down my jawline and throat tenderly, his voice

Manipulative asshole.

here with me, Emma; it’s about protecting who I love and there’s two of you

it like that

effect he can have over me and despite wanting to fight him on this, I know I want him to take care of me. I don’t want to be a strong capable mess back in Queens, who fights herself to get up and eat, or fights to get up to do something to distract herself from the pain.

smirk on his face out of the corner of my eye and storm through to the bedroom, yanking off his T-shirt, reaching for my clothes. I try to ignore