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

“Study what?” Jake regards me with interest, a small quirk of a smile on the corner of his mouth and Sylvana is watching me with an equally warm expression. Encouraging is the word that comes to mind when I look at them both.

Is this what family does when you have some hair brained idea you want to try?

“I was thinking I could, maybe, possibly try becoming a counselor of sorts…You know to work with kids who ummm …” I lose the courage again and focus on my fingers as they make their way to my hair, nervous fidgeting habit coming back to haunt me; saying it aloud sounds dumb.

What do I know about helping other kids?

“… came from abused backgrounds and broken families?” Jake finishes my sentence, taking my hand away from my hair, calming me, like he always does. I glance up at him and nod, shyly, as he focuses on me with an encouraging smile.

“I think that would be pretty amazing and not just for the kids you could help, Emma, but I think for you too.” He gets up and slides his chair back, walking around the table behind me, leans down, wrapping his arms around my shoulders, kisses me on the neck and buries his face in my soft hair to nuzzle me. Telling me that he’s fully on board with my plan and making me feel a hundred times surer.

“I think that is a spectacularly selfless plan, Emma.” Sylvana beams at me. “I’m pretty sure with my connections I could help you along the way, help you find your feet and direction. If helping kids from the same abusive situation you were in, is what you really want to do?” She literally shines at me and my courage returns tenfold.

And there it is … Sylvana says it so effortlessly, like it’s not some shamefully, horrible, ugly secret, just a common piece of knowledge between the people close to one another in the room and I don’t feel anything like I used too.

No shame, no pain, no anything. Just Jake’s arms around me and when he straightens and runs a hand down my hair igniting the usual thrill of shivers and heat, it comes to me in a flash.

My past doesn’t hurt me anymore. I’m not ashamed of it. I gaze adoringly at the man I love, as he moves back to his seat glancing at me with equal infatuation, and I feel different. I’m sat taller, my chin held higher and my expression migrates to a bright smile.

That kid from Chicago who separated herself into different versions and locked boxes has somehow come crashing back together again into one complete person. Her past no longer a deep dark secret she hides from those who she thought would run from her if they knew … because here they are, sitting facing her, with love and care despite knowing about it all. They don’t look at her as though she’s some broken or dirty shell, they don’t look at her the way her own flesh and blood did. They accept her and love her even more for the scars she bares … a real family with real love.

I’m not broken anymore; I am whole and only one piece of my puzzle remains out of place. I’m going to have to face my mother and the fact that she will never give me what I’ve been trying to get from her my entire life.

Her love.

The difference now is I no longer need it.

the Manhattan apartment and have been for a couple of days, overseeing the packing of some of his favorite items and our clothes to be shipped to the Hamptons. The journey home was sickness free and I’m starting to feel a

in karate kill whatsits or some other nonsense. I know you spar with him in the gym downstairs sometimes, so he must be a deathly ninja of some kind to put up with your crazy martial art

Jake yanks the

behind him on the floor. The contents

glare at him angrily. So seriously

immature bossy dickhead

defiantly. My rage bubbling forth at the return

Ha fucking ha.

fucking baby. If you dare step foot in Chicago without me then I’ll seriously lose my shit.” He’s scary right now with

while

Hormones!

… I don’t particularly appreciate the swearing either.” I stomp and pull my height up to meet his, unsuccessfully seeing as he’s six feet two and I’m barely scraping five-foot four. He’s glaring down at me, anger emanating from every pore. His aggressive psycho mode that does absolutely nothing

get me started on her because last

anymore, Jake. I’m stronger and stop it.” I slap him in the abdomen churlishly. “Stop talking down to me like I’m your PA.” He doesn’t even flinch when my palm connects with

is it eight? Hard to count as when

have to go for two days, that’s all, two fucking days to oversee this crap and then I’ll take you myself. I’ll drive there and back. Until then I’ll lock you in this apartment and tell Mathews I’ll

at the wave of his rage and lift my chin a

intimidate me right now I’ll not only get a fucking train to Chicago, carrying my case by myself, but I’ll go as soon as it’s dark and you’re gone and not

He’d go into worried protective overload and

I’m sure as hell not scared of any little consequences. Somewhere along the way I’ve realized that I have nothing to worry about when it comes to Jake and if anyone is going to be leaving anyone it will be

If anything, it makes me want to unbutton his pants

Maybe later!

second. He rubs a hand across his face and scrubs it for a second. I guess all his posturing is

Hmmmmm.

tugging me toward him, planting a kiss on my mouth, cupping my jaw with both hands, and