The Carrero Heart - Beginning (Friends to Lovers)

Even his birthday party at his own home last year was monopolized with guests, and he probably spent all of ten minutes throughout the whole night with me before I’d gone and thrown a stupid, immature, drunken temper tantrum and my drink at Natasha because of it. It ended in the usual tears and arguments, and he made me go home.

“I’m sorry, Sophs, I guess I just never realized I was letting you down, leaving you alone. It’s not easy to juggle you and Tasha when you don’t get on. I can’t have you in the same place without some sort of snide catfight, and she’s with me most of the time.” Arrick slides his hands into his pockets of his black jeans, his gray t-shirt molding to that formidable body as he regards me guiltily. His posture cooling my jets and my fire a little, bringing back that self-pity I despise so much.

“I miss you. I miss us.” I sniff again, heart bursting with genuine sadness overtaking all other emotion. This time I don’t move when he steps forward, catching his jacket so he can tug me closer to him again. He stops me level with his body, a tiny gap between us, leans in again and gazes at me for a long, silent moment.

“I’m still here, still care about you as much as I always did. I just need you to come back to all of us, Sophs. Calm down the reckless behavior and wild partying. Come home, make things right with the people who love you and give me a chance to fix things between us. If you’re not out, going hellcat Leila style, then I promise I’ll have more time for you. I’ll figure things out to make sure I’m here for you. I’ll help you get through all of this if you just let me in. I promise.” Arrick gazes deeply into my eyes, his hazel depths making me calmer like he always does. All doubt, anger, and every other tiny exhausting weight ready to dissipate, and an overwhelming tiredness sets in instead.

“And if Natasha doesn’t like it?” I pout, deflation setting in with the very real chance that Natasha won’t let it happen. The girl has never openly said anything to suggest she wants me out of his life, doesn’t openly act like she does, but I can tell she hates my existence. She changed everything between us.

She doesn’t dislike you, she feels for you, and she just wants you to get help. She would never stop me from seeing you. All this stuff about her is in your head, she’s never pressured me about you. She knows what our relationship is.” Arrick wipes the

all the time. I’m struggling and I want things to get better.” More tears roll freely down my face, but not with any real sense of anything, just tumbling out because they

do whatever is needed, Mimmo. The first step will be getting you back in the middle of the people who genuinely love you and will take care of you. Away from these idiots you surround yourself with, who never seem to be there when you’re at your most vulnerable. I’m taking you home with me tonight, and then tomorrow … Home to your family. You need to trust me that it’s the best place to go if you really want to fix things.” He pulls my face to tilt back up to him, so he can study my reaction. I’m just too tired, both physically and emotionally, to argue. I want to stay here like this with him for eternity and go back

away but going back has proven harder than staying alone. Arrick is taking away the fear and my choice. Things I have been too afraid to attempt myself and too stubborn to even admit I want until

humor, holding out his fist in the old gesture we used to use when making deals. He’s suddenly so young and cute, like the boy who melted my heart and made me trust him so long ago. I bump him back softly without hesitation, curling my fist to match his, relief moving over me as I sigh down the chaos once more. My heart fills with warmth and

between us childishly, chewing on my lip as though to alert him to the serious nature of my gesture. Sophie of old reverts to form when faced with the familiar Arrick of old. I’ve missed this

means it. I grin when Arrick latches his pinkie in mine, looking completely serious, and shakes gently.