The Carrero Heart - Beginning (Friends to Lovers)

The driver remains silent but his whole body seems stiffer, eyeing us and remaining impassive as he can. The men outside are all on cell phones and murmuring among one another and I wonder why they aren’t letting us go.

“If they are so afraid of Alexi, then why aren’t they opening the door and letting us walk away?” I stare at her in complete angst, so wanting to be done with this now and anxiety rising that this goes so much deeper than I thought it would. If Alexi finds out, then all the Carreros will become involved, and I have no idea how this will play out. The family is huge. I’m in so much shit from them after this; Giovanni will literally spank me for getting caught in this kind of danger.

“You’re kidding right? They called your boyfriend and made threats, made it clear they have you. They know how fucked they are, and the only way to make it right is to deal with this face on. I bet they have Alexi on the phone right now… groveling like bitches and trying to retract anything they said to your boyfriend.” Camilla is finding leverage in this situation, and despite the mess of her face, she is trying to sort her clothes and hair. Swelling eyes and clearly worse for the wear, yet her inner fire is still there. She has found her way out and the realization has her brimming with confidence.

“So, they just keep us? Until when?” My head is racing on how crazy Arry will be going, how panicked and scared he must be, thinking that something awful is happening to me. The thought of him knowing I’m here is keeping me calm, knowing he’s probably on the phone to Giovanni, and Jake right now, probably Alexi too… Trying everything in his power to get me back. I know he’ll make sure I’m okay, whether he wants to be with me anymore or not.

He will always take care of me. I know he will.

“They will have to arrange a proper handover… Take whatever punishment they have coming. If they dump us and run, then they will be hunted down like dogs. There’s a code you don’t break, and I think they’ve just broken it.” Camilla slides down in the seat and holds her ribs, laying her head back to try and breathe and sniffing through her bloodied swollen nose. I watch at her for a moment then sit back too and try to reign in the craziness of my head, try not to count the minutes. We all fall into silence as I watch the panicked scrambling of the men outside. Not sure what else to do but sit here and wait. A part of me knows I am no longer in danger, that his name alone is enough to protect me when he’s not here.

I jump when the car door is opened, and another suited man gets in, sitting in front and doesn’t even look this way. Another suited thug with a skin head and a whole neck of tattoos peeking out of a tailored black suit. Hugely intimidating and adding another layer of fear to my already thin nerves and shaking hands.

“We’ve to go to the club with them, and wait for further instruction.” He mumbles to the driver and I glance at Camilla in sheer panic, somehow knowing we are being moved, taken elsewhere seems to set my fear back on edge. Heart racing, blood running cold and the unknown looming ahead of us.

I was starting to calm down, becoming sure in the fact that the name alone was going to keep me safe, yet somehow, knowing they intend to take us somewhere else, for God knows how long, it terrifies me. I thought this would be over by now and yet, it feels like it’s only beginning. Moving us, taking us somewhere else, it seems far more sinister and real suddenly and I can’t contain the nerves hitting my gut with force.

Camilla looks completely useless; no fit state to do anything except lay very still and gaze at me with large eyes. The blood has drained from her face and I can tell she is in a lot of pain, her breathing has been getting more and more labored the longer we sit here, and I wonder if she has broken ribs or worse. I’m really starting to feel concerned about the depths of her injuries.

I want to ask them questions, yet something inside of me tells me to be quiet and do as we are told. To trust that he will get us out of this and pray we don’t get touched.

When the car starts, I grip Camilla’s hand tightly, looking for comfort in the oddest of places and she squeezes right back. All bravado and confidence, a mask and she is clearly as scared as I am. I’d never clung to another person when I was young, enduring what I did, but somehow, knowing we both share so many hideous scars; we may need each other to get through this if everything goes wrong.

The rumble of the car as we pull off lulls us into tense silence; the men in front don’t say anything more, and we edge away from the men loitering in the alley. I catch sight of Tyler and realize he still has something that belongs to me.

“Wait. My cell?” I snap impulsively and the man in front holds it up in plain sight over the top of his head. I go to reach for it, but he yanks it away fast with a ‘tut tut’, and chuckles.

back when we make the switch. Until then, shut up, be a good girl and don’t make this worse.” He slides my cell back out of sight and I sit back, still clinging to Camilla and watch the New York streets start to slide by as we hit early

street that I don’t recognize. It’s hard to gauge where we are, as they seemed to take us down a route of back alleys and short cuts that messed up all sense of direction. I think we have hit downtown, but I can’t be sure and the building reaching above us looks industrial. Blacked out

face, another suit, another set of muscle leans in and looks at us with a disinterested

under her breath. It’s clear she can’t get out unaided and the man clicks fingers over the top of

twist in his grip, but it only tightens, and he throws me a

into the building. There’s something about him that intimidates me crazily and I realize that I’m in still as much danger as I was. My safety relies on Alexi and the Carrero’s reputation, and it feels like I am being pulled deeper within the folds of things I shouldn’t be messed

me into the dark building, revealing a seedy strip bar that is surprisingly already open. A half-naked woman gyrating on a pole that is sat up on a huge box in the middle of the bar, with men already perched on stools and leaning over drinks. Eyes glued to her bouncing breasts and I look away

knots, gripping me tight, my body on high alert and I have no idea about what I should even be doing. Silent and obedient, hoping that it will all be over soon and that I must trust that my Carrero men will come for

Please come for me.

the side. It opens into an office that’s crowded and cluttered. A huge desk in the middle of an overly packed room of furniture, cabinets and overflowing files and I’m forced down into a seat by the wall that faces into the room. He keeps walking to the desk and

to wallow. Nodding at the man who brought us in and depart quickly, pulling the door behind them. I glance at her, checking to see she’s okay and see she’s already closing

look to him imploringly, appealing to

as it goes and sticks two expensive, polished shoes on the wooden surface uncaringly,

long do we need to stay here?” I watch him nervously, trying to keep my cool, trying to not fall to pieces even though I really want to. None of this seems

on Tyler’s pay roll at all; he seems to be a little cozy on the first name

man he deals with, but his

here as a favor. Keeping you cozy until he gets here. Safe from Tyler’s handy men.” He slides his feet back down and pulls himself upright, walks across to a dusty shelf of books and looks through the titles, pulling one aside and dragging

hits her in the stomach and sends her into a yelping recoil, curling up and clutching her ribs before it slides to the floor with a dull thud and I glare at him in disgust. I have no idea who he is, but I

motions to him, completely expressionless and I get nothing from the look that passes between them. He says nothing, a nod and then he walks towards the door and leaves, closing it behind him without a second glance as though we are of no importance

in a cab to the

I’m on my feet and speedily crossing to her in seconds, pulling the bottle from the floor and start trying to help her to sit, pushing cushions behind her head in a bid to get

She croaks between breaths, and yet I still

up a little will mean I can help you drink this, if it dulls something then it has to be worth it.” I maneuver her, so I can lift her head, unscrew the cap and help her drink the neat vodka a little at a time. She coughs and chokes and shakes her head at me

most of my ribs.” She’s breathing so shallowly, closing her eyes tight in pain and I want to cry for her.