So many questions arise inside of me and as I open my mouth to let some tumble out, he shakes his head at me.
‘Go to bed Soph’s, we’re both tired, and emotional, and we have a lot to sort out tomorrow. You have some grovelling to do for the childish, selfish act, you pulled today. Don’t think I’m not still pissed at you for running away over something so dumb. I know you don’t need rehab, but your parents are scared, they don’t want to see a Leila two in the making, because she went through this mess for the best part of a decade before Hunter figured out he loved her.’
We both look awkward for a second at the irony in his statement. Arrick moves to stand, frowning, disinterested in his coffee now, and I haven’t even touched mine. I stand too, suddenly a little close and make a move to back off. Arrick catches me by the cheek with a gentle cupped hand and pulls me too him, leaning in swiftly to kiss me on the forehead tenderly. He stays still for a moment, with lips pressed to my head softly, my palms automatically meet his hard-sculpted chest as we stand motionless and can’t help but sag into how good he always feels, more so since I recognised why I feel this way.
I can’t ignore how different this feels to Arry and Soph’s of old, there is no innocence in this anymore and the heat coursing between us electrifies the air almost instantly, sensitive to something that may have always been there, but I just never seen before. He lets me go and moves backwards to give me space, his eyes on my face, his expression unreadable, and just that perfect mask of non-emotion. His eyes are soft hazy brown and he just looks calm.
‘Bed.’ He commands gently and shoves me lightly in the direction of my room, more like his old self, now that I’m back safe in his domain, and something inside of me has a new twinge of hope sparking inside.
Chapter 16
Jake regards me over the top of his walnut desk, both feet planked on the surface as Arrick leans against the row of tall wide windows, and the New York skyline. We are in Jake’s office at Carrero Corp and Arry has just finished explaining what it is I want to do with my life, and all the ground rules Arrick has placed on the agreement.
Like a father figure, Jake is weighing up the options, having been sent as spokesperson by my family to ‘deal’ with me in any way he sees fit. I squirm in the leather seat facing him, my untouched drink brought by one of his assistants, fizzing in front of me on a leather coaster and annoying me that she felt fizzy pop was what I would want to drink. I can’t blame her though; Margo, his PA, has known me as long as Jake has and I guess everyone seems to be incapable of seeing me grow up.
Jake is completely formidable and intimidating in CEO mode, all suit and tie and looking like he is about to rip companies apart with that furrowed brow and serious expression. I can see why Emma had been drawn to him so many years ago, when he was her boss. He has that aura of complete confidence and control when he’s in business mode, yet under it all, he can be a complete sweetheart and totally devoted to her. The layers of the Carrero men. Formidable alphas on the surface, yet complete pussy cat’s underneath.
Arrick is dressed casually in tight jeans and a white tee emblazoned with some MMA fight merchandise brand, under his leather jacket, lounging nearby and watching me, he hasn’t taken his eyes off me this morning. I can’t help noticing the way, when he thinks I’m not looking, that he keeps appraising me subtly. It’s like he is still trying to assess what I make him feel and I saw a new reaction when I emerged in this black fitted shift dress and black flats this morning. He hasn’t been privy to my wardrobe changes of late and even now, he is still looking it up and down with a completely unreadable face and occasional shift in his pose.
‘So, you really want to stay in the city?’ Jake repeats once more.
‘And go to school here? …. With rules?’ He says it so slowly and precisely, like he is weighing it up, figuring out if this is a ploy to lead a double life as an alcoholic, no doubt.
‘Yes…I will even check in with you on a weekly basis ‘Dad’ and meet you for a coffee if you like, a catch up to make sure that I’m not moonlighting as a drug addicted hooker.’ I say sarcastically and Jake only throws me an indulgent eyebrow raise. Choosing to ignore it.
‘The design school… It’s where you want to go?’ He furrows that black brow over narrowed green eyes and regards me coolly. I nod with a smile. Stomach tense, nerves tight as I am aware, that he, more than anyone, is the guy I have to convince on this front if I want this to happen. Jake may not be my dad, but my family have always trusted him when it comes to my care, and he has way more sway over my life than anyone.
‘And you’ll stay with Arrick until we find you an apartment near the school, and near him?’ I know he is just clarifying everything clearly as he will also have to assure my parents, but he’s being frustrating as hell with the repetition and the urge to yell ‘YES, YES, YES,’ at him builds up inside of me. I curl my toes inside my flats and push my shoes together, in a bid to stop myself from jumping up and screaming in frustration.
I glance over at Arrick, not sure when he specified an apartment that was to be near his in the explanations, I had been busy calming down my mom on the phone when Jake and he had talked it out. One of Arrick’s demands was that I speak to them while he talked to his brother, and got Jake on side, and up to speed. I don’t have issue with him wanting me close, I guess it makes sense, but I wonder at how this is going to work long term when we get to the root of what he and I are going to be in the future. If there is even going to be a friendship, let alone anything else. Living close isn’t exactly going to be a perk if we choose to avoid each other in life.
‘I need my own space, an apartment near school would be ideal. I want to just start living like an adult.’ I sink back a little, feeling more relaxed now that Jake really seems to agree, and on board with little to no rejections so far.
Something inside of me kept gnawing at doubts that my family would dismiss this as stupid and impulsive, but everyone seems to be falling in behind this, with the exception of Leila. But that is Leila, all fire and fury until she calms down and then she will be as supportive as the rest. I think they just all want me to find a path in life that they can get behind, anything that is a far cry from previous months.
‘I’ll have Margo contact admissions and have them send over paperwork to your apartment. Fast track you as a favour.’ Jake looks towards Arrick and they both nod in unison like a couple of handsome book ends.
‘I’ll also have her get a list of properties, and set up viewings for this coming week. If we buy rather than rent, then it will give us a bigger scope of places to see.’ Jake leans forward, sliding his feet off the desk and pulls his phone over towards him. Swiping at the screen for a moment as Arrick walks over beside his desk and perches his butt on it, lifting up a weird desk ornament made of steel and rolls it around between his two hands. I can see how these two probably are in business meetings, little glances and silent communications with both minds on the same goal. They really do have that obvious close brotherly bond, completely in sync, even though they are visually and mentally like chalk and cheese.
‘I don’t mind renting and finding a job to support myself. It doesn’t have to be an expensive place.’ I cut in determinedly, but both just frown at me as thought I have two heads.
‘Over my dead body. You will be focusing on school, not proving you can go it alone and struggling to make ends meet.’ Arrick is first to verbalise the rejection. A little too briskly in tone, may I add. I frown hard at him and only get one back at me, only harsher.
‘Your parents would never agree either, they would however, agree to a purchase and a set living allowance; but if we do it through the company as a future investment we can apply it as a tax write off.’ Jake frowns harshly my way too, like bookends again, dismissing my feeble attempts at real independence, and I can’t say I’m that disappointed. I know I want to prove I can do this, but I am relieved that I don’t have to really try doing it all alone.
‘Designer in
the making, we can always use more of you for freelance work with the female lines, we have always wanted to head into fashion. Carrero Corp will pick up the tab for your school fees too.’ Arrick interjects, following Jake in bossy mode and organising my life between them it seems.
‘I can’t let you do that.’ I make a start to argue with Arrick.
‘I am still your guardian and god father, since I brought you to this city at fourteen Sophie; don’t argue on this. I agree with him, you can pay us back with getting yourself together and being happy.’ Jake frowns, butting in on the debate and ending all argument. I know it’s pointless when there are two Carrero men on one side, and me on the other; that’s too much for even me to take on. As equal partners in this business then it seems they get equal say on arranging my life right now. Jake types something into his phone and then sits back casually, pulling his tie and wiggling it around uncomfortably, he always hated them things, swears they choke him. Arrick refuses point blank to even get one around his neck at all. It’s almost a chore to get him in a bow tie for formal events, and pretty much rarely even puts a suit on, unless he has too. I’ve seen Arrick in suits, when he comes here, and it’s definitely one for a calendar pin up, even minus a tie.
‘Margo has my itinerary, I suggest you two take a trip home and do some face to face grovelling, before things start rolling. Sophie, your family have been through enough…Go home and give my wife a hug, after the stress you have put her through this past twenty-four hours. You want to do this, then you have to go show everyone you can in fact act like an adult.’ Jake stands and motions that this is done for now. Arrick moves to come and hook my hand in his, effortlessly linking fingers in a way he has done so many times, but I can’t ignore the burn of his touch, or how I still feel that he should no longer be this way with me; it’s just confusing now. I keep my thoughts to myself, look at Jake with a smile as he stands to walk us out and try not to react in any way to the hand holding, even when I feel Arrick’s grip get tighter and he moves to stand so close to me that his arm rests against mine.
‘We’ll drive rather than fly. I think she needs the time to think things through before we face Leila.’ Arrick pulls me with him as we turn to leave the office, lifting my black cardigan from the chair for me and guiding me to the door.
‘I’ve never understood your aversion to using the jet, it cuts travel time by three hours… Why do you hate flying so much?’ Jake grins at his brother and is met with a shrug.
‘I guess I am just not as flashy as you, I prefer simpler things in life. Cars that don’t require neck braces to drive them, and keeping my feet planted firmly on the ground, taking things more slowly in life.’ Arrick smiles at his brother, leaning in for a male shoulder to shoulder hug from Jake, and a solid pat on the back. Jake leans in and throws a kiss on my cheek, slides a hand over my head, like he’s stroking a cat and smiles us both away.
‘Wuss.’ Jake goads him, but Arrick just shrugs and pulls me out through his assistants connected office, she is no longer sitting there but the doors are all open.
‘Call ahead and tell them we will be leaving later today; four hours will mean we probably get there late evening and will stop somewhere to eat first. I have some things to deal with before we leave.’ Arrick turns to face his brother at the door and Jake leans into the frame casually.
‘Sure. Have a safe trip and try not let her off the leash.’ Jake smirks at me cheekily.
‘She’s a runner, and she hasn’t yet been chipped.’ He ducks as I aim a slap at his shoulder; gone is the commanding bossy father figure, and that annoying, Carrero, pain in my ass, is back in his place.
* * *
We have been driving for a couple of hours, idle chit chat and evasion of certain topics has me staring out at the passing scenery as rain makes everything wet, and dull, and super shiny. Bored and listless as music fills the car. We have been listening to various radio stations as we travel and Arrick seems to be lost in his own head. Nothing unusual there, he has always been a thinker, someone who went quiet and just sorted shit out while he drove us anywhere. I find it strangely reassuring to watch that focused frown, watching the gears turning in his head and taking the quiet time, to just be still with everything. He hasn’t said anything for at least the last half hour. The silence isn’t exactly awkward, we are capable of sitting without talking, and not feeling weird about it, but I’m just dying to have him say something about what he’s thinking about.
He glances my way when he feels my eyes on his profile for the tenth time. I am trying my hardest to look at him and evaluate how long I have actually been in love with his face, or if it was just always something I ignored. Taking in every detail that I see and really trying to assess if he always gave me these damn butterflies, and urges to feel gooey.
‘You want to stop for food?’ He looks at me with a frown, obviously unnerved with the intense way I am staring at him, yet again.
‘Can you stop doing that also.’ He adds with a smile and I turn away with a sigh.
‘You’re not going to ask me why I am staring at you then?’ I ask petulantly.
’What goes in in my head while I am doing so?’ I look back at him slyly.
‘I’m not sure I’ll like the answers to either question, so maybe not right now. It is a little uncomfortable having you give me these intense glares while I am trying not to kill us in a road wreck Sophie. Rains pelting it down, the roads slippery, and yet I am only aware of a set of beautiful baby blues, trying to bore into my skull.’ He slides forward in his seat to squint between the wipers as the rain seems to break into a hurricane style downpour and almost obscures the view instantly. I too squint out at the sudden dramatic weather change, and know for a fact he will make us stop now. His car doesn’t handle well in the wet at the best of times and even though he is a proficient driver, I know how seriously he takes the safety of his passengers. The roads are forming shallow rivers across the road and I see a couple of car lights blaze red as people in front hit the brakes and cars slide. People are crazy when weather gets extreme, and wouldn’t be the first time some idiot has caused an accident from panicking when the road is this busy.
‘Sure…. There’s a fast food place there, look.’ I point through the waterfall style view to a flashing McDonalds sign on my side and he nods. Manoeuvring us so we are soon off the main road and following the signs to the car park, to get out of the worst of this rain. He finds us a parking spot near the entrance and slides it in effortlessly.
‘Get ready to run.’ He smiles my way, pulling his jacket from the back seat of the car and looking around for something to use as a shelter.
‘Stay there until I come around and open your door.’ He regards me with a cute eyebrow movement, looking about twelve for a moment, before he opens his door and disappears in a flash. I try to screw my eyes up to see where he goes and jump when my door clicks open seconds later. Arrick is using his jacket as a make shift roof over us, and as a I slide up into the little shelter his body creates under the coat he’s holding up over his head, on his arm, he pulls me into him so I am moulded to his body. With an arm tightly around my waist and pulled against him firmly, so we are both under his coat. I am more than aware of how flustered this little manoeuvre makes me, more than aware of every part of my body tingling like crazy, and just how non-childish he makes me feel held this way; overly aware of the difference in our body types and how easily we fit together.
We make a mad dash for the automatic doors across the car park. I squeal as rain and puddles splash up around me, and my naked legs, in shoes that let everything in, hiding my face against his chest as we get into the calm interior of the entrance.
He lets me go when the doors close behind us and shakes off his coat, holding it by the neckline away from him and scoops my hand easily into his to lead me on. I look down at his hand and frown, he seems oblivious to how often he just automatically does this, and just pulls me into the already bustling fast food chain, that is ful
l to bursting, with families and kids and crazy amounts of noise.
‘I don’t know if we’re going to get a seat.’ Arrick looks around at the seriously crowded restaurant and then stops and points to a far corner.
‘Table for two…way back there. Go sit down before someone takes it and I’ll get us food.’ He lets go of my hand and gently guides me ahead of him, towards the table with a hand on my lower back.
‘A big mac.’ I throw back at him with a smile and head for the general direction, having to side step kids and squeeze through people milling around. Dodging hyperactive children that are hyped up on sugar.
‘I know…Same as always.’ I hear his voice follow me and then I lose him when I finally manage to crush myself between two large women and manage to secure out little spot, nestled right against the window in the smallest corner ever. I sit down and use the time to take off my shoes and try to get rid of the water I collected on the run in here.
I sit for a few minutes, using napkins to dry off my legs and feet, and the best I can to wipe out my shoes, when he appears in front of me with a laden tray and slides it down between us; he sits on the chair opposite me with a smile. That gentle Arrick smile, that’s not a full Jake Hollywood special but a sexy, I’m hot and it’s effortless kind of a smile. I never noticed before just how much his dimples really appear when he smiles this way. How much softer his face is compared to Jake’s harsher angles and lines and stubbly face.
The Carrero Heart_Beginning_Arrick and Sophie Page 26