My heart is beating fast, face aching with the force I am being smothered, as we are trundled into a black car parked in the shadows and I realise they must have seen her and come around behind us to park here. All the while we were standing arguing, the men she was hiding from had spotted her and that tell-tale bright red hair. This was my fault.
Shit!
I’m thrown into the back seat of the car as Camilla is thrown on top of me, a man caging us at each side as a hand comes to my throat to pin me back against the seat and keep me still. I automatically freeze, knowing that fighting in here is futile and these are men who think nothing of putting a bullet in your head or a knife across your throat. I don’t have to know who these people are to have a sense of the danger I am in. Obedience is what they are going to get, sense tells me to stop fighting.
‘Well, well, Camilla my love.’ The heavy English accent, so like Camilla’s, comes from the front, a male husky tone, as a man in the passenger seat turns to face us. He is wearing shades, a stubbled middle-aged face, dark shaggy hair, groomed and wearing an expensive leather jacket.
‘We’ve been looking for you love.’ He smiles at her and it’s completely sinister, a crooked, evil smile that does not bid well for either of us. He has an air about him, that he is a guy you do not piss off.
‘Tyler. I haven’t been hiding, I’ve been trying to get your money.’ Camilla has turned into a white sheet, wobbling voice and clearly terrified. Losing all her poise and mannerisms as her accent gets a little shaky, losing its upper-class edge and sounding less refined. I stay painfully still, regulating my breathing so that I don’t fall into a panic attack and just try to keep my head. Everything inside of me is poised in fear and all I can keep thinking about is how much I need Arry right now.
‘Bull shit, don’t you think we know you have been giving us the run around? We have been watching the bus and train depot for days. Actually, we were on the way there to check early hour departures.’ He sniggers, as though there is something funny about that and keeps those shades trained on her. I can feel the eyes of the man beside me, watching my every breath, the one holding my throat tight; and doing a visual sweep of my legs under my dress. I feel sickness and fear sweep through me yet stay completely still, knowing that if this goes the wrong way, I may be subjected to my past all over again, and I can’t fall to pieces.
‘I just need more time, I’m trying to get the money. I’ve just had a bad run of luck; I just need more time.’ Camilla is sobbing, her face bruising where it looks like one of them has slapped her and blood pouring from nose still, where I hit her; yet I feel nothing but complete numbness over take me, that old me, climbing into the depths of my head where I know I can endure so much. I’m scared, terrified, but this weird sense of calm has come over me and I am already trying to look for ways to get out of here, to escape. Eyes skimming every door and person around me for a possible manoeuvre. I don’t care if they keep her, she deserves whatever happens to her, but I will not just stay here to be abused or murdered because of her.
‘I have been patient; it’s been a week since you checked in, a week past payment date and we’ve not heard a fucking thing from you. Imagine my surprise to be driving along the street and there you two were. Having yourselves a little girl brawl. What’s up Honey…She holding out on you too?’ He looks in my direction and I just scowl back, inner fire spiking at being goaded and berating myself for a stupid reaction.
‘Please Tyler…I can get it, I swear. I just need a few more days.’ Camilla continues, more tears, more pleading, yet somehow it all sounds like a well-practiced act. I glimpse her way and I can tell that it’s just crocodile tears.
‘Really? Can’t seem to get it in the past weeks, yet suddenly you can get it in two days… From fucking where Cam? It’s fifty grand.’ He laughs, so do the men around us, like this is some sort of joke and they cruelly want to drag this out and are deriving pleasure from it. My stomach drops when I realise this has become as much as my problem as hers, and I only have a way out if she does too.
‘From me… From my money. That’s where we were going, to get money from my family.’ I blurt out, heart racing and tears blinding my eyes. Knowing that if there’s any hope then it comes from the fact I can have them paid off. Fifty grand isn’t an outrageous amount for my family.
‘Really? And you have that kind of cash do you princess?’ He looks at me dubiously, sarcasm in his tone as he takes in the sneakers, the party dress that’s now dirty from sitting on the road, and the grey hoody which belongs to Arry. I guess my face is a mess of tear stained make up and my hair has probably seen better days after my hood got tugged down in the struggle. I guess I probably look a little homeless, much like Camilla’s ‘on the run’ get up, despite this dress being couture and costing more than every outfit in here.
‘No, but my family does. I just need to make a call. It’s pocket change to them.’ I strain against the biting grip on my neck as he regards me silently for a long agonising moment. Heart pounding in my rib cage so hard I can feel the pulse in every part of my body.
‘One call and you can get fifty grand here?’ He’s smiling at me and raises eyebrows to the driver who seems to chuckle, so far he has never turned our way, but I see eyes in the rear-view, trained on me. Camilla whimpers some more, something about Huntsbergers and he strains to hear.
‘What did you say?’ He barks at her.
‘Her family are rich…… Huntsbergers…. They are billionaires in the Hamptons.’ She says desperately, her eyes on him pleadingly. I wonder if she knew that before she conveniently met me in the hair salon that day. Made a play for me in every way.
‘Why didn’t you say so sweetheart? Didn’t realise we were sitting with a little pot of gold here.’ He laughs dryly, again his flanking men and the driver chuckle too, enjoying this little sarcastic power trip a little too much. I can barely catch my breath, but I am keeping my cool, trying to keep my head together. Body tingling with adrenalin, now the initial shock has worn off and I am thinking through all the possible ways we can get out of this. Who I should call if he lets me, but my heart already knows.
‘Take her out to play while I talk to blondie here, don’t mess her up too much, she might be of use after we get paid.’ He nods again, and Camilla begins screaming as she is dragged backwards out of the car by the hair and throat, taken out of sight to the rear when the door is shut on us again. Her voice is muffled with a cruel hand and I shudder. It’s almost like a reminder that this is not going to end well if I can’t get one of them to transfer or throw so much money at these people, that will satisfy them. My head is screaming with the doubts that I can even pull this off. I don’t have that much in my own account unless I let my allowance build up. I don’t have time for that. I’m scared that he won’t be there for me, won’t do this for me; so many doubts about what I even still mean to him.
‘Please don’t hurt her, I will get your money. Please I just need my phone.’ The biting grip on my throat tightens and I can barely swallow or breathe. Holding still as a statue in fear and knowing it’s not wise to make this worse.
‘Phone?’ He barks at the man holding me. Commanding yet icy cold.
‘In my front pocket.’ My hands have been motionless by my side and as I go to fish for it the man yanks it out instead, skimming my stomach as he does so with careless hands that make me recoil. My body shudders at the touch. Coiled and afraid, tense.
‘So who are we calling darlin? Better not be someone who is a bit too quick to call the feds, or else they won’t be finding their sweet little princess intact again.’ He warns, his shades focused on me so that I can see my own reflection in their darkness. Seeing myself, my own reflection and I just look awful.
‘Arry, he’s listed as Arry. He will get the money, I know he will.’ I tremble, rushing out his name with a shaking voice and knowing despite everything tonight, he will come through for me. He has too. When I truly need him, he never lets me down and he has
access to billions of dollars if he needs them.
If you still care? Please, please. Help me.
He takes my phone, swiping at my screen, eyes flicking to the first screen and grins.
‘Oooh, you had a little lovers tiff, seems like he has been trying to get hold of you for a little while. How many calls does a guy need to make before he gets the hint?’ He turns the phone to the man beside me, to show him the list of missed calls and texts, Arricks face in the background. Both laugh and then he sneers as he turns it back to hit call, putting it to his ear a moment to listen to it ring before he pulls it away. He holds it out to me, the hand around my throat loosens, but doesn’t move away and I keep my eyes trained on the shades, motionless in every way.
‘Any talk of police and your sweet little neck will be slit, Honey. Make sure you remember that.’ He turns on speakerphone and holds it in front of my mouth. I nod calmly, as it rings and pray he’s there, pray to god that he will be on the other end. That he’s not asleep, or left his phone in the lounge and gone to bed, like he normally does. Every part of me willing him to know that I am not okay right now. My heart is in my mouth and nausea sweeps through me as cold fear drifts up my legs.
‘Soph’s?’ He answers in only two rings, relief sweeping through me at the sound of the only voice that matters to me. He sounds completely wide awake too, considering its still before six am, husky and stressed, and I wonder if it’s because of me. I swear tears hit me as soon as I hear his voice and I just want him here so badly right now, to protect me, to save me.
‘Arry.’ I sniff, so glad to just talk to him in this moment, overcome with emotion suddenly and just aching for him to come get me. I don’t want this to be the last time I ever hear that voice again.
‘Where are you? I have been looking for you for hours…I’m at your apartment Soph’s. Baby come home, I’m here. I came back for you not long after I left. I’m sorry, for what I said, how I was. You just need to…….’ He sounds broken, torn and ravaged, much like the version who dragged me to his mother’s garden at Leila’s party and my heart crumbles. Picturing him emotional and upset and I just want to hold him right now. I love him still, even when he makes me hate him.
‘Arry, I need your help.’ I cut him off, trying hard to sound normal, but my voice is shaking so badly I can’t control it. Ignoring what he’s saying, even though it makes me ache, in a bid to just get him to listen to me as eyes bore into me. Aware of the faces trained on me and what I need to do.
‘What do you mean? Where are you? What’s wrong?’ His tone is more alert suddenly, that hint of concern shining through, now that he realises there’s something more important than making up right now. He can obviously hear my fear, knows that something isn’t right.
I love you so much.
‘Arry please, listen. You need to listen to me.’ Taking short breaths as panic sets in, the sudden thought that maybe I am asking too much, and he can’t do this. I know it isn’t easy to get hands on that amount of money at short notice. It’s not even daytime, I have no idea how he is going to do this.
‘I’m listening baby. Talk to me, tell me what you need.’ He sounds calm suddenly, the fighter in him taking control and seemingly completely cool. I know him better now, this is Arry trying to disconnect emotionally, so he can handle whatever it is. He does that. When he can’t deal with stuff, he cuts off and handles it with the part of his head that doesn’t feel as much.
‘I’m in trouble and I need money.’ I blurt out, but the sleazy boss slides off his shades to reveal deep brown eyes and eyerolls, turning the phone to himself, he kills speakerphone and puts it to his ear instead, winking at me nastily. Obviously too impatient.
‘Listen buddy, as sweet as all that was getting, I haven’t got time to beat around the bush. You sound like a smart guy, and I’m guessing this little bundle of blonde pussy is your woman. She needs fifty grand here within the next four hours or I start posting pieces of that sweet ass to your address. I suggest you don’t dawdle love, and call us back when you have the cash in hand. Don’t think about getting fly and involving the boys in blue, cos I will literally just put a bullet in her head.’ He smiles at me as I can hear the low mumble of a deep voice at the other end, my heart aching for Arrick to be here right now. Hating that he will be melting down at what dickhead has just said to him. Knowing how this must be affecting him right now and picturing him going into freak out mode as soon as he hangs up.
‘Don’t worry love, if your boyfriend comes through with the cash you won’t be joining her back there, she’s learning a good lesson. Never fuck over your supplier.’ The overly muscular slime ball, gripping me, chuckles in my ear as the brown leather jacket still talks to Arrick. I glare at him, still aware that there’s a lot of noise coming from far behind that sounds like she is getting a going over and even I feel for her in this moment. I try to ignore it, not to picture what it feels like, and hope she’s as tough as she seems.
‘Fine by me Mr Arry, we shall rendezvous as soon as it’s in your hands.’ Slime ball sounds cheerful, smug even. I zone back into what smarmy prick is saying to my boy and frown at his over familiar use of a name he isn’t allowed to utter.
‘Carrero.’ I correct impulsively, no idea why I even feel the need; impulsively ridiculous, given the circumstances and see the immediate change in his face. Like a little tiny flicker of ‘the penny dropping’.
‘Carrero?’ He pauses; that smirking sleazy tone dropping with the phone still attached to his ear, and the flicker of eyes to the man sitting close to me as though questioning him for confirmation. I hear Arricks tone on the other end, he must be confirming his name, as the blood visibly drains from boss man’s face. He motions for the man holding me to let go suddenly, waving his hand anxiously and suddenly not so smug anymore. I don’t understand; as soon as he releases me, my own hand automatically goes to my throat to rub away the traces of his fingers at where they have been, and I pull my arms around myself protectively.
Boss sleaze turns and gets out of the car, clicking his fingers and the asshole that had been holding me, follows. Leaving me here alone with only the driver and I watch as they stalk off to the side and huddle with another man in a suit. Still holding my phone to his ear. I see him look from man to man and then motion towards the back of the car.
Moments later, Camilla is tossed in beside me, her face more of a bloody mess and completely dishevelled, she has taken a beating and I immediately try and help her clean the blood off her face, but she pushes me away. Obviously like me, she abhors touch when she’s in that defensive mode inside her head, and I leave her be, understanding her in that moment. Feeling sympathy for what they have done to her, but yet, knowing weakness right now is not going to do either of us any good.
I turn and watch the men outside instead and realise somethings changed. None of them seem so smug anymore and my phone has been handed off to someone else while brown jacket is on his own cell pacing like a maniac. I look at the man talking to Arry and see him finally hang up, looking sheepish and he nods at the other man. He hands my phone to brown jacket and then looks at the other men gathering around with a worried expression. Huddling together and looking so desperate.
‘Somethings wrong.’ I say impulsively, and Camilla looks up, following my gaze and staring at them outside. The driver shifts in his seat and I immediately hone in on him
‘Why does the name Carrero suddenly change everything? I blink at him innocently and catch the narrowed gaze back at me in the mirror. The frown and then glare and yet he remains silent.
‘Carrero? As in Alexi Carrero?’ Camilla turns my way with a gulp, pulling my arm and attention to her. Her face ashen as though I have said something awful. I am completely confused.
‘Arrick’s cousin? What has Alexi got to do with any of this? How do you even know who he is?’ I feel surreal, not sure what is happening and feel like I am in the twilight zone. Losing all sense of anything else while confusion reigns dominant. Al
exi is someone I have known as long as Arry, nothing sinister or terrifying. I don’t get the connection at all.
‘Wait, you’re related to the Carrero’s?’ Camilla seems equally phased and I shake my head. Watching her completely awed expression and trying to get my head around why this even matters.
‘Arrick Carrero is my boyfriend, I grew up across the road from Jake and Arrick. I am part of their family and Jake Carrero is my godfather. What has any of this, or Alexi, got to do with anything?’ I frown at her, turning my body to her. Eyes now on her for answers as she seems to know more than I do.
‘Alexi Carrero is like the king pin of New York… These goons are small fish compared to him and his family. They are known by everyone. If you’re a Carrero or mean something to them, then Tyler just majorly fucked up. You’re talking about small time crooks ripping off the mafia.’ Camilla wipes her face, straightens herself a little and leans forward to the driver with an air of menace, narrowing her swollen eyes at him in his mirror.
‘Isn’t that right? You are all fucked when Alexi finds out you manhandled Arrick Carrero’s girlfriend and threatened her.’ She has her sassy tone back, obviously finding something to be smug about, despite our predicament, and I can’t even get my head around this.
I mean I always knew there were rumours that some of Arry’s family were into organised crime, and there has always been some dodgy evasion from Arry about his dad, whenever the topic is raised. I never for a minute thought Alexi would be involved in this kind of shit. He is so normal and loving and I’ve spent a million family dinners and barbecues with him. He is just like the rest of them. Charming, suave with a lot of good genes and a wild playboy side, yet underneath he has a good heart.
The Carrero Heart - The Journey: Arrick and Sophie (The Carrero Series Book 5) Page 40