‘Guess your cavalry is here. Those are Alexi’s cars and men. Not that I have ever met him, but I’ve seen his entourage before.’ She croaks, finding it hard to talk now and slumps back down with a heavy exhale. I hold my breath, afraid to hope, afraid that this is not real and just watch silently.
A very familiar and welcoming sight saunters out of one of the cars, looking very much like the big mafia boss in a black overcoat and perfect groomed hair. His men parting as that Carrero swagger confidently moves towards Tyler in a manner that screams power. I feel the sudden rush of relief hit me in my throat, the unwelcome sob from my throat as tears hit me hard and I couldn’t love Alexi more than in this moment. Never been so happy to see him in my life. My nerves are held so taught that I feel like they just broke and everything starts to fall around me with sheer relief.
Through a foggy windscreen I can barely define him from Jake, but I know that he has palest grey eyes, rimmed with almost black, on that tall Lothario body and his hair is jet black while Jakes has a hint of brown to its darkness. Like his cousins he’s another lover of tattoos, but his peek up his neck as one curls behind one ear into his hairline and one of his hands has one that covers the full back of his hand to his knuckles. I always knew Alexi was a little sinister if I am being honest, he has that same coolness as Arrick and you can never read him, but now, seeing him like this, in a tailored suit and expensive overcoat I feel a tremor of uncertainty. Camilla watches him like a hawk, poised and still yet her eyes are trained on our rescuer.
‘He’s something isn’t he? Never thought he would be so young.’ She watches him gracefully move through the sea of men, a powerfully built male that screams Alpha and he’s completely at ease, a glance this way as he asks someone a question and nods.
‘He’s in his thirties, same age as Jake or thereabouts.’ I say impulsively and jump when the door next to me clicks open.
‘Miss Huntsberger?’ A hand comes out to me and I relax when I see the familiar face of Arricks ex bodyguard, yet his name eludes me; as a teen his father insisted on his presence but Arry ditched him as soon as he hit maturity. I smile and literally throw myself out of the car and into a relieved embrace, feeling him stiffen with the shock of my unusual affection and pats me lightly on the back. I am overcome with so much emotion that these are men I recognise, these are Arry’s men and I am truly safe and about to go home. I cry and weep, let it go into his chest and only start to calm when he pats me gently on the back, leans back and hands me a handkerchief.
‘I’ve to take you home. Reynauld’s will take your friend to a medical facility and be treated under the care of Mr Carrero. Leave this mess to him.’ I turn back and see Camilla being helped out the other side of the car gently, by another man in a black suit and watch as she hobbles away; clearly the longer she has sat the worse she has suffered and turn back to grab onto the arm of my saviour. I have never been so relieved to see anyone in my life and I am so scared if I let go he will just disappear. My chest is constricting with so much weight, my head aching with stress and I just want so badly to leave, to go home and wrap myself in Arry’s arms…If he will still want me.
He starts walking me towards the cars in front, passing what seems to be a lot of strange men standing around. As we get near that familiar asshole from the strip bar, Alexi turns and looks my way.
‘Hold on.’ He snaps, and everyone stops, one command and literally the world stops turning. He walks from the group towards me, scanning me with his eyes as he gets to me, taking in every inch of my obviously dishevelled self and makes me feel a little self-conscious. He looks at me with scrutiny, runs a hand over my cheek, wiping a few tears, as he tilts my face and then lifts my hands as he sees the purple mess of my fist, frowning angrily. Those pale almost empty eyes focused directly on the swelling knuckles and I flounder nervously, suddenly feeling like I don’t know this version of him at all. He is so far removed from the Alexi I see back home.
‘I did that to myself. I punched Camilla in the face.’ I say impulsively. Those soulless, almost colourless eyes look at me now and I feel like this isn’t the Alexi I know and love, there is something scarily intimidating about him right now and for the first time his eyes make me think of a wolf.
‘Any marks or injuries… They do anything to you?’ He sounds dead pan, serious, and I shake my head. Knowing my face must be a little marked from how tightly they gagged my mouth, but I just want to leave and go home and wash this mess from skin, remove traces of men’s hands from my body and all the memories from today out of my head. His jaw twitches, that same tell-tale mannerism as Arrick and he leans in, kissing me on the forehead softly, reminding me of the part of him I do know, and I relax a little.
‘Take her To Arry’s apartment. I told him to wait there for her. I’ll deal with this personally.’ The cold tone makes my blood curl, the silence of the men around hint that he is not someone you ever fuck with and I suddenly feel unsure. This is a side to the family I have never known, never seen and my gut tells me that the payback for this little mistake is going to cost Tyler’s men dearly. Alexi looks and acts right now that he is capable of so much evil, it sends cold fear through me, seeing him this way.
I’m ushered away from him, glancing back at him as he watches me leave. No one moves, no one says anything as I am silently taken away, guided into the car gently. I see him turn and throw that Carrero death glare at the dick head who refused to help Camilla, he seems to physically recoil a little, before I am closed into safety and being led away.
Chapter 27
I walk into the elevator with my chaperone and slump back against the cold steel interior, heart thumping through my chest at how Arry is going to react. I am pretty sure he’s going to be mad at me for this one, another stupid and dangerous situation, even though it wasn’t my fault at all. I know he’s going to yell at me and well, after last night he probably still doesn’t like me very much.
My hearts pounding through my chest, nerves eating away at me as we wait in silence to get to his floor. Whoever buzzed us in on the other end wasn’t him, some male voice I don’t recognise, so knowing he isn’t alone makes this even more stressful. Last thing I need is a bunch of witnesses while my boyfriend tears me a new one and probably dumps my ass spectacularly. I mean why the hell would he keep wanting to do this, after last right and now this? Getting him dragged into some crazy unbelievable bullshit. He’s right, I’m toxic and I attract all sorts of trouble.
He’s better off without me in his life.
When the doors slide open I am faced with two men standing casually on guard, both identically suited and booted and looking very Mafia’esque, I half smile their way nervously, getting nods in return and look around, they are completely out of place in his apartment, aware that my driver follows me inside. There doesn’t seem to be any sign of Arrick at all.
‘I think they were on the veranda.’ One man nods to me and I sigh, smiling a thanks as I leave them to it and wander towards the back of his apartment apprehensively, on almost tip toes because I am so consumed with nerves. I have literally no idea how he is going to react at all and I feel so tense with nerves, I think I may throw up. I feel hot and unwell from the sheer stress of the last twelve hours and I am pretty sure I may pass out before the hour is done.
I can see from here the doors are open but voices coming from his study pull my attention in there instead. I pause as I catch sight of Jake and Arrick in the open doored study, in view from where I am yet neither looking my way, so they don’t see me at all.
Jake has his hands on Arry’s shoulders, face to face, but Arrick has his own hands in his hair, clutching the shortness as though he is on the verge of pulling it out, head tipped down and almost leaning into his brother’s chest, posture looking completely distraught. They don’t see me approaching, but I am glued to how much he looks so unlike his normally calm and composed self. Jake is practically holding him up and he is so slumped it’s like he has no life in him. It brings
back the wave of heart wrenching tears, and they fill my eyes instantly.
‘She will be okay, Alexi won’t let anything happen to her. You know he will fix this and get her out safely.’ Jake sounds ravaged, tears in his eyes fully trained on the top of his brother’s head. Arrick seems inconsolable. His voice broken when he responds quietly, and it only wounds me more.
‘I left her…. I left my baby girl out there alone Jake, hurt and crying; like an asshole. I left her…I said such cruel shit to her that I didn’t even mean….. All I keep seeing is her face, begging me not to leave her and it’s ripping my insides out. I hurt her; again…If anything happens to her…..I can’t forgive myself for this.’ His voice sounds like the night he took me to the garden after Leila’s party, wrecked and torn, obviously overcome with emotion; he sounds alien and my throat catches with so much raw emotion it chokes me, and I can’t call out. Edging further towards them while holding back tears at how much pain my boy is in, because of me. I made him like this and I can’t control how much it hurts me, ripping my insides out as I cover my mouth with my hand to muffle my sob.
‘You didn’t know this would happen. You can’t think that way, you have to tell yourself she’s going to be okay. It was a fight, nothing more Arry…. You will see her again and you will fix things.’ I walk towards them, hoping to catch their attention, unable to say anything, emotion rendering my throat mute, and strangling me. I hate that he thinks this is his fault. It crushes my insides with so much guilt.
‘I won’t survive without her….. This is my fault, I shouldn’t have ever left her. I promised her I would never leave her, and I fucking did. I deserve to lose her, for doing that to her again. If they do anything to her. I’ll kill every fucking one of them with my bare hands.’ He breaks and seems to sob as Jake pulls him into his chest, a proper embrace as he breaks down and I break too; a little sob escaping my throat that catches Jakes attention. His eyes flick up to me as I get to the door and the relief flushes through his face instantly. I almost see him visibly slump too, those green eyes looking a little red rimmed and intense, he frowns at me with a half-smile as he exhales slowly.
‘Arry? Arry look up…She’s here. Sophie’s home.’ Jake nudges him and what seems like the longest moment as his words register, before Arrick looks up at him and then spins towards me. The sudden shock of relief on his face as he takes a second to convince himself that I am real. I have never seen him in so much pain, and it just breaks what’s left of me as he comes at me fast. I can’t control the tears anymore; I let them flow and stop caring when those perfect Hazels meet mine with so much raw pain.
His face is completely ashen, tears on both cheeks, eyes red rimmed and so very green. He looks awful; beautiful, perfect, yet completely awful. I burst into a new flood of tears as he crosses toward me at speed and scoops me into his arms so fast I can’t react; he wraps himself around me so tightly, burying his head in my neck that I feel like I am being held in confines and having the life squeezed out of me. I can’t do anything else except slide my arms around his neck, he even has my feet off the floor with the strength of his embrace and hug him back tightly. Clinging on desperately and finally in the one place I have needed to be all night and day. Closing my eyes as emotions swarm over me, through me and just makes everything stop hurting.
He is still sobbing into my neck, making me feel horrendous that I reduced him to this. I can feel the wetness from his tears on my skin as his face comes to my cheek, pushing himself against me with ragged breaths.
‘I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry…. So god damn sorry.’ He gasps between breaths, crushing me a little so much, that I am finding it hard to breathe, but I don’t protest. His hands cup my face as he pulls me hard against his mouth, kissing my cheek and eye and jaw clumsily, planting lips anywhere that comes in contact and showering me with heartfelt adoration. He lets go to wrap his arms back around me again and squeezes me doubly tight, almost winding me this time.
It’s the kind of hug given in desperation, when someone really is happy to have you back with them and can’t control how it feels. I don’t mind the rib cracking, as long as he doesn’t hate me anymore. Obviously still loves me if this is anything to go by. I just cry, silent tears and cling on desperately, feeling every part of me cocooned in the one safe place I never want to leave ever again. Enveloped by everything that I love about him.
‘I’m so fucking sorry… I love you so much Sophie. I thought I was never going to see you again.’ He lifts his head to push his forehead against mine, not caring that he’s crying, his voice broken and trembling, and I find comfort in his tears. Knowing that I mean this much to him, that he loves me this much; even when I have been awful and violent and undeserving of it. I have never seen him this way with anyone else, he isn’t this type of guy to fall apart so easily, and yet I can feel his body vibrating with so much relief after what I assume has been a night of hell.
He lets me down on my feet to cradle my face with his hands, pulling me to him, tilting my head and kissing me hard, our tears mingling as he locks lips with me and makes it clear that he has been going out of his mind over me. It’s not a sensual or even a graceful kiss, just a pushed on me, forced, ‘I am so relieved to have you back’, sort of kiss. Every part of his face squished to mine and his arms makes their way back around me to squeeze the life out of me once more. I am starting to think he might crush me to death, it’s obvious he still hasn’t quite gotten control of his inner emotions and isn’t aware how indelicate he is being with his affection right now. I just cling on, feeling truly loved in this moment, like he would never let go of me again.
‘Hey. Give an old man some of this.’ Jake nudges us and Arrick relinquishes his hold enough for Jake to slide me out of his arms a little reluctantly, grabbing my hand and locking fingers even though I am only parting for a second, while ‘God daddy’ gets a hug. Jake slides his arms around me and gives me a full proper embrace, squeezing me too and then kisses me on the forehead as he lets me go, less crushingly so; using his sleeve to wipe his own eyes which are leaking a little manly moisture too. Seems I can make Carrero men cry and I wonder if I should add it to my CV.
Can reduce big tough Carrero’s to tears.
Arrick does the same, wipes his face and clears his throat, then starts wiping my face with fingertips, pandering to me once more, guiding me back to his circle of proximity and litters my skin with small kisses as he goes. He seems completely lost right now and focusing on tasks and touching, while he pulls himself together.
‘You okay Kiddo?’ Jake frowns at me and I nod, feeling surreal, like I am no longer awake or here, and I guess it’s shock catching up on me.
‘They didn’t really hurt me, just scared me; but then the name Carrero popped up and I wasn’t scared anymore. Seems you lot are a force to be reckoned with.’ I sigh and shrug and am recaptured by Arrick pulling me into every inch of his body, so his face is against my cheek and wraps himself like an octopus around me. Returning to death by forced hugs and pretty sure he is going to crack ribs this time. Jake smiles at him in a very endearing ‘my brother is clearly overwhelmed’ way and ruffles his hair affectionately.
‘What’s this?’ Arrick catches sight of my hand and lifts it up with scrutiny as he lifts his cheek from mine, eyes scanning it and face crumbling to that age old Carrero glare. Anger spiking that someone dared to hurt me. I pull it free and caress his face softly.
‘I punched Camilla in the face…Thanks for ever telling me that it hurts like a MOFO by the way!’ I giggle, through tears, somewhere in relief and disbelief that this has even been my day so far. No pain from my hand and I guess because I am still high on adrenalin and know I will crash big style, later. I am dreading the later if I am being honest, this day is going to catch up on me big time.
‘Jesus Sophie. One night out on your own and you’re beating women and taking on drug lords.’ Jake shakes his head, joking to cover the seriousness of the last few hours and both just look at me w
ith so many mixed emotions. Jake is a little more relaxed while Arrick still looks like he might beat someone.
‘Camilla?’ Arrick questions me, honed in on that one little point. I realise I have never really told him about any of that, after the night in the club, we never really talked about how it came to be, and we never brought it up after we found each other again. I guess two of us have some explaining to do and maybe I am being harsh on the Miami thing. Now I am sober and clear headed I can see why he didn’t want to tell me. It still hurts that he kept a secret, but now I can understand why, I guess.
I am a jealous irrational psycho.
‘Long story…. Another time.’ I curl myself into his throat and feel his body around me once more, completely attached to me and unwilling to let me loose. He just keeps squeezing me and kissing any part of my face or head he gets near. Repeatedly checking that I am okay, it feels good. Safe. Needed. Like I am in the one place I belong, and I finally believe that he really will never survive without me.
‘I’ll give you two kids space… I need to go call my wife and tell her where I am before she freaks out, she was still asleep when I left. No one knows Soph’s … I don’t think this is a tale that anyone besides a very few Carrero men should know.’ Jake eyes me warily, patting both of us on the shoulders, moving away a little and I nod in agreement.
‘My parents would just ship me back home and mark the city as a far too dangerous place to live alone.’ I agree, gasping softly as I get another squeeze of death to the ribs and he picks me off my feet, obviously another wave of emotion has hit him and he’s reacting internally. On the surface he just looks relieved, but his green eyes and little tensing muscles in his jaw tells me he’s overthinking, over analysing and summarising how close he came to never seeing me again.
My over thinking weirdo. I love you.
I must admit, shock might be wearing off and now I am feeling fragile as the realisation hits me that this could have ended so badly. Fatigue washing over me coupled with nausea because I just haven’t eaten in hours.
The Carrero Heart - The Journey: Arrick and Sophie (The Carrero Series Book 5) Page 42