Chapter 4

Four weeks of overseeing refurbishments and my mood isn't exactly improving where Carrero is concerned. In a month I have learned nothing of value about him, not managed to get under that mask of indifference or become anything more than an annoying voice in his day. He comes and goes sometimes, with another bimbo in tow, and I am sick to death of hearing the women wailing like banshees through sex anytime he stays over. I never opted for a roommate who had a sex drive of a serial screwer, and I sure as hell don't want to fall into bed every night and listen to some slapper getting off with him when I am tired and pissed off. I'm frustrated as hell with the lay of the land and this is not what I thought it was going to be, he has all the upper hand and I'm nothing more than a glorified concierge in the making. He's infuriating and cold, bossy as shit and completely devoid of any normal human emotion. I feel like I might hate him, even if he is still too pretty for words. Our relationship is strained to say the least, and we are no more ''friends'' than we were on that first day. He's the hardest person to warm to that I have ever met and every move he makes is completely planned in every way. He's the King of manipulation and has a brain that seems to be constantly ticking behind soulless eyes that give nothing away; he's a player alright a very clever, devious one who only lets people that share his DNA close to him. Everyone else gets kept at arm's length, and he's forever strolling in and out like Master of the universe and barking orders at me. I have had it up to here with him. Even if he only stays overnight a couple times a week and the rest of the week he is in and out like a freaking yoyo. The club is slowly changing. Lucie is sulking like a wet dog and avoiding looking my way for fear of reprimand from his master, and I swear if Carrero commanded it Lucie would lick his boots. He tries to exert authority when Alexi is absent, but I have learned that ignorance is the way to deal with him. I eye roll, sigh and walk away like he's nothing more than a buzzing fly around my head and it gets to him way more than outright defiance does. He now spends all his time hiding in his office and hating on me from afar with ugly little squinty looks. ''Here, I want you to go get a dress for tonight; opera suitable.'' Alexi tosses a credit card at me across his desk as he walks into the room I have been sitting in, waiting for him for the last half hour. He told me to come up here and as usual, like every fucking time, he made me wait for him until I couldn't stand it any longer, then wanders in when I am on the verge of storming out. I think he does it on purpose and it grinds on me hellishly. The guy gets a kick out of me sitting around endlessly, bored to tears while he swans around, and eventually shows up to wander in and act like my purpose in life is to wait on him. ''Run out of trampy dates to take?'' I throw him some sass, no longer able to conceal my dislike when he's around and I no longer have a desire to. Most women fall at his feet and I would rather just ooze hostility instead. His ego is big enough, and I am not going to add to it. For the most part, he just ignores me anyway after his initial chastising on my ''attitude.'' ''I want someone who knows how to work a man. I'm finally making use of all the pent up frustrated sexual tension you have going on; it's business and I have someone I want you to charm for me.'' He throws me a smug look and the thought of pushing his letter opener in his face right now actually crosses my mind. It's within reach and very sharp. I wouldn't even feel bad with leaving a permanent scar on that face. ''So, no sex until you demand it of me, with a man of your choosing?'' I can't conceal my disdain, my voice dripping with venom to match my mood. It's no different to the fucking pricks who ruled my life for years. I'm just another prostitute in a classy dress with a higher breed of customer. Alexi makes me sick to my stomach and I sometimes wish I had the guts to poison his coffee. Alexi closes the gap between us, to where I am standing and tilts my chin up to his face with a finger. Surprising me with the sudden physical contact and immediately muting my mind fury. I become docile and compliant with the surprise of the manoeuvre and just stare up at him while rendered silent. ''My property, remember? I said charm, not fuck.'' He penetrates my brain with a loaded look and I lose all courage when faced with his hands on me. It's like being touched with a supercharged electric volt anytime he even gets close to doing it, and he can render me completely useless in the seconds after. I hate that he has that effect on me. ''You want me to flirt and seduce someone to do your bidding. What happens when you don't let him follow through?'' I query unsurely trying to shake off the effects of his skin on mine with very little success. Alexi lets me go and walks around me into the open area of his desk to where his seat is and carries on looking in a drawer for something. ''You have skills, London, use them. Make him think you possibly would behind my back, but not enough that he thinks you will. He knows better than to cross me in that way and you are well versed in the wiles of the fairer sex. You drop practised mannerisms constantly and live on your looks, so I'm sure you can handle it. Sex is one of your little games and mediocre men don't know any better.'' Fuck off, wanker! I hate that he can deliver a put down with incredible ease and a smug look. ''So, I am to play adoring squeeze but give the man the eyeful and tease. Manipulation at its finest; I guess he's a man who can be swayed by his dick otherwise you wouldn't be taking me tonight, right?'' ''You catch on quick. He's a contender for the next mayor of New York, high in the right places and influential. He has a thing for redheads and has a sexless marriage that makes him an easy target for seduction. While you're distracting him with your assets, I'll be manoeuvring some favours he won't even realise he's agreeing to.'' Alexi straightens once more and pulls out a file from the desk and slaps it on top. I can see from here it's something to do with property and I guess he needs licenses or other nonsense for another purchase. Alexi has his fingers in many pies and I cannot keep up with his multiple wheeling and dealing at all hours of every day. His phone never stops vibrating. It's Mico, his very similar looking cousin and constant sidekick, is as much a personal assistant as he is his head of security. He flanks him almost constantly. I have learned in the past month that most of the business Carrero oversees is surface legitimate. The dodgy dealings going on in the shadows and if you didn't know any better you would mistakenly think he was just another rich entrepreneur with his hand in a lot of gold pots in this city. I happen to know differently though and overheard one of his millions of black suits that follow him around talking about a weapon shipment in his office last week. Alexi confirmed a shipment at the docks, and I know he has enough narcotic product in the USA already to pave his properties with gold should he want to. I cannot even begin to estimate his net worth or that of the family he heads. I know that he's just the front man and many Carreros are interlaced in this empire, each with their personal dealings and businesses that make up the family fortune. Alexi is their nominated leader, so makes all the big decisions while referring to his board of advisors— uncles, father and grandfather apparently. They sit in darkened shadows and help him rule from afar. They are not a family you want to annoy, but they are impressively organised and work almost seamlessly. I have no desire to know what shit he has going on outside of the job he put me here for. The less I know, the better. If I ever want a chance in hell of breaking free from his reign over me, then I will keep my knowledge scant. The thought of being tied to this jackass for a lifetime is soul-destroying. I am so over how hot he is on the outside when on the inside a soul-sucking demon resides and peeks out at you wickedly. ''I'll push up my boobs and choose a suitable prick tease of an outfit.'' I pick up the card and slide it into my cleavage with a naughty little smile. Always excited to have a shopping spree. Today's dress offers a little ogle but it's long and fitted as I'm a believer of having one peek at a time, and Alexi is more of a leg man. I have an ample bust, and he has never really gazed that way with any real interest for any length of time. Some men like legs, some like arse and most like boobs, but Alexi seems to change his mind based on the weather and today is not a cleavage day for him. Even with it right there for a free look. He barely glances at my girls. ''Classy. Opera … Go for something that's not black so you stand out among all the tuxedos and demure mistresses. I want him to notice you first, put your hair up, you look more knock out with it that way and go easy on the makeup.'' What the actual fuck? I know he's a controlling bastard but actually telling me how to look tonight takes the goddamn piss. I don't think so. He has a knack for igniting that bubbling pit of lava deep inside of me that sparks my temper, biting my lip to stop the instant knee-jerk reaction to tell him to fuck off I try for a straight face. ''I am capable of making those kinds of decisions. I'm sure I don't need direction on how to dress or make myself presentable.'' I let that blatant disdain loose in my tone, despite my calm demeanour, and he freezes slightly; pausing as he flicks through his file. His body just seems to get a whole lot more aggressive without doing very much at all. One thing I have learned is how much he hates it when he is questioned or disobeyed, and I am well versed in doing both. ''If I have to pick the dress and put it on you while having one of the bar girls get you ready, I will. I'm telling you how I want you to look so that's what I expect when you walk down here at seven.'' He has an edge to his voice, a look on that tightening jaw of brimming annoyance and I throw my hair over my shoulder defiantly even though my courage has taken an immediate run for cover and my insides are recoiling a tad. He scares me shitless, but I won't ever let him know it. ''Fine, whatever, it's your money and I will just make sure you get what you pay for. I'm amazed you don't want me to dye my hair too.'' I make a move to leave, still going for sass but with a lot less aplomb, and just trying to put distance between us as he follows me with his eyes. ''I happen to like the hair. It's the first thing that ever drew my eyes to you. Red is your color, leave it as it is.'' Well I wasn't expecting that! ''Was that a compliment …? Are you feeling okay? Do you need to lie down and let me take your temperature? ''I turn and raise a brow at him and catch his stern look receding slightly, easing my fragile mood too and for a moment there is that rare thing that happens occasionally between us sporadically—where I forget to hate him for a few seconds and remember he is still fuckable. It's rare, but it happens. ''Just go buy a dress and don't make me regret taking you. If you behave, I might reward you later.'' That softer look and sexy half smile he does, bringing out those surprise dimples he manages to hide most of the time. What? Reward me? Hell no … Not a fucking chance is he getting me tied up in that bedroom of his. No matter how much he looks like sex might be worthwhile, I have heard some of the noises from women he has in there, and I am not getting involved in any of the shit he does. I recoil with the previous moment of hate reversal and remind myself what a dick head he is instead. Over my dead body am I laying myself down to become a victim at his hands in his chamber of pain. ''You can just throw more dresses my way and I'm content. Easy to please with shoes. I'm totally fine with material possessions and don't need very much else; completely shallow gold digger over here.'' I deflect cleverly trying to make it clear that banging him is no longer on my agenda while injecting a little half serious humour instead. I see what he's like in life and that much commandeering aggression being poured on a helpless woman is not my idea of fun. I will never be one of his submissive women and long gone is my angle of using him. Ever! Alexi just looks at me a little oddly, with that furrowed brow over narrowed eyes as he hones in on me, it's like he's trying to dig through my face and into my head and I break the look by turning away, brushing off both his intense gaze and the weird awkward moment of pause between us. ''Go buy a dress. You have till seven like I said. Be ready, I hate being made to wait.'' How ironic. He sounds different and for a second I wonder what I said to get a tiny little reaction from a man that normally seems immune to me in every way. I am not waiting around to ponder it and high tail out of his office in search of Mico to drive me to the nearest boutiques.