Chapter 10: 10

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 and 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.


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