Chapter 176

‘Take the offer.’ He looks me right in the eye with sincerity, a genuine pleading frown, and I start laughing at him.

‘I can’t believe you. Four months ago, you stood in that room and told me to cut ties with this life and get far away from it. That he would never be my hero and I should get far away from all of you.’ I remind him sternly.

‘I know, but things change.’ Mico looks from me to the open door, I guess to check if Alexi is hovering nearby.

‘Why, what’s changed exactly? Other than he’s losing money,’ I ask pointedly, disinterested in Alexi’s whereabouts.

He motions around the room as if to say my current living situation has made him change his mind, but I’m not buying it. Everyone can go through patches of being down on their luck; they don’t throw in the towel at the first hurdle. Mico was adamant enough to walk away from me in the hospital and let me go too. I am not going to believe for one second that me hitting a low point has motivated Alexi to grow a heart in his empty chest. He didn’t know until he got here, unless he has been keeping tabs on me, which I wouldn’t put past him, to be honest. I know he has spies everywhere.

Mico sighs, seeing the disbelieving look splattered across my face, and turns back to me with a friendlier effort.

‘It won’t be the same; I’ll make sure of that. If you came back, I can promise it would be different.’

‘You got a cage big enough to keep that locked up indefinitely?’ I nod towards Alexi, who seems to be pacing the other room and watching the carpenter at the window, trying not to look in here and failing. He seems restless and antsy, which is another unusual state for him. Not that I care anymore.

I don’t know how to read him but even so, I can tell something is off. He’s acting strange, Mico is acting the same and I feel like I have hit the twilight zone with these two. I wonder what else is going on under the surface of this offer to warrant the weirdness from the two of them, or their insistence I come back. There has to be more to this.

The club is not that important in his empire, so I know this is not like a life or death ‘we need you to save the day’ type scenario.

‘Didn’t I tell you once that there is a lot more to him than what you see? He wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t trying to make amends. Give him a chance Camilla, to put right some of the shit that went down.’ Mico takes my hand and squeezes it, making me jump with the movement as he does so, and I stare at him a little distrustfully. Overkill with nice, even coming from him of all people, makes me nervous.

‘He isn’t capable of remorse, so I doubt that’s true.’ I don’t move my hand but it stays ridged in his hold … awkwardly so.

Mico sighs again, heavily, displaying his frustration, but he glosses over my response.

‘Think about it … Alexi won’t revoke this offer. He wants you to come back. We both do … Give him a chance to prove you wrong.’

Alexi doesn’t want me, he wants his money-making machine to be put right again, and he knows I’m the one who set her in motion. I have the know-how to make her roll again. No matter how many different ways they phrase it, my answer will be the same.

‘I have thought about it. Alexi is the reason I won’t accept it, and I’m sorry if I seem ungrateful Mico. I just have to find my own way now. I’m sorry I made you come here and I will pay you back for the repairs …’

‘Don’t. It’s nothing.’ He sounds defeated too and I don’t get this softly, softly, approach from them. Both are men who get what they want, or they manipulate the outcome of what they want. I have watched them both pair up and smoothly close many deals in the club. Neither is trying to force me or manoeuvre me and it’s wholly unnerving.

I think he realises this is useless too and I won’t back down. Alexi keeps glancing my way and he’s making me nervous. His weird behaviour, pacing like a caged animal in my small space, the unusual quiet and even letting Mico take over when it comes to enforcing what he wants. This is not how he is and I don’t trust either of them at this moment. Team tagging me to try and sway me to come back. I don’t believe for a minute that I am that important. There is always an angle … always a motive. Not always obvious, but I can guarantee there is one.

‘I have work in the morning. I need to try and get some sleep before then. Just get my head down for an hour at least. Thank you for this … really … thank you.’ I nod at the other room and impulsively squeeze his hand back before letting it go completely. Glad to be free of the contact.

It’s not that I am not grateful; I just need them to leave and let me lie down. I’m weary, hot with an impending fever and emotionally fraught. This whole thing has been a huge ordeal, and I am still suffering the after-effects of a knock to the brain which is making me feel sick and dizzy.

Last thing I expected was a Carrero invasion, and now I am definitely suffering the effects of that.

‘Don’t change your number or run off anywhere in a hurry. You have no idea how hard we have been looking for you these past months, Meghan.’ Mico smiles at me this time, amused by my name choice, back to friendly and reliable henchman and I smile too.

‘You don’t think it suits me?’ I nudge his shoulder with mine, relaxing in the moment and remembering all the reasons I missed this guy. That lack of danger around him, that solid safety knowing he is not my enemy in any way, shape or form, and having a genuine friend and ally at times that I can honestly relax with.

‘No, neither does the hair.’

I shrug at that, not willing to admit that funds forced that more than animosity did and catch sight of Alexi watching me from the other room, watching us, silently.

He’s leaning against the far wall with one foot propped up behind him, his phone in his hand as though he’s texting, yet his eyes are on me. When he catches me looking back, he gives me a small smile, enough to freak me out completely. It’s a half smile, not his usual smirk, and somehow strangely soft. It’s almost as though for a moment he was trying to be warm and endearing. I look away again not sure what that was. Inner waves of cold mistrust sweep through me.

It was not his usual sardonic or calculating look; it seemed, dare I say it, for a moment … completely genuine like he was happy to see me.

I must be high; I am so much sicker than I thought.

‘Right … get out of here. Let a girl sleep. I’m sure you guys have made this place like a fortress already.’ I shove Mico’s shoulder, keeping my eyes averted from that devil out there, and exhale with relief when he does get up to go and pulls the door with him.

‘We’ll let ourselves out when we are done. Windows won’t take long and we shall try and be quiet. Seriously, think about it Camilla … Please.’

‘Go!’ I throw the nearest cushion at the door and he yanks it shut to dodge it, leaving me alone at last with a final click as he closes it tight. I slump backwards on the bed and let my arms fall out in a star shape, finally able to just stop and fall to bits … exhaustion hitting me hard.

I know they will mill about out there till the job is done, but in here I am going to sleep. I can forget all about them and worry about tomorrow when it gets here.

I have so much to process and yet all I want to do is close my eyes and forget all of this.

I have no money.

I have no way out of this dump.I do have an offer though … even if I have no intention of taking it.