Chapter 189

I wake up so late it’s crazy, after sleeping more than twelve hours and curse myself for not getting up and starting my day hours earlier, like I planned. It totally screws up all my good intentions for today as it’s blooming noon already. My hair appointment is at one so that gives me enough time to shower, dress and go out and get that done first before I even get a look in at anything else. My shopping trip and beauty treatments are all this afternoon, so I have that still to look forward to anyway. It’s just all my plans concerning details of the club that will have to wait.

I obviously needed it. I do feel so much better, and falling asleep before eleven p.m. must have given my immune system a long overdue break as I don’t even feel anywhere near as ill as I have done these past days. It’s probably due to my healthier surroundings too, the sanitary conditions and some real food last night.

I rarely had that when I was working in the diner, barely slept each night, and barely had a decent routine or great meal. I was always on edge, always aware of my surroundings and how unsafe I felt, always worrying about tomorrow. I got four- or five-hours slumber, maximum, on a good night and even then, it was broken by bad dreams and constant paranoia that I was not alone.

It’s a strange feeling to wake up here, feeling utterly still and calm, as though deep down I know I am completely safe and protected by the barrage of men in this fortress. Ironic, being whose apartment, I am in, but there’s a feeling of peace inside of me which I know will probably wear off.

It’s just a reaction from coming out of the shitty situation I was in and getting some respite, knowing I am fed, sheltered and with an income coming my way. A relief to my stress levels and soon sense will take the novelty away.

I am sure a day of addressing my appearance will sort that right out. Put Camilla back on the map and feel more like my old self once more. I cannot wait to turn this plain Jane in the mirror back into a feisty redhead, and the thought of something that costs more than five bucks to wear after my spree is giving me tingles. I have always been addicted to expensive clothes and I am almost itching to just go straight for the kill. It’s even more satisfying when it’s not my money and hurts Alexi’s pocket in the process. A small revenge for what he took from me, even if he never intended for my life to go that way. He did however cure me of my little heart problem … letting someone in, weakening it. It’s now back to a stone-cold solid mass of black death and I can thank him for reminding me why it should have stayed that way.

Don’t ever trust anyone when it comes to your own well-being and needs. No one in the world will ever look out for you and have your interests as their sole focus other than you. People just disappoint and hurt you. Love is for the stupid.

I jump out of bed, bypassing breakfast because I have no time right now, and aim to get ready as quickly as I can to get out there and find my girl.

* * *

Wandering downstairs in the only type of clothes I have right now, jeans and a jumper over trainers, I head into the bar to find out where my driver is. Surprised to see it’s bustling with people and activity, including Mico and Alexi and a little group of black-suited men being given orders. He’s assembling new security and shaking up rotas and requirements for the club.

So much for not helping run the place, huh!

I forgot he said he would be back after twelve. I guess it’s a good thing as he can tell me which man is expected to chauffer me around at his command. Half his goons never seem to know what’s going on in the daily running and I would rather get it from the horse’s mouth himself, so he has nothing to sulk about later. My plan is to keep him sweet and cause no abrasive moods between us for anything. That way he has no reason to start being the prick he can be.

Nothing is going to ruin my mood today, not even him.

‘Good morning,’ I chirp brightly, interrupting the little flock of them standing by the bar. I can see Mico has a clipboard in hand; his checklist of doing whatever and Alexi is on his phone, as usual, texting away his life. They two are like bookends sometimes, noses down and eyes focused on tasks with that same little curved centre of one brow on the left.

Weird.

They all stop and look my way, most of them just gaze and turn back to what they are doing in disinterest at my familiar face but Mico smiles brightly, throws a happy wink as if to say, ‘Glad to see you’ and Alexi puts his phone down and slides through between two men to walk directly to me.

‘Afternoon.’ He corrects me with that suave air of know it all cockhead.

Hmm, so maybe he’s right, but I don’t like the condescending tone.

‘I guess you haven’t left the building yet?’ He continues when I just raise a brow at him and give him a withering look, curbing a response. I know full well he will have every single man in this building trained to report every detail to him on the inner workings here, and he knows this is the first time I have ventured out of the apartment. Not to mention his little apartment cameras that I have not forgotten about up there.

Lexi-cam!

I will make sure I never walk around naked in there ever again.

‘Clearly.’ It’s a sassy smile and a flick of my damp hair that I have just left loose seeing as I am on my way to get it chopped and dyed. I won’t rise to his bait.

‘Here, I never gave you this.’ He reaches into his inner jacket of that expensive dark slate suit he is wearing today and pulls out a smooth oblong on a key chain. It looks like a matt black pebble and holds it out to me on his finger, dangling while swinging sinisterly.

‘What is it?’ I just blink at it and don’t move to take it until I know what I am accepting. It looks suspect.

‘The access to the front door and side entrance, we changed out the cards and keypads for these swipe keys to be more secure. Each one is tagged to the user so we know who is coming and going, and we can disable any of them singularly and remotely if one is stolen … Gino’s idea. This is yours; I had it set up last night so you could have it today.’

Stops unwanted hostesses drunkenly breaking in, I guess.

He is in all business mode, even if I am getting a vibe of irritated mood. I don’t think it’s aimed at me though. I think he’s generally having a stressful day and it’s not like him to wear his moods so openly. Alexi is the Lord of unreadable on any given day, so something major is up with him. I wonder if it’s why Mico is closed down and in efficient mode among his men and hasn’t come to say a proper hello. The inner running’s of ‘Carreroland’ must be getting to them today.

‘Fancy.’ I take it carefully, so as not to touch him, and play with it between my two hands at my waist, turning it over to inspect it and smoothing my thumbs over the weirdly silky rubber surface, even though I am more interested in what’s eating him. I can feel the strange waves of something coming off him that was not around him last night.