Chapter 19

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.