Chapter 319

Mico’s hands appear on both his shoulders from behind and I guess he is taming the beast who wants to come over and snap my neck. Stopping the lurch forward I catch in that powerful body. Restraining him and for a moment I’m thankful Mico is as big and strong as his crazy cousin.

I act like I can’t see him and focus back on the room. Inwardly shaking, nerves dying because I know I have crossed a line you cannot come back from. All that old fear and uncertainty about his character back in full swing. The deep dread of knowing I’m unleashing his beast.

My staff stand in stupefied silence for a second until one brainless bimbo lifts her hand hesitantly, all while staring at Alexi. It draws me back and gives me something else to concentrate on. It’s almost like she is afraid not to and one by one a few others do the same. They know he is watching, and he knows which little bitches he has had his hands on. Which vaginas his dick has graced. Which mouths have pleasured his dick.

They lie—they fucking die.

I can’t hold the swirl of nausea or the light-headed sway that passes over me, but I hold my ground and raise my brows with a tight smile. I won’t show him I care.

I won’t care. Not anymore.

There aren’t many, a lot less than I expected to be honest, and I throw a stern ‘you better not be lying’ around the room and scratch out one more near the front. Even so, it’s a dire and low number for what I expected, and it won’t be hard to replace these women soon. The faces are pale, worried, regretting their own weakness and everyone is glancing nervously from me to him with a shocked ‘are they a thing?’ look.

I feel nothing but that twinge of ache coming back tenfold as I look at the array of women before me. All mousy types with severe ‘yes sir’ complexes and one or two are professional submissives. Not one of them anything like me in looks or demeanour. He likes the good little obedient ones who don’t stand out too much for being stunning either. I guess they are the type he can keep quiet when screwing them behind my back.

Everyone in this room now knows what he and I are, or they suspect anyway. How could they not after this?

Screw him and his secrets. His enemies already know I’m a target so outing this isn’t going to change a damned thing. I’m already in danger.

Alexi looks livid, his face deadpan but there’s a hint of a sneer and a dark cloud of ‘I’m going to fucking kill her’ oozing out of him and I get an ounce of satisfaction that I got to him. He might self-implode when I get on with it. Worth it to get under his skin before he completely ruins me.

“Thanks … oh, you too, dahling. We all know you are a dirty stop out that fucked him over there.” I stare right at Hoe-Anne who is trying to hide behind a girl on my left and she almost trips over her own feet as I single her out. All heads turn to her and her wide-eyed look to Alexi gets her no back up at all. He just turns towards me and shakes his head—deathly slow, precise, eyes locked on his target. It’s all in the eyes. He is beyond furious, blood boiling manic type of mad, and his pupils are the size of pinholes. He looks exactly like the demonic schizoid who used to terrify me. That fear stirring down low once more, and I know we can’t ever fix this.

I don’t want to. I’m worth more than being betrayed. He made me see that for a short time.

I deserve more than this. I am worthy of being loved properly.

That signal of ‘I’m verging on volcanic right now and I may actually strangle you in front of these people’ just pulls a sarcastic smile out of me. Good at pretending, hiding the fact I’m quaking in my shoes.

Hoe-Anne finally raises a feeble hand that’s so pathetic I eye roll. It’s slow, hesitant and totally unnecessary as I already know what a loose vagina’d hoe she is. She let him fuck her in front of the entire club. Says it all really.

“Good, are we all done? Anymore? Don’t be shy. I will fire you for lying so it’s better to just get it off your chest. All relationships need trust, don’t they, dahling?” I turn and throw a very pointed look at my so-called ex-man, drilling that point into his face with a blue-eyed gaze that could cut glass. His face twitches as he suppresses the explosive temper growing inside of him and loses what control he has of his cool demeanour for a second. Mico once again keeping a tight rein on him. I’m humiliating him in front of all his bitches, just like he did to me. I’m the one in control right now … in my room, in my club, and my staff. See how he likes it.

There’s a gasp, another rumble of hushed voices and the heaving inhale of a couple more. One more girl lifts a coy hand.

“Which one of you was out with him last night?” I add as an afterthought and there’s a puzzled look around from many heads and worried chatter as they whisper accusations. One girl finally moves forward from the back, a nobody from the toms who specialises in role play. She looks me up and down and then to Alexi, as though wondering what the hell I’m on and I smile brightly. Completely unfazed.

“You didn’t raise your hand!” I point out coldly but with an evil smile aimed at her ample bust, disgusted with her lack of remorse. She looks annoyed.

Either way, I’m about to show him he can’t lie anymore: she is right here to out his bullshit. Truth always has a way of coming out.

“I didn’t think I needed to … it was business, not a real date. Nothing happened.” She tries in her defence and I admit it startles me at first, but I’m beyond caring and for all I know, he coached her on how to respond should I ever find out. I’m done with this shit. Irritated by her, him, all of them. Unwilling to believe this and disappointed that she would cover for him.

“You’re all fired. Get your shit and get out of my club. You have twenty minutes if you expect to get paid for today.” I wave my hand airily towards them all, fuelled by the insta-rage of her answer. Anger and something else swirling up into my stomach and down my limbs. A little tremble of doubt, but I push it away and stomp it to death. Refusing to be swayed. I lift my hand and point one finger at her as the last show of my power. Dismissing what she said as unimportant.

“You too, sweet cheeks … bu-bye.” I wave at her and then turn on my heel, so I’m facing Alexi, and blank all of them now I have done what I intended. Acting smug and cross my arms across my chest in a manner he knows only too well. Camilla is on the warpath and willing to take that crap, head on. I may be shitting myself inside with what I know is coming but I will not back down and show him fear. I’m done being his doorstep.

“I swear …” Alexi’s snarly, low husky voice echoes towards me and Mico hastily turns him around and half hauls him out of the room quickly. Enveloped into a flurry of men at Mico’s command and he exits from sight swiftly.

I can sense the rage and aggression like a huge black hole sucking the air out of his space as he leaves and I shiver, knowing what I’ve started. This will get the punishment I goaded him for so long ago. If anything brings about the worst of him it’s this right here, and I may finally get my answer on whether someone like him can ever really change. Not that it matters anymore. The second he cheated; we were done.

I turn my attention back to the room and the stony figures who have made no movement.

“Chop, chop. Get to it or every fucking one of you will be joining them.” I smile when there is an immediate jump to attention and people scurry around to get back to what they were doing before.

Every single body flees in various directions, minus the ones who just got their marching orders. They look to one another bewildered before Miss Escort heads to the back room where they keep lockers, resigned that she is done here, and all of them follow. I’m thrilled to see Rebel is not one of them. She looks amused, smirking as she watches a couple of the less friendly girls stomp off like huffing queens and shakes her head after them.

“That’s what they get for fucking with the boss’s boyfriend. I hope she cuts his balls off too.” I hear her murmur across the room to the girl next to her, before patting her on the arse and shooing her into action. I catch her eye as she makes a move and there’s a pause. She nods at seeing me staring, a small confident smile almost like a show of respect before she turns and walks off, leaving me feeling strangely thankful to her.

I have hopes for that girl, and now I know she hasn’t been near Alexi, I can be sure I found myself a new hostess when I leave this place far behind me. I may be walking away but I still own half and I’m taking the money that’s mine. I don’t need to be here to pick up a paycheck from earnings. I deserve it for what he has put me through. He owes me.

“You can’t do this to me.” Hoe-Anne sidles up behind me, furious and spitting teeth, that ugly puss of hers chattering away like a demented animal. Finally finding her backbone to have it out with me.

I sigh and look her over with a superior snort.

“I’ve already done it. Get your crap together and vacate my premises before I have my men throw you out on your skanky cheap arse. It’ll give me so much joy seeing you manhandled and literally tossed outside.” I turn to ignore her as I walk to the bar, tapping the surface and pointing at the vodka, basically telling her to fuck off. She has the sense not to follow and a quick glance shows a tearful tramp standing statue still instead.

Good riddance to bad smells.

The tender rushes to fix me a drink. Eyes on the task and not on me.

My nerves are shot, my mind’s on exactly how Alexi will react to this, and my palms are sweaty. Needless to say, this will be an eventful afternoon when I finally face him. He’s probably working himself into all sorts of heinous thoughts and vile moods and probably dusting off his straps and chains as we speak.

“Who the fuck do you think you are? I busted my ass for this club while you were gone, done everything asked of me since and you treat me like this!” The little witch has finally found her venom, came running back to try again and I literally sink in my seat. Cannot be bothered anymore. I turn and look her up and down as though she is something vile stuck to my shoe. I note she has a cheap copycat of my favourite black shift dress on and is sporting a very suspect shade of red lippy.

Pale comparison.

“I think I am your ex-boss and that you are boring me. Go away little gnat before I swat you with something heavy. Like Matt here’s fist, right in your throat.” I graciously accept my vodka straight and throw in some ice from the dispenser on the bar, doing my best to ignore the wench twitching about like a weirdo beside me. Her version of anger is more like an aggravated panda. Not very intimidating at all.

“Just say the word, Miss Walters.” Matt winks back at me, all blonde-haired and blue-eyed charm. I just giggle under my breath and sip my booze. No one ever really liked her here, and I’ve been a pretty straightforward employer where Matt is concerned. Never gave him reason to hate me.

“Alexi won’t let you fire me just like that. You’ll see. I’m a part of this club. He cares about me.” She spits her dummy rather pathetically and I sigh again, realising this isn’t deterring her and turn to her slowly and deliberately. Practised mannerisms kicking in and slide one leg over the other in a sexy glide.

“You thought you had your claws in him, didn’t you? Well, he brought me back to do the job you were failing at because, frankly, he said you were shit. I don’t think he just meant at running his club either.” I raise my brow and open my eyes widely in a sarcastic and catty way as if to say, ‘oh dear, how embarrassing’ and then look down at her crotch and raise my brow even higher. That snide tone I excel at.

“Fuck you. You think I don’t know you two have been shacked up since you returned? I’m not stupid. It’s obvious, and you deserve each other. Two poisonous assholes with vile personalities that completely deserve the unhappiness they will bring.” A scathing attempt to hurt my feelings and I just giggle at her. A ridiculous little imp with awful fashion sense and no real idea of how to be classy.

“I’ll drink to that.” I smile brightly and raise my glass obnoxiously.

“Well, he did mention marriage last night so that may just happen. Go away Hoe-Anne, your presence is no longer required. I have important things to do.”

“Screw you. I will sue you for unfair dismissal.” She spits at me childishly, losing what’s left of her cool, and I burst out into a proper, deep hearty laugh at that. Right from the soles of my feet. Insides loosening with the actual amusement at her empty threats. It releases some of my tension, and I have to compose myself to respond.

“Go right ahead. Sue Alexi Carrero for firing you from his underground, illegal sex club after you got found out, for publicly fucking him in front of New York’s most powerful men, including the mayor. See how far you get. I’m guessing your story would end in the bottom of the river, wearing concrete boots and filling the fish’s bellies for a few days. You should really learn how to pick your enemies, love.” It’s too funny to be true and we both know she wouldn’t find a single lawyer in this city who would touch a case against any Carrero in this side of the family business. She would disappear faster than you could blink for trying to stir up that sort of a shit storm. I sincerely hope she does, just to know her lifespan was short.

“Good luck with your life tied to him. He isn’t capable of decency or real affection for any woman. He will discard you all over again, like the trash that you are.” It’s her last attempt at wounding me, she’s so obvious it’s kind of sad and I just grin all the more.

“Well, not that it matters as he legally gave me the means to live a financially stable and wealthy life without him. So, it’s a win, win really. Toddle off, sweet cheeks, you don’t work here anymore and you’re boring me. I have seen more sass and better comebacks in kindergarten children.” I’m done with this conversation and done with her. It’s petty, and she needs to get the hell out of my face before I ram my glass down her throat.

I don’t give her the opportunity to continue, I just get up, leave my drink, and walk away nodding at security as I pass. It gives them the signal loud and clear, to escort her out if she tries to follow me. Joanne was a leech in this place, always hanging in corners and I am so not regretting finally cutting her loose. I should have done it an age ago and saved myself so much misery in seeing her in this building day after day.

I wish we had done this forever ago and maybe I would have had some closure from her.

I get to the hall and look around warily. No sign of Alexi and Mico out here and I know he has either dragged him up to the office or the apartment and maybe I should stay down here. Now that I have vented me anger in the most dramatic way, I’m no longer as fierce and bold as five minutes ago.

Alexi will be raging with me, even if I have every right to tell him to go fuck himself. Last thing I want right this second is to see him flip out, possibly drag me to the nearest room and tie me up to his crucifix again.

I wanted to know if he still would. Guess I’ll find out if boundaries and promises really do hold any weight with him nowadays.

Except, now, I’m utterly terrified of knowing what is coming.

An act of war.