Chapter 339

“You look very cute.” Alessandra steps forward and tweaks Lexi’s cheek before leaning in and giving him a kiss to follow it on one cheek, not overly enthusiastic like she was with me and I get the vibe she’s drawing an appropriate line in the sand. She doesn’t want me to feel jealous by being overly soppy with my newfound boyfriend. I think my respect for her just shot up another ten points and it relaxes me fully, knowing there’s at least one woman in the world who poses no threat to what we have growing. He has definitely never had sex with her either.

I know it’s hypocritical that I’m bothered by that, given I have easily slept with hundreds of men in my lifetime, but it matters, nonetheless. Something I have to work on, I guess.

“So, you finally stopped fucking about and got the girl.” Gino beams, cocky and obvious, and I just eye roll. I should have known this was coming, and I’m not really in the mood for the dissection of ‘Camlexi’ while it’s too hot, and we still have some hoe’s eyes on us. Not to mention, an overwhelming desire to lie down and nap right where I stand.

“And we are very happy about it too.” Alessandra cuts in with that heavy accent, a hint of scorn in her tone and nudges her man in the ribs, casting him a warning look. I’m guessing they’ve had a conversation about not bringing this up.

“When’s the wedding?” Gino launches in and I give him the filthy look of ‘shut up’ this time. Alexi doesn’t even blink.

“When she has slept, cos damn this woman is cranky as hell today.” Alexi shoves me in the shoulder to stop the way I’m making dagger eyes at his brother and then hauls me against him and drapes his arm loosely around my shoulders. Pulling me tightly to him possessively, yet affectionate. I just curl up and lean into that warm mass and exhale heavily to try and stop the weary mood I’m in. Instantly calm when in his arms though. Surrounded by that heady scent that is uniquely his.

“Ha ha.” It’s a completely sarcastic response from me, lacking tone and emotion with a deadpan face and it gets me a laugh from Gino.

“When in Vegas, baby …” That cheeky look, as he reaches to tug a strand of my hair, so like his brother, and I shove him away. Slapping at his hand as it makes a grabby motion and I just cower under Alexi’s arm. Moulding into him for some protection from his annoying as shit brother.

“What? Hit a strip club and get an STD? Fuck a busty desk clerk?” I snap with less attitude this time, deflecting the hint away as my heart rate ups a level at his weird suggestion. I give him a short look and he turns around and pulls his woman into him mirroring our pose. Amused with himself, and I’m left scowling at how much of an annoying prick he can be.

“Ouch, I sense that last one is loaded. I find it interesting that my brother has made no rejection though. Can’t miss an opportunity to get hitched in a rush … no big white wedding, no fuss. Might even talk this one into it.” That smirk and wink, as his own cuddle buddy slaps him in the abdomen with a look of ‘not a chance’. Gino flinches and rubs his stomach then grins like a goofy teen at her reaction.

“I want big and white and showy. So, you can get that thought out of your head, right now.” She chastises him, pointing at his face like a schoolmarm, unamused at the suggestion. She shoves him when he whispers something else in her ear and points him towards tits and eyelashes over at the check-in desk, motioning they still need to.

Meanwhile, I’m here swirling his observation about Alexi around in my overly suspicious brain and turn accusingly to him and scowl. A little hint of panic seeping into my bones and restricting the oxygen from filtering to my lungs.

“I thought you were allergic to marriage?” I ask haughtily, knowing that the man I met over a year ago most definitely wasn’t one for settling down. Gino is right. His silence is at odds with who he is and suggests that there is zero opposition on the matter. The Alexi I know would have shut him down in a nanosecond and yet, this version let it slide with nothing to weigh in.

“Allergic to saddling myself with the wrong women sure; not allergic to marriage with the right one.” He leans in and kisses me swiftly, knocking me silent with a quick peck of lips on lips. Last thing I ever expected from his mouth and despite my knee-jerk need to reply with something sarcastic to knock this topic on the head, my insides do something weird and fluttery.

“Don’t be picking out your dress just yet. White isn’t your colour. Not sure it will ever be mine.” I half mock him, half seriously shitting a brick and try to turn this conversation into something else. The thought of a shotgun Vegas wedding scares the bejesus out of me. That’s a very permanent tying of yourself to someone and not easy to undo.

Especially tying yourself to a man you’ve only just started to want, trust and relax with. My head is nowhere near anything beyond that. We have barely grazed the surface of co-existing in a relationship. I mean it’s only been a week since he turned me on my head and told me he loves me. A lot has happened that makes it seem like weeks, but the reality is, we have been doing this for all of five minutes, and I only just came to terms with the fact we are in a relationship with a possible future last night.

Marriage is a NO, for a million reasons.

“I hear you can get married in black here, wearing a gun and carrying your wench kicking and screaming over your shoulder. I do, is merely a suggestion.” It’s said in the deadpan, emotionless manner he excels at, but I can tell it’s his version of humour. I don’t find him funny at all, looking at me in that straight-faced, cool way of his with those pale greys eating my soul to death. I raise a brow and just stare right back. An unamused look in return as if to say, ‘you even try it and I will maim you’.

“It’s only legal if she says I do.” I point out drily. Heart thundering out of my rib cage even though I know this is only in jest. Clammy palms and trembling limbs follow abruptly, and that breathless feeling adds to my heat-induced dizziness.

Alexi just smiles and shakes his head at me.

“Calm down feisty. No one is kidnapping you to throw you down the aisle with me. We’re here to see a casino and take a break from normal life while Mico does more digging on the events of yesterday. Marriage will be a conversation for another time.” That shuts me up and I continue to blink at him in stunned silence when he turns his attention to his brother and then checks his watch.

“I’ll take you upstairs and you can go to bed while I work out the arrangements for visiting the casino tomorrow and make some calls. I have things to do before we explore. Plenty of time before dinner.” He reaches into his pocket for his vibrating phone and moves me back a little while he swipes the screen. I’m literally mute as my head pulls apart this conversation, summarises a ‘not in hell’ and leaves me feeling oddly surreal and nervous.

“Why do you want a casino all the way out here, anyway?” I ask, still trying to cool myself as I adjust to the heat and pull at my top which is now sticking to me. Alexi’s eyes nestle on my breasts for a second before he goes back to his phone and types on the screen.

Typical man.

“Retirement plan. I thought I told you this. When I’m done in New York, then Vegas is my final destination, to live out my days in a casino I lord over. The one we look at tomorrow.” He continues talking, frowning at his phone and doesn’t even glance at me. Just assumes this is information he has previously divulged and I slide up beside him to prise his attention back on me. Sliding my arm in his very muscular one and press him against my left breast. Needy for his touch when I’m feeling oddly fragile.

“Why are you buying it now if you have no intention of retiring for a long time?” I croon. Distracting myself from anxiety-ridden thoughts of shotgun weddings and determined to return to my normal mode of sexy companion.

“Because I can, and I have the family in Vegas to run it for me and build up a reputation in the right places until I want to come out here.” He just continues typing, and yes, it vexes me that my wiles have zero effect on this man at times. Although he did say something interesting.

“Carreros in Vegas?” My attention piqued to find more of them in existence.

“We’re everywhere. Not all of our relatives settled in New York, some didn’t settle in the USA at all. I have family in Europe.” Finally, he throws me a sideways glance and the second those sexy soulless grey eyes connect with mine I smile, heart all a giddy, satisfied with a morsel of attention and lean against his upper arm possessively. Resting my head on his upper bicep comfortably.

“In London?” My head turns over with his confession about going there, and I wonder if that is how he knew he could freely get away with heading to a new turf and torturing a scumbag to death.

“The very place. Cousins, second cousins … they operate under the name Clarke. “

This time I lift my head in startled recognition and blink at him. A name I had heard when moving in the underworld circles in England, and now it makes sense, they were always big, burly, foreign-looking men. They all have that same bloody DNA.

Carreros … you wouldn’t fucking believe it.

They have been connected to my life since I was born.

Rick avoided them like the plague and kept out of their way because they were ruthless bastards who had reputations for being as cold and sadistic as my very own Lexi. Go figure. They were known for running things, being the heavy hand and taking care of business in the worst ways. It doesn’t even surprise me that they share a bloodline.

I now wonder if he did a little digging to see if any of them knew anything about me when visiting his British family. I wouldn’t put it past him. His whole trip to London, being able to locate Rick and do what he did without worrying about repercussions. It all makes sense now. Alexi had his family over there to assist him.

“Right, we ready to go upstairs?” Gino comes back, manhandling Alessandra from behind with a bellboy in tow to match ours, who is still waiting patiently. He has our bags on a trolley and is standing with his arms folded behind his back. Knowing better than to hurry the big spenders who rent out penthouse suites.

“About time.” Alexi throws him a cheeky look and pulls my body into his arm again as we turn to lead the way, cuddled against him as we walk. He slides his phone back into his pocket and I get that undivided attention I wanted once more.

It’s amazing how quickly this is becoming normal and second nature as my dependency on his affections grow stronger. I rest my head on his shoulder as we move, inhaling him and committing his touch to memory. All nerves and anxious energy fluttering away on the gentle breeze as the air conditioners catch us from above as we get out of the open grand entranceway.