Chapter 355

We are outside the covered entrance to a very huge and glamorous building that’s as intimidating as he can be. It’s dated but you have all the basics of luxury and opulence in the entranceway, including doormen and valet parking. I eye up the hustle and bustle of people milling around for such an early hour and take it as a good sign there is life and money in this building yet.

I cling to Alexi’s hand, trying to look and feel more human but rely on him fully for my strength. A complete contrast to the journey over here, and I swallow down the messy, tangled brain waves to get on track. Steadier legs, lungs freeing up enough to breathe. Eyes scanning the building and giving me a focus that strengthens my ability to pull myself together.

The colour scheme is pretty ancient, in golds, reds and burgundies that look worn, it’s reflected in the carpets and walls and in need of a repaint. It’s classic casino from the nineties and I can see wear and tear on every surface as we venture inside. Chipping paint, scuffed brass fittings, and faded threadbare patches across the sea of gross, swirling patterned shag pile that goes beyond the horizon.

My head forgets all the previous emotion, locking it all down into a neat little box for later while my designer and critical business eye move in, pushing everything else aside. That numb calm that is a welcoming feeling.

It has potential, really nice fixtures and fittings that could use a refurb to bring the gold hue back to what it once was. Huge chandeliers but very tired and could use a polish and possible upgrade. The ambience is depressing with way too many low lights and a stale smoke and booze odour throughout the grand room. The windows are all covered in heavy curtains that should be opened with sheers and framed with something more luxurious to bring some brightness into this space.

Despite the shoddy décor, the place is heaving, even for an early weekend morning, and the noise of slot machines ringing from my left pull my eyes to a huge area filled with rows and rows of them. Décor matching the room we are in.

“Mr Carrero.” A voice drags my attention back to the suited middle-aged man approaching us, accompanied by matching black-suited men that are not a patch on Alexi’s normal security. They lack the build and intimidating look of Carrero. You can tell they are probably a bunch of pussy cats and not really all that effective.

All wearing cheap suits and overly serious expressions, pretending to be far meaner than they are. It’s all just posturing and hardly effective when you’ve been in the presence of real terrifying men. Alexi doesn’t let go of my hand, just steps forward and extends his other to shake the hand of short guy with the overly white teeth. He’s pushing his fifties but trying to stay young with cosmetic help and a bad haircut that tries to conceal his balding head. The teeth look as fake as his tan.

“Mr Rogers. This is Camilla, my wife.” Alexi sounds almost proud when he says it and it does weird things to my insides. That breathy intake of panic at that alien word; I inhale slowly to counteract it. I don’t outwardly react though, just smile and extend a hand when he moves to me with an offered handshake. Keeping myself in check and showing nothing of the war those words inflicted on me. He has the grace to ignore my obvious patchy makeup job and smiles politely.

A clammy, sweaty, warm, squelching embrace, palm to palm that tells me this guy is shitting himself right now and riddled with nerves. I watch him a little more closely as he steps away, releasing my now moist hand and his eyes dart back to Alexi.

All the signs on show, sweating, breathless, antsy behaviour and overly loud volume when talking. He’s either scared of my man or this deal means way more than I expected. He isn’t a match to my cool, controlled, crazy to my left. Alexi looks amused by the obvious show of submission and I know his sadistic side will get a kick out of the unintentional intimidation. He is a cocky arse sometimes, and he loves nothing more than showing off his prowess of alpha with inferior men like this. He oozes that sort of command that most men seem to pick up on.

“Pleasure.” Sweaty smiles quickly at me but it’s an uninterested pause before he waves at the foyer behind him and ushers us to where he ventured from. His full interest is on Alexi and his approval and I’m a secondary annoyance in his day. Another man that sees women as worthless objects to bang. I’m glad a Carrero of Alexi’s choosing will replace him.

“Let’s start upstairs in the observation area, that way you can get a bird’s-eye view and we will take it from there.” He points up at the very high ceiling to a weird half circle area with endless mirrors along one corner of the room, and Alexi nods. It’s obviously a secure room to spy on clientele from the clouds.

“Sure. My wife could use a glass of something cold and maybe a sandwich before we start, she isn’t feeling very well and skipped breakfast. If you have a room, she can go freshen up too?” Alexi turns to me with that deadpan expression but his tightening clasp on my hand tells me he is trying to make me feel important. Putting my needs before all, and the request for a powder room is because he knows I’m feeling underdressed and grubby with my tear-stained face.

He didn’t like the obvious dismissal of my presence and is regaining his position as the dominant. Enforcing that his wife is just as crucial to this as he is and her comfort trumps all in this room. My insides warm at his attention, another layer of anxiety sliding away and releasing me from that internal heaviness. No master would make a point of putting his possession’s needs first in a business meeting of importance.

I love him.

Sweaty looks constipated suddenly, and I guess it pisses him off that he will have to pander to the woman before Lord Alexi budges on a tour.

I sigh and squeeze his hand back, feeling for the first time what being a queen is like. Equal importance in the eye of the King. No one else gets to dismiss her, even if she isn’t important to the scenario. I’m no longer an invisible female in a room of men. All eyes are on me.

I know my job and it’s not to embarrass him in front of these men, it’s to make him proud of his choice in a mate. Prove that I’m worthy of standing by his side when he wants me to.

I plaster on my best, award-winning and seductive smile, tilt my shoulders back to straighten my posture and stand tall as I lift that chin. Sweeping my red hair back over my shoulder gracefully and fix the little greaseball firmly with my eye.

“That would be awesome, I’m so hungover from this madman’s drinking shenanigans last night. Just can’t keep pace with him. He’s a devil, I swear.” I purr demurely, old Camilla moving in with ease now she has a role to play and knows what’s expected of her.

Schmooze and charm, be the adoring wife and help him see the possibility in this very huge building. I can do this with my eyes closed.

Easy.

Alexi relaxes so slightly that I’m the only one in the room who catches the way his stiff posture loosens a little. That sexy intense way he’s pinning me with soulless eyes softens and he turns to the man with a confident smile as baldy nods ecstatically. Falling over himself to meet our demands.