Chapter 46

I have seen him snorting lines with his men when the refurbs were full swing and they were kicking back for the night. ‘’It’s like that? She’s not allowed to fuck me but you won’t touch her, and she’s not allowed to do a line with us but yet watch us do it right? Sure she’s just your hostess Al? Seem a little bit possessive of your plaything over there.’’ Gino is goading him and I can’t tell if he’s trying to wind his brother up or angling for a real fight.

My inner nerves tighten and I sit a little stiffer, caught right up against Alexi as his whole body language ups an aggressive gear. ‘’It’s like that!’’ Alexi snaps back and I literally freeze with the change in him. I thought twins were meant to be close but right now they are two subtly hostile bulls going head to head with a lot of raw static in the atmosphere around us. He mentioned his brother was close to him so I don’t know if this is all down to substance abuse or not.

‘‘What if I just take her, walk to your room and screw her right now?’’ He seems almost buzzing with amusement at that statement and I blanch at this seemingly charming man who has now grown two heads. Guess the apple didn’t fall far from the tree and he has Alexi’s prick side too. No angel about it, these two are mischievous demons alright.

‘‘I think I would have a say, don’t you?’’ I butt in snappily, annoyed with the arrogance that he could just have me, but Gino dismisses me with a snort and a laugh, and I am wondering if he is as nice a guy as I thought he was. Bad blood must run in their DNA for Alexi to be the way he is and I’m not so sure Gino doesn’t contain some of the psycho genes too. I completely misread him, something I seem to do with these Carrero men.

‘‘Try it.’’ Alexi drops his tone and slides his arm from over my legs, sits back and starts tapping his thumb on the hand hooked over the couch behind my head. I can do nothing but sit in terrified silence, watching this unfold, completely aware of the tension around me.

Alexi is poised, despite his visually casual pose and I don’t doubt he would jump to action if Gino touches me. I wouldn’t touch me if I were Gino. Alexi may be leaving me open to try, but I am breathing in the waves of hostile testosterone coming from him. He is loaded and ready to spring to his feet in the glimpse of an eye and I know the boy has some serious fighting skills.

He trains with his boxer cousin two days a week and has competed in amateur fights for charity. I saw the photos and news clippings in his office. He’s a street fighter by nature.

I take a long slow breath to try to calm my hammering heart, caught like a deer in the headlights. A twin stand-off. Sizzling atmosphere and I glance between them like a nervous teen contemplating what a tug of war chew toy looks like after two wolves are done fighting over it—that’s me right now.

I feel sick and my body goes weak with the loss of adrenaline. Gino laughs again and lifts his drink and raises it in the air in a ‘‘touché’’ gesture and sits back down, much to my utter relief. Obviously knows which brother contains more violent tendencies and ability to enforce his wishes.

‘’Relax princess, this is what we call marking your territory with a pissing competition. My brother is drawing a line where you are concerned and it’s a strong one.’’ Gino is smug, Alexi looks scarily blank and I know it means he’s not impressed. When he closes down to a deadpan demeanour, he’s usually hovering over the abyss of rage.

‘‘Mine. Whether I am fucking her or not. Don’t ever cross this line again.’’ He warns him and I just swallow hard, on edge about the cray-cray tendencies Alexi has over this possession thing. I wonder how hard it’s going to be to cut loose when I no longer have his debt holding me here and shiver inwardly with the realisation that cutting Carrero loose when all is done and dusted might not be an easy thing. He has issues.

‘‘Just fuck her and get over it, you know holding out only makes it more intense. Give in to it, get her out of your system and then let me play with her.’’ Gino is smiling at me and I swear to God I feel like I may throw up or throat punch him with the way he’s talking as though I am not even here.

He’s not Mr American nice guy, he’s unhinged and twisted and reminds me of so many men in my past. I’m practically pissing myself, he has me so wound up and nervous.

‘’Go back to Alessandra Gino, you’re high and being a dick. You’re scaring her.’’ Alexi moves and sits forward sliding his arm away from me to give me a little breathing space to exhale. Motioning to the bottle in the centre of the table as his brother leans forward and pushes it to him amicably. Despite all the weird whatever this is, they are still passing each other booze and acting like they’re merely having a sibling squabble over which cartoon to watch. Meanwhile, I am having an emotional break and my hands are shaking with the intensity of what just went down.

‘‘I’m being serious. Alessandra and I have an open relationship and I want to sample Red's flavour. Hell, Alessandra would get in on the action if I asked her too. How about it Red? Do you want me to fuck you?’‘ Gino grins like an idiot and cocks his head to one side as he looks me over once more and I just glare at him this time.