Chapter 44


    The Hamptons is as dull as I thought it would be and Mico is like my parasitic shadow. He never lets


    me out of his sight no matter what reason I give him for going out, even fordy’s products; he still


    stands right there, three feet away as though I’m going to crawl under the tampon shelf and make an


    epic escape.


    Alexi left after that night and I haven’t seen him since. He was gone when I got up. and it’s been five


    days with absolutely no word from him at all. Not that I should expect word as he never told me he


    would contact me, and after he left I am certain I don’t want him to. I don’t ever want to see him again


    after what he did to me and the furthest away I can get from him, the better. I feel nothing for him right


    now, except hatred and loathing and if I never saw him again, it would be too soon.


    I haven’t abandoned my n of running. I withdrew as much money as I could every day for thest


    four when we stopped at the cash line and concealed it from Mico, the nosy bastard that he is. I swear


    now he is the man I have to deal with, and he actually talks, I am starting to see he is as bad as Alexi


    for his need to know everything and bossy self. You can tell they are rted.


    Using my own ount, not the credit card Alexi left for me to use on food and bills, I have managed to


    squirrel a decent amount away. I’ve packed my money in the lining of my handbag and sewn it in along


    with my passport, so if Mico looks he will find nothing. They don’t even know my passport is in my real


    name, so I have always kept it concealed.


    I aim to run first chance I get, and I don’t care where I end up. I have a baseball cap in my bag waiting


    to be able to cover my tell-tale hair, and I am literally just waiting for that opportunistic moment that


    Mico lowers his guard. I am always watching for it.


    He’s taking me to the wine store to stock up Alexi’s cer this afternoon, seeing as the group of five


    security, that he doesn’t think is overly excessive at all for one little woman, has been boozing out the


    last few nights from boredom and it is running low. I want some bottles of red to kill my nights if I am


    stuck like this for a prolonged length of time. I might have to get drunk enough to attempt a climb from


    my bedroom to escape at this rate, as Mico is bloody relentless at guard duty.


    We walk into the wine shop and I immediately run for cover behind the nearest shelves when I spot a


    very familiar blonde head, perky little frame and bubbly tone two aisles away and almost thrust myself


    into a crate of bottles in a panic to avoid her. Surprise hitting me hard and self-preservation kicking in.


    Mico looks at me like I have lost the plot and then his eyes scan the shop and a smile breaks across


    his face.


    ‘’Arrick … Sophs … hey cuz.’’ He wanders forward and I nce around to see if the blonde really is


    Sophie Huntsberger like I fear. Peeking out from my spot I catch sight of her turning and greeting Mico


    with a hug, fully entangling her petite frame in the hulk of a grizzly bear. I almost forgot she is a part of


    the Carrero family that all live here and I presume the tall handsome one with her is the Carrero she is


    living with, Arrick.


    I remember the name from that night Tyler’s men held us captive. I guess they are living their happily


    ever after still, and she looks good. Healthier, happier and it churns up another bout of guilt for what I


    did to her and I push it aside.


    Sophie didn’t deserve the shit I threw at her. She was more of a revengeful knee-jerk reaction to liking


    someone. I got petty, pushed her away for fear of giving a shit.


    I watch safely from afar, cursing my luck at walking into the one girl in this ce who would know who I


    am andst time she saw me broke my fucking nose. Okay, so I deserved it after what I did to her, and


    I do still feel a little bit shitty for trying to screw her over and drug her into a night of rape at one of my


    client''s hands.


    Sophie was someone I started to genuinely like, and then I realised that I did and backtracked epically


    to stop myself from ever being stupid enough to trust anyone. I pushed that girl down a well in a bid to


    stop my weak arse emotions from the possibility of a real friend.


    It’s obvious the boyfriend is a Carrero, it’s written all over him. He’s fairer than most with sandy hair yet


    brown eyes and a softer jawline, but he’s rted to Alexi alright. Stance, muscr form, quick smile


    and those straight eyebrows over eyes that can turn from charm to re in a second. I can hear him


    talking and he has that same husky depth to his voice like Gino and Alexi do. An unmistakeable


    sexiness that not all men have, and I guess the Carrero genes are strong and the family resemnce


    is crazily uncanny. Easy to spot at a distance though, which helps me immensely when dodging


    people.


    ‘‘How’re things going with you two lovebirds?’’ Mico sounds almost normal when faced with family, and


    it’s probably the most I have ever heard him say to anyone in such a chirpy tone. He never really


    speaks. ‘’Great. Sophie is still at school in fashion, and she’s doing amazingly well, we moved in


    together into my apartment finally.’’ The deep voice of a guy who wouldn’t be too pleased to meet me


    face to face. Sophie will have told him how I got her kidnapped after trying to ruin her life so yeah, steer


    clear of that Carrero. If I remember right she said he was a fighter, or Tyler did and I wonder if this is


    the cousin that Alexi sometimes trains with. I can see the appeal although he looks incredibly young.


    I’m not into boys and college prep boy smiles. I like men with a little maturity and age, but he’s a good


    match for Sophie. She has a young childish look about her and I can see how they gel. Barbie and Ken


    of the Hamptons.


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    ‘‘Aww well done, always knew you would do well Sophs.’’ Mico sounds almost human.


    ‘’Thanks. How’s Mandy? Are you still seeing her?’’ Sophie’s sweet almost childlike voice is all sunshine


    and smiles, so unlike how she was when I knew her. She sounds happy and it makes my gut ache in


    envy. Peeking again, I can see her boy has his arm slung around her shoulder protectively and is


    holding her against him in a way that makes it clear this is the love of his life. He’s handsome, in a less


    appealing way than Alexi, and strong. Looks like he would protect her to the death if he had to.


    I don’t know what that must feel like. No one has ever loved me, not even my mother who was


    biologically built to love me. She used to scream in my face almost daily about how I ruined her life and


    drove her to drink and drugs. Every time she pounded a fist into my face in rage for something that


    upset her, she told me how it was my fault that she got mad andshed out, if only I would be good and


    stop angering her. I honestly do not know what love is supposed to feel like, and watching them now


    just makes me feel incredibly jealous and hostile because I know the reality is that I will never find out.


    Turning away and biting on my lip to curb the surge of emotion that wracks my heart and chest, trying


    to shake free these stupid emotions that Devil Carrero inflicted upon me and then I realise how close to


    the door I am. It’s like being shaken to sense and suddenly I am very still and silent as my brain


    catches up with the program and I nce around to double check. Mico is talking, I can hear him, and


    he has his back to me, distracted with Sophie and her boyfriend.


    It’s that little window I have been waiting for, an opportunity presenting itself, and I can’t believe my


    luck. It literally just fell on me by chance and all thanks to Sophie. The girl really is great at saving my


    bacon.


    I rummage in my shoulder bag, pull out the cap without hesitation, knowing I need to take my chance


    before it’s gone. I quickly roll my hair up to stuff inside as I pull it on my head. You have to be fast, take


    whatever chancese your way and always ready to go at the drop of a hat. ncing back to check


    that Mico is still upied I can see he’s still not looking this way. I put my bag over my head to cross


    my body, so I won’t drop it and take a long deep steady breath to calm my nerves.


    I’m ready, I can do this. I need to just swallow and go. I close my eyes, count to five and then step


    away and head straight for the door. Adrenaline boosting and chest pounding.


    Don’t look back, don’t hesitate just open the door and leave. Just go. I walk as fast as I can, d the


    door has no sound when I open it and slide out into the street blinded by the sun. So quickly and jerky,


    my movements made in fear as it overtakes me. I cut left so I don’t cross the window of the store, and


    as soon as I am out of view, I put my head down and run like the devil is on my arse.