CHAPTER389
I’ve been walking for what feels like hours, out of the town and into the scenery, before turning back when I realized I could just walk right on forever and get nowhere. My feet ache from the heels I stupidly put on and my stomach is now churning with hunger because I didn’t bring any money with me to stop and eat.
My hangover is killing me, like my head is being gnawed off by some internal brain worms. I’m worn out, exhausted and feeling sick, realizing that hiking miles in four-inch heels on zero sustenance and a body still ridding itself of a three-day booze binge is maybe not the best thing to be doing today. I walk mindlessly back towards the familiar street in which my life had once begun, with no real sense of improvement, if anything I’m wiped out instead of angry.
“Sophie?” The familiar male voice, smooth, deep, and alarmingly like Arry’s, halts me mid-step and I spin around impulsively to find the owner. There is no mistaking that husky deep tone, or the confident vibes he can give off with just one word.
Jake Carrero stands beaming at me from the side of his black sports car, casually dumped at the curb as though he’s about to get in it, bent slightly as he tries to catch my face under the veil of long blonde hair that’s slid over one eye.
He looks exactly like he always does, tall muscular and handsome in that dark bad boy way of his, ready for the catwalk of an urban designer, rather than dad and doting husband and my infernal, annoying as hell, godfather.
He’s dressed in his trademark jeans and black shirt and effortlessly groomed, annoyingly like Arrick always is. The Carrero DNA is a force to be reckoned with; not one in the family is bad looking in any way, and even his extended cousins and other relations have the hot Italian smoldering sexiness that Arrick and Jake give off in droves.
“Hey.” I smile at him genuinely, a little shy from months of no contact, when he strides forward two steps and gives me his usual all-encompassing Jake hug. He has never had any inhibitions about manhandling his family and has told me for years I’m the eldest daughter he never knew he needed. I stiffen a little, but accept it knowing if I don’t let him hug me, he will more than likely do an Arrick and torture me instead. It seems both have this ingrained urge to manhandle me into submission as if I am still a naughty kid who needs a Carrero to tame her. Quite sure Jake still thinks I belong in diapers, even though I was long past them when he came into my life and whirled me into a new one.
“Jeez, you have grown a lot in a short time, teeny. I barely recognized you, Mimmo.” Jake grins with that familiar Hollywood smile, dazzling the pants off the female population endlessly and knowing he does, with relish. I eye roll at his use of Arrick’s infuriating term for me, something they have all used at some point or another over the years.
The walk has made me more rational and calmer, and I must admit, I’m really happy to see him. Jake is one of those people you can’t help but warm to, even when he’s being an overbearing, bossy, dominant ass. His heart’s always been in the right place, and if it weren’t for him and Emma then I’d still be living in Chicago as a homeless runaway with no hope of a future that ended well.
“I guess. Or maybe you’re just going senile in your old age and lost in memories of me being fourteen forever.” I smirk at him, laughing at the way his flawless dark brows furrow over sparkling green eyes, making him look about ten years younger almost instantly.
“Hey! I am forever young, Bambino. Less of the age remarks or I will strap you in the car seat and force a pacifier in your mouth to shut you up.” He makes a move to catch me in a headlock, but I see it coming and dodge him quickly. I know only too well what he’s like. He and his brother endlessly tortured me for years and sometimes teamed up to make me squeal. He has a serious weakness for hanging me upside down by my feet while his asshole brother rib pokes me into submission. It’s true that they say men never really grow up. Jake is the definition of a male who will never grow up, despite being a CEO of Carrero Corp, father, and husband, and pulling off Mr. Mature. at times.
“Have you been to see Emma yet? She’ll be over the moon to see you; feels like it’s been years.” He moves back to lean his butt against his car, hands pushed in his pockets as he regards me seriously with that hotshot twinkle in his eye and that infuriating Carrero half smile that brings out the dimples. Family feature.
“Umm, nope. I was thinking about maybe popping in later if she’s going to be around.” I answer evasively, non-committedly. I’m not sure if I’m ready to face this one particular person just yet.
Emma and I have history, a special relationship, and I’m truly terrified about how exactly she is going to react at finally seeing me again. I have dodged her calls and emails for weeks, maybe months, and I know I’ve been putting this off. My stomach churns with nerves, an image of her beautiful soft blue eyes and pretty face in my mind’s eye. Emma is one of the few people who can reduce me to tears with just a look of disappointment, well one of two, but that asshole can go drown himself in the nearest tub for all I care.
“Come now. I’m heading home with her craving requests; this baby has her devouring gherkins like they’re going out of fashion, and I am seriously thinking she may need an intervention. Would cheer her up to see you back here. This pregnancy has been tougher than the last two and I daresay will be our last. I can’t stand to see her go through this anymore.” Jake shrugs his shoulder in a very masculine, yet boyish way and I find myself nodding before I’ve even decided about seeing her. He has this knack for coercing you without even bloody well knowing he’s doing it.
Goddammit, Jake!
“Great. Hop in.” Jake thumbs over his shoulder at the car and turns to slide into his own seat confidently; obviously end of conversation and a hint to do as I am told.
Typical Jake!
I obediently follow and get in the other side apprehensively, we’re only minutes away from home, maybe even seconds with this car, so it’s not a hardship getting a lift in it. It’s a sexy black beast of a machine after all. Emma still calls this bad boy ‘The Batmobile’.
“Still love this thing.” I pat the dash affectionately after I buckle my belt and relax back into the molded bucket seats and expensive leather upholstery. This car is still his pride and joy, even though he has newer and fancier models. Emma once told me he has a sentimental attachment to this car because of her, and I really don’t ever want to know what that is. Knowing Jake, it means he seduced Emma in or on top of this car multiple times in their dating days.
“Are you home for good?” Jake pushes as he starts the beast and slowly gets us onto the road with the roar of that grumbling, purring engine. The thrill of this car is not lost on me. I have tried so many times to get Arrick to borrow it in the past, to take me driving. It’s a beast and when he was teaching me to drive, I just wanted to try this out. In the end, I passed my Driver’s Ed in something boringly slow that Arrick chose from his dad’s garage, and since then I have never had a need for a car of my own in the city. I prefer to walk or use the subway.
“I don’t know … just trying to find my head I guess.” I shrug and watch the scenery slowly move by, the expensive manicured houses and lawns and the immaculate streets in our millionaire’s neighborhood. It still never lost its sparkle and grandeur to me, and I know I should thank my lucky stars every day that this is how my life ended up. I got the fairytale ending that Cinderella hoped for, and it only makes it so much more confusing to be feeling this way.
I guess the saying ‘money doesn’t buy happiness’ is true.
“Think we have all been there. It’s only after you do find your feet you realize you made a mess of getting there.” Jake winks at me cheekily, that knowing look and smug manner and I find myself eye rolling hard.
“Let me guess … Your adorable brother has already had the heart-to-heart about the problem Sophie has become.” I sigh heavily and push myself down in the seat to lift my feet onto his dash. Jake slaps my legs down with a warning frown that I’m hurting his precious car and gets one right back on the arm. He runs a flattened palm down my face annoyingly, forcing me to shut my eyes and squishes my nose in the process; just because he is always annoying as shit, and makes me slap out at him like a five-year-old in sheer impulsive irritation.
“I hate when you do that!” I snap and wipe my face in agitation, knowing he’s probably smeared my mascara into panda eyes, scolding him with a haughty look and sticking my tongue out immaturely. Jake just grins, hitting me with that ‘I’m hot and I do these things because I can’ look that always drives me and Emma crazy. Jake can be so goddamn infuriating at times and sees nothing wrong in tormenting me endlessly.
Sounds familiar!"
