The Carrero Heart - The Journey (Book 2 of Heart Trilogy)

Chapter 27

I walk into the elevator with my chaperone and slump back against the cold steel interior, heart thumping through my chest at how Arry is going to react. Pretty sure he's going to be crazy mad at me for this one, another stupid and dangerous situation, even though it wasn't my fault at all. I know he's going to yell at me, off the charts explode, and well, after last night he probably still doesn't like me very much.

My heart's pounding through my chest, nerves eating away at me as we wait in silence to get to his floor. Whoever buzzed us in on the other end wasn't him, some male voice I don't recognize, so knowing he isn't alone makes this even more stressful. Last thing I need is a bunch of witnesses while my boyfriend tears me a new one and probably dumps my ass spectacularly. I mean why the hell would he keep wanting to do this, after last right and now this? Getting him dragged into some crazy unbelievable bullshit. He's right, I'm toxic and I attract all sorts of trouble. I'm a mess and I'm screwing up his life.

He's better off without me.

When the doors slide open I'm faced with two men standing casually on guard, both identically suited and booted and looking very Mafia'esque. I half smile their way nervously, getting nods in return and glance around expecting to see Arrick. They are completely out of place in his apartment and I'm aware that my driver follows me inside. There doesn't seem to be any sign of Arrick at all.

"I think they were on the veranda." One man nods to me and I sigh, smiling a thanks as I leave them to it and wander towards the back of his apartment apprehensively, on almost tip toes because I'm so consumed with nerves. My heart starts thudding through my stomach and I begin to physically shake.

I have literally no idea how he's going to react at all and I'm tense with nerves, I think I may throw up. I'm hot and unwell from the sheer stress of the last twelve hours and I'm pretty sure I may pass out before the hour is done. All my strength saps away and I'm left feeling weak and shaky as I tentatively proceed.

I can see from here the doors are open but voices coming from his study pull my attention in there instead. I pause as I catch sight of Jake and Arrick in the open doored study, in view from where I am, yet neither looking my way, so they don't see me at all.

Jake has his hands on Arry's shoulders, standing facing, but Arrick has his own hands in his hair, clutching the shortness as though he is on the verge of pulling it out, head tipped down and almost leaning the top of it into his brother's chest; posture looking completely rumpled and loose. They don't see me approaching, but I'm glued to how much he looks so unlike his normally calm and composed self.

Jake is practically holding him up and he is so slumped it's like he has no life in him, his form screams of pain. It brings back the wave of heart wrenching tears, and they fill my eyes instantly.

"She'll be okay, Alexi won't let anything happen to her. You know he'll fix this and get her out safely." Jake sounds ravaged too, tears in his eyes fully trained on the top of his brother's head while Arrick seems inconsolable. His voice broken when he responds quietly, and it only wounds me to my core.

"I left her.... I left my baby girl out there alone, Jake, hurt and crying. Like an asshole. I left her... I said such cruel shit to her that I didn't even mean.... I was pissed and lashing out, so stupid, so fucking wrong. All I keep seeing is her face, begging me not to leave her and it's ripping my insides out. I left her, I said I would never. I hurt her, again... This is because of me if I stayed, or kept her with me, then.... if anything happens to her.....I can't forgive myself for this." His voice is like the night he took me to the garden after Leila's party, wrecked and torn, obviously overcome with emotion. Broken like he was when he got on his knees to stop me from leaving.