The Carrero Contract - Finding Freedom (Book 3 of Contract Trilogy)

30

Vegas is hotter than hell, you could fry a breakfast on the tarmac here and even though we only walked into the hotel minutes ago I'm already sweating and gasping for air like I just ran a marathon. I have never been to this city and I'm already wondering how people can live here. The airport was busy and hazy with heat rising from the ground upon arrival that looked like mysterious, magical dimension aberrations, and I feel like I have literally been turning to a puddle in my clothes since we stepped off the plane. It's stifling.

Alexi is looking suave in a short-sleeved white shirt, beige chinos and shoes while I'm dripping makeup down my face into my sweater and jeans. I thought it might be a comfortable travelling outfit. It now explains the strange look when I said I was putting a woollen sweater on for the journey. Tosser could have told me it's three thousand degrees the second you walk off the plane.

Mr Tan never seems to feel the temperature, be it hot or cold, and isn't remotely affected right now. He also never mentioned that we were hauling Gino and Alessandra on the trip and we are stood waiting for them in the foyer because they came in on another flight from elsewhere and are rendezvousing before we go to our room.

"Lexi, I'm too hot ... I need to strip off." Alexi is dealing with the check-in and I'm holding onto the back of his shirt to stop myself keeling over with dizziness. Holding on because I feel faint, claustrophobic and exhausted from travelling, and using his body as a post to steady myself against. Propped behind him at the huge curved wooden desk of the massive open entrance of this five-star establishment.

"Take your clothes off then." He smirks and throws me back a cheeky smile that gets an eye roll. All too devilishly handsome and devoid of any effects of this suffocating temperature. He's been in a happy mood since last night. Obviously chipper about something.

"Sure ... I'll just get naked in the lobby and you won't have an epic shit-fit over men staring at me." I point out, sighing moodily, and he shrugs and looks back at me over his shoulder again from his leaning position, on the smooth walnut surface.

"You're mine now ... I ain't got nothing to worry about." It's a cocky little sentence and I just gawp at him, trying to understand the logic in that. I don't think a jealous, possessive side is an easy thing to switch off.

"Dickhead," I mumble at him as the desk clerk comes back from doing whatever she was doing at the computer to the side. Bringing all attention back to her small curvy frame and huge bug-like eyes, all glowy and blue with three layers of heavy fake lashes, roaming him a little too greedily. She smiles brightly, swishing her hair back seductively behind an ear, all while staring right at his mouth. Salivating at the thought of what she could do if she had a chance.

"Here are your room cards, Mr Carrero, and the driver and car you requested will be parked out front for you in the morning." She flutters those long spiders at him and perks her boobs up a little as she hands them over, giving him the full-on 'fuck me' act I can spot a mile away. It instantly grates on me and answers my theory ... jealousy isn't cured by being together.

I will rip that bitch's throat out.

I just glare, seething inside with a dull, tight intensity that makes me want to test the strength of my acrylic nails on her face.

It doesn't seem random either, judging by the edgy little looks and come-on eyes. It's not completely unbelievable to assume he has been here before and this one endured a night of being tied to his bed. I can almost taste it on her with this lack of professionalism; while his cold demeanour and ignorant behaviour only confirm the suspicions. He seems a little too starchy and closed off, and to me, that screams the loudest. I know him well enough to read how he behaves with past conquests. They mean nothing more to him than an irritating fly buzzing around his head. He's been there, had what he wanted and lost all interest. He doesn't waste manners on disposable playthings either.