The Carrero Contract - Amending Agreements (Book 2 of Contract Trilogy)

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We get there eventually, another tense silent car ride where everyone pretends the others are invisible, and Mico just seems to be texting furiously, ignoring the brutal standoff between us. The air is heavy and dense with it and I try my best to act nonchalant and stop myself from letting anger get the better of me. I have no energy left for this and I just want to go home. I'm deflated, body aching from a night of dancing and intoxication and now I think I'm suffering the trailing effects of shock.

All I want to do is lie down on the plane and block him out until I get there and can go to bed to get the hell away from him. I'm weary as the booze wears off and the night's events take over my shattered mind to traumatise me with visions of half mangled heads.

Exhausted and waning. I don't want to fight anymore. I just feel all used up and suddenly emotionally fragile. Nerves frayed and on the verge of bawling my eyes out. I guess it's because I cannot shake that image out of my head, Alexi on a violent rampage that twists my stomach up in knots.

I honestly do not know if he thought he was protecting me, or if it was fuelled by jealousy, and I doubt he will clarify it either. He's in closed down and don't question my actions mode. I'm too wiped out to try and care about it and just stare at the passing scenery until the plane comes into view. It's not pitch-black outside, as night gives way to morning light but it's still dark enough to have street lamps on and headlights in use.

Mico is just depositing us on the flight, then leaving to go back to do exactly what he said he would. Make this all go away and smooth over the family's questions of where we are, while cleaning up his cousin's catastrophic mess.

It doesn't take long to get to the airfield and I don't wait for Alexi to open my door as we pull up beside the jet on the private runway. I get out, taking my bag silently, and head straight for the stairs that are sitting down waiting for us as an air hostess runs to grab it.

'I can manage,' I state hoarsely, dismissing her with a hand swipe, pushing past her and head in to march down the aisle and sit in the first row that has a table for leg room. Head closed off; eyes on task and refusing to let my bubbling cesspool of strangled emotions get to me for the next few hours. I'm going to sleep, sober up and just try to get back to New York without killing him. Only way to do that is by complete avoidance altogether. I have so much anger still aimed his way that it's better if he just keeps the hell out of my way. My insides are in turmoil and it's not just from alcohol come down.

Alexi follows and when he gets near me I plonk my bag on the seat beside me, so he knows to leave me be, and turn my face away so there's no eye contact whatsoever. He doesn't stop, just walks past me silently, no hesitation and goes to sit up the back instead. Throwing himself in a seat heavily and chucks his bag and jacket on the table in front of him before pulling his phone out. I glare back at him over the top of the seats before I sit down having watched him walk back there, and turn to face the front once more.

Three hours of silence will do me just fine. He can stay back there for all I care and if he comes near me I will gouge his fucking eyes out.

* * *

I must have fallen asleep on the flight pretty quickly, a combo of booze and that it's the early hours of the morning, as the first thing I know is a warm hand touches my arm, startling me awake in disorientation and I jump in reaction. Heart and lungs trying to leap out of my body and then slump back inwards to send my nerves haywire.

'We're here, get up.' Alexi is standing over me, voice husky from tiredness, lacking venom and much softer eyes than hours ago are eating into me. He looks fed up and completely devoid of any signs of a hangover or even wrinkles from a long flight. He is leaning in, so I feel instantly claustrophobic and I shove his hand off me angrily. Chest resembling a war drum with the fright he gave me.