The Carrero Solution (Carrero Book 3)

“Daniel has taken Sarah to the car already. He’ll come back for Leila in a sec, and I have your shoes here.” He lifts his fingers under my legs, and I see my shoes swinging below them.

Of course, Jake would never forget a detail like that.

“Why are you here?” I gaze up at him with wide eyes, trying to focus on the double Jake I can see in front of me. I know why he’s here, but I need the words. I need Jake to be the balm that heals my wounds, and he needs to find the way to do it because trying to do it alone isn’t working.

“You know why, Emma. Do you think I could sit in the apartment knowing you were out in the city somewhere and vulnerable? You may not like me very much right now, Bella, but I love you. I wouldn’t just leave you here. I couldn’t.” He pulls me closer and lifts my temple to press against his mouth, closing his eyes and inhaling me. It brings me an odd sense of comfort. “You don’t need to like it, but I’m taking the three of you back to the apartment. Not one of you is capable of taking care of the others.” His eyes return to mine, those beautiful hazy green eyes, with so much going on inside them. So much translating from him to me with just a locking of them. My heart thuds heavily, held in his arms like I have been so many times before, but this feels new.

I don’t get a chance to protest because I cringe at Leila’s voice piercing the atmosphere.

“I don’t fucking think so!” Such a sweet thundering tone of malicious intent scouring the air; the precious little flower she is. I squirm in Jake’s arms to see which direction her yell came from and catch sight of her immediately. She’s still on top of the bar with mic in hand, hands on hips, glaring like a psychopath at one Daniel Hunter.

Daniel is standing in front of her on the floor, looking up, one hand attached to the hem of her short dress with a vice-like grip. He has zero intention of letting go and meets her fiery snarl with one of his own. Equally matched in the ability to throw harsh icy scowls and in the ability to handle one another.

“I’m not fucking leaving you here alone, so get down now, or I’ll fucking make you. I’m not playing, Leila!” he yells back at her. Jake stiffens as a man approaches Daniel and tries to pull him back with a hand on his shoulder. It seems that someone is trying to act chivalrously by thinking of protecting my feisty little friend.

“Can you stand?” Jake turns to me, and I catch the look in his eyes that spells trouble for any guy giving his best friend grief. Jake is getting ready to kick ass, but it scares me.

“Please, Jake, don’t,” I whisper, sudden fear for his safety consuming me, nerves swarming up like a tornado to overwhelm me. I don’t want him to fight. I don’t want that version of him right now. I need him to keep doing what he’s doing, sweeping me out of here regardless of my opposition.

There’s an instant look of regret in his eye. He wants to help Daniel, but he’s torn with me in his arms, looking at him like I’m about to cry. He genuinely doesn’t know what to do. He tightens his grip on me and lifts me closer as though his decision is already made.

“Fuck,” he mutters under his breath, sighing, gazing at me a little too intensely.

Luckily, he doesn’t need to do anything as Leila yelps and then squeaks, spinning my head back to see Daniel walking our way with her thrust over his shoulder. Her arms and legs are flailing as she screams obscenities at his back, hauling at his shirt to fight him. Daniel looks grim and strides purposefully past us. His face is a picture of sheer anger, yet the boy has muscles. He has Leila in a grip, which means she can’t get out. He’s not even reacting to her weight nor disturbed by the lashing violent outbursts on his back.

“I fucking hate you!” Leila is yelling at the top of her lungs in his strong embrace, hauling his shirt up his back, twisting it around her fists.

Jake follows at a distance keeping a tight hold of me in his arms. His expression giving nothing away. My heart is pounding so fast at his proximity, yet part of me can’t tear my eyes away from the couple walking ahead. My heart is torn about where my attention should be; Jake’s perfect profile and touchable face or the hellcat being kidnapped by the guy who wants her.

“Leila, I’m not against dumping your ass on the sidewalk and making you walk home if you keep that up.” She’s still pulling his shirt up his back, clawing at him, and using his trouser waistband as leverage to pull her weight down to smack him. He hits her ass hard in retaliation, the sound echoing across the night air, and smirks back at Jake when Leila instantly quiets and becomes motionless.

What the hell? Bastard!

I squirm in anger to be released, but Jake only tightens his hold and gives me a look that tells me to leave it alone.

“You know as soon as you let her go, she will give you a black eye for that, right?” Jake throws back, with an edge to his tone, and follows Daniel to the waiting car. It’s the black four-by-four, usually driven by Jefferson, but he’s nowhere to be seen.

“Looking forward to her trying.” Daniel prods Leila in the ass, looking mightily pissed. “Still with me, kitten? You’re awfully quiet up there now.” He shifts her weight on his shoulder for a better grip, almost as though he’s trying to shake a response from her.

“Screw you,” Leila mumbles from her hanging head, hair falling over so I can’t make out her features. Her hands are up near her face, and suddenly I realize she’s crying.

“Leila?” I reach out toward her with my free hand. My insides hurting for her.

“Daniel … Man … You’ve fucking got that girl sobbing,” Jake snaps. Daniel spins his head toward us, then looks up at the little ass on his shoulder and gives her a jiggle.

“Leila? Leila?” When she doesn’t answer, he slides her down to the ground smoothly and protectively and pulls her to face him, lifting her chin in an almost tender way and meeting her wrath in the blink of an eye. She flies into all rage hell-cat mode through tears and sobs, slapping at his arms and chest wildly, claws unleashed in full fury mode.

“I hate you! I fucking hate YOU! … You don’t give a shit who you hurt or who you use! You ever smack me like that again, and I’ll tear your fucking head off!” Her tears flowing and anger searing as she fights hard, but Daniel effortlessly restrains her, batting away her attempts to claw him, and shakes her into submission with a hard jerk.

“Stop it … Stop it, or I’m fucking done. I mean it, Leila. I won’t put up with your psycho shit like Jake did earlier.” He grabs her flailing hands, trying to restrain her once again, as she goes for another onslaught. I watch, holding my breath, while Jake tries to maneuver us around them, yet there are too many people trying to get past us with eyes on stalks to watch this little domestic unfold on the sidewalk.

“Done? Done?! We never fucking started. You’re an asshole. You think sex and see ya with every girl stupid enough to come near you. You used me for sex then dropped me like trash.” She’s writhing free of his hands and attempting slaps once again.

“It’s never just sex with you! I fucking care about you, Leila, okay?! I just don’t know what the fuck to do about it,” Daniel snaps and shocks almost everyone standing here.

I don’t think I’ve seen him more shocked at himself.

It seems to do the trick, though, Jake slides me down to my feet beside the car, and I can’t help but watch with glued eyes at the pair of them standing on the sidewalk, looking at each other silently. She’s stopped her assault and seems to be standing blinking at him with her wrists in his palms; there’s a moment of pause then Leila breaks the tension.

“I’m getting a cab. Go away. I don’t need you to take me home, and I don’t want your fucking help. I can handle my booze!” She yanks her wrists free and turns on her heels to attempt to storm away, but Daniel only grabs her by the arm and hauls her back far too easily.

“You’re coming to Jake’s whether you like it or not. Try fighting me on this, sweetheart, and I will literally gag you and throw you in the trunk. Don’t try me, honey. We both know I’m enough of an asshole to do it.” Every time she turns from him, he hauls her back, meeting another bout of her slapping and rage.

Leila, did Daniel just tell you he cares, and you’re still acting crazy?

Leila seems to visibly change from sheer fury to something else, her face crumbling.

“Why would you say that to me? Why tell me you care about me? When it doesn’t mean shit, Daniel! You know no matter what, you’re still going to leave me alone and fucking broken anytime I get close.” Her rage has turned to angry crying, make-up pouring down her cheeks at an alarming rate, yet despite it, she still looks breathtakingly beautiful, and I soar with sheer venom at the man causing her so much heartache.

Jake is trying to get me into the car beside Sarah, but I resist, watching and waiting, wanting to see what happens next, ready to jump in and defend my friend, willing to gouge the shit out of the man upsetting her despite being Jake’s worse significant other. I don’t want to leave her alone to deal with him this way.

“I’m not doing this here.” Daniel lets her go and turns on his heel, ready to walk off, but he catches Jake’s death glare, a look that says, don’t do it, man.

“I’ll get a cab. Take her back with you and look after her. I need to think when she’s not screaming in my face. She needs to sober up before we can talk.”

“Danny?” Jake moves past me toward him but meets defensive palms and a look of utter emotional turmoil on Hunter’s face.

“If I stay, I will make this whole fucking thing worse. She’s too drunk and upset right now. I don’t even know what the hell is going on in my head to begin to try to make her understand.” He shrugs and shakes his head as he walks off toward the road, and Leila is left gaping after him with tears pouring down her face.

“You’re a fucking coward, Daniel Hunter. You don’t deserve me!” She calls after him, and he doesn’t respond; he keeps walking off into the busy street without a backward glance.

Jake pushes me into the car, lifting my legs in gently, sliding my shoes into the space on the floor, not giving me any more room to fight him on this.

“Slide over while I get her.” He glances over his shoulder toward Leila’s sobbing figure, and I obediently move up.

Seconds later, with his arm around her shoulder, he gently guides her in beside me, and I envelop her against me, letting her cry. Her petite frame is shaking with the effort of holding in so much heartache.

“I hate him so much … I don’t want to love him anymore, Emma. It hurts too goddamn much. He just makes it so painful.” She buries her face against me and lets it all pour out in a muffled sob.

I guess I know how that feels right about now.

I glance up, catching Jake’s eyes in the rear-view mirror as he slides his seatbelt on. He looks away quickly, jaw tightening and ears moving; his body stiffens. A moment of pain runs across his face, that moment of taking Leila’s words as mine.