The Carrero Solution (Carrero Book 3)

Getting into her apartment is easy enough; all Jake needs to do is bark two words into the intercom.

“I’m here,” and she lets us in without hesitation.

Whore.

She is shocked when she answers the door in nothing more than a lace bra and panties under a see-through robe and is faced with two angry men and a seething little blonde girlfriend. All I can do is balk and take in her slutty attire. She truly believed he was coming to fuck her.

What planet is she from?

Marissa visibly steps back, mouth gaping, before recovering her equilibrium, making no attempt at covering herself. She glances swiftly at Ben, noticing him seems to knock the wind out of her sails, and she pulls her robe across her protruding bump.

“What the fuck is this?!” She snaps. Jake pushes past her dragging me, quite confidently, by the hand into the large, expensive apartment. It’s a loft apartment and is decorated in an almost industrial style. I don’t want to know if he’s ever been here with her, even when they were teens.

“What does it fucking look like, Marissa?” Jake growls, taking me to a low couch, sitting me down gently, plumping a couple of cushions up behind my back, and running a finger across my mouth as though to ground me, trying to help me relax. His attention is always on me.

“We came to party.” Ben breaks in sarcastically. He wanders to the mini bar, and I notice how he starts fixing two drinks, acting equally as cocky as Jake. He seems a little too comfortable in here as well. I guess this is an apartment they’ve both known quite well, and it makes me feel a tad sick.

“I want you all to leave. I don’t know what this is, but …” She starts with hands on her hips, nastily pouting.

“Cut the shit, Marissa,” Jake snaps and walks beside Ben to lift a glass, downing it in one go. I cringe at every drink he takes, knowing it’ll fuel his less-than-reasonable side. Jake is more capable of ferociousness when he’s consumed alcohol.

“Were you ever going to tell me that your baby has two possible fathers, Marissa?” He glares at her icily, all hostility on show.

Ben seems immersed in cracking ice for his drink and pours Jake another without question. He is irritatingly cool, laid back, and almost smiling. I wonder if this is why they used to get on so well. Jake was the hot head, and Ben was the calm one. Hunter is that for Jake now, sometimes.

It’s weird to see them so buddy-buddy, side by side at the drinks bar while impressively intimidating the shit out of her. Both are scary in the full-blown scowling-alpha mode in entirely different ways. I can see why she has a hard time picking between the two when they’re like this, so effortlessly alike, domineering in their own way. But to me, Jake is far more beautiful. I like his impulsive fire way more than Ben’s cool mood.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I know which one of you is the father.” She lifts her chin nastily, with no hint of remorse and no hesitation.

Interesting.

“Sorry … How can you tell who the father is when you fucked two men within twenty-four hours of one another?” Ben remarks, snapping at her, and I catch a tiny flicker of something appearing on Marissa’s face.

Not knowing her well, I assume it’s a tiny flail in her perfected bitch stance. She’s lost her confidence, but Jake’s sharp eyes swoop right in.

“What the fuck was that?” Jake snarls viciously, and I jump at the temper only moments ago, I was admiring.

“Hmm?” Ben looks up, a little clueless, completely non-phased by Jake’s outburst.

“That look … That tiny little falter on her calculating face.” Jake raises his empty glass like a pointing tool and

Ben is now staring intently at her. She moves her hands to her hips.

“You can stop the double act and get the fuck out before I call security,” She walks toward me, and Jake grows a little taller, bristling if she dares come anywhere near me. She sees it in the corner of her eye, halts, changes direction, and goes to the chair near the door. It seems like she knows enough about that Carrero temper not to be sure how he would react to her getting so close to me. At last, she realizes I mean more than life to him, and it gives me a sudden sense of calm and control, old Emma moving in, making me sit a little taller.

“You have thirty seconds to leave.” She sounds confident and bolshie, but both men laugh at her almost manically.

“I’d love to see your fucking security try, sweetheart.” Jake bubbles. His anger simmers as he downs another drink equally as fast as the last. I’m a little nervous. I’m starting to wonder if his fast alcohol consumption is wise. He knows how it can make him, and Marissa isn’t someone he can take his fists to. He’s bristling for a fight, and I pray to God she doesn’t bring any men in here that he can inflict damage upon.

If I were her, I’d fear the psychotic sound of Jake’s tone. He can be as scary as hell, and I can’t imagine what he’d do to her security.

Ben isn’t much of a fighter against Jake, but I’m sure he would give it a damn good go countering some heavy-handed bouncer. He has Jake’s build and height and looks like he could inflict a great amount of damage, and, despite downing as much booze as Jake, he still appears to be the calmer of the two.

“What do you want? You want me to say yes, I fucked you both?” She laughs, and nothing but manic bubbling comes out, acting as if this amuses her. I’m starting to wonder if she’s mentally all there.

“We already know that, sweetheart.” Ben glares at her icily.

Yes, that’s what it is, ice and fire, Ben and Jake. I can see it clearly now.

“So, what? You will try to force me to consent to DNA testing when it’s born? You can both fuck off, and I’ll see you in court! No one can do anything to this kid without my fucking consent, and as neither of you will get a chance to be alone with it … good luck with that!” She gets up and goes to walk airily toward the phone sitting on the table beside me. I automatically pick it up, standing to meet her.

“Looking for this?” I hold it up. “Calling your security?” I raise an eyebrow at her and catch Jake moving nearer to me from the corner of my eye, always trying to protect me. He’s ready to take her down, I have zero doubts about that, and I’m not sure how I would react if he did. Jake isn’t someone who would hurt a woman, but if he felt I was in danger, maybe he would.

“Thank you.” She sarcastically holds out her overly manicured hand, red talons, and swinging charms, but I slide her phone into my bag with a wicked smile. She isn’t bringing any help that would put Jake into fight mode until he’s finished with her.

I can protect him too.

“When we’re done … I wonder how many close friends you talk to about your pregnancy, Marissa? I know I have at least one female friend who knows everything intimately. You know? Every single tiny detail.” There’s that tiny ray of hope inside of me. The one Arrick planted a while back, the slithering of doubt that this baby is Jake’s. The way she seemed to suggest she knew exactly whose baby this was confidently… there’s only one way a woman would know for sure.

There’s that faltering flicker on her face again, and I sense Jake’s warmth behind my shoulder. I’m a little more empowered as he seems to get what I’m hinting at. His hand on my waist lets me know he’s right behind me, not that I need it. I can always feel his presence.

“I wonder how many texts you’ve sent about it?” I reach back into my bag slowly, wondering how easily I can make her fold, especially if I’m right about this.

“You can’t access my fucking messages. I have a pin.” She smirks, but Jake steps in front of me protectively, sliding a hand behind him to keep me close, telling me he doesn’t trust her not to fly at me.

“I don’t need one,” he growls at her. “I’m pretty sure any of my tech guys could access your messages seeing as I managed to track my girlfriend’s cell in less than five seconds when I needed to.” He’s back to that furious, snarling tone sending shivers down my spine.

So, that’s how he did it?

“What do you hope to find?” She lifts her chin defiantly, smirking, but the look of smugness has evaporated from her dark eyes, replaced with a slight hint of apprehension.

“Maybe something fun and incriminating, maybe nothing.” Ben slides in and seems to be enjoying this a little too much. I’m sure he has no idea what we’re talking about, but he’s playing along. Old friendship flickers between the two men who used to have each other’s backs so closely.

“Did I actually fuck you?” Jake comes out with it, getting to the point, and I catch Ben’s confusion flicker across his brow. He quickly regains his previous expression, blank-faced, and says nothing while turning to look at Marissa.

She snorts but doesn’t answer. Her head shakes as though this is ridiculous. Her foot is tapping, and her hands are firmly on her hips as she pushes her bust out. She looks impressively feisty and ready to take them both on. I can see why she may have held some attraction to a fifteen-year-old Jake. He likes the feistiness in me and my ability to stand up to him. He always smiled when I bristled back at him and gave him attitude as his PA.