The Carrero Effect - Falling for the Boss (Billionaire CEO) novel Chapter 227

“Actually … I was talking about Emma’s baby.” Giovanni leans back with a wolfish grin and satisfied glint in his eye. The clatter of cutlery as Marissa drops her fork and gapes at me with open-mouthed shock. I realize she’s not the only one, Arrick’s girlfriend is practically bug-eyed gawping my way and no one is holding cutlery now except me.

“Fuck’s sake…” Jake snaps, raising a hand to pinch his brow, his elbow hitting the table to hold his arm up. He knows the shit is about to hit the fan and he’s waiting on it.

“Dad, you’re an asshole.” Arrick cuts in, instantly, and Marissa erupts.

“What the actual fuck?! Since fucking when?!” She throws her napkin down on top of her food, glaring

at him then me, focusing on one after the other with sheer fury across her pouted mouth. She doesn’t look quite so attractive now and yet all I can do is lower my head and stare at my lap to try to control the surge of complete

tension running through me. Giovanni certainly knows how to ruin a dinner.

“Arrick. Please take Gloria to the front room and I’ll have your plates sent through … Giovanni. I suggest you go eat in your office!” Sylvana snaps, taking control, and stands up. She puts a hand on Marissa’s shoulder, sharply sitting her down, since Marissa has risen from her seat in anger.

“How did you find out?” Jake glares at Giovanni furiously. The waves of rage can almost be seen rippling across the table. Everyone turns to look at the older man sitting smugly, sipping his glass of wine, as though he’s completely unaware of the scene he’s just caused.

“You underestimate me, Jacob. Two women at this table with a pregnancy glow and drinking fresh orange instead of my $2000 a bottle Chardonnay. You forget I’m a father who knows when a lady is carrying, and I’m fully aware you set up a viewing for the Wilson house, he’s my golfing partner after all. I’m just disappointed that you felt you could tell your mother and brother who are the only two who did not react to this news and yet still hadn’t told me.” He slides up, lifting his glass, and walks coolly toward the door while Jake visually throws daggers into his back. All I can think of is how keen eyed Senior Carrero is. He really is a smart cookie after all. I can’t help but be a little impressed with his scarily keen observations.

I want the ground to open and devour me. The seething hatred emanating my way from Demon Bitch is making my skin prickle and inner-Teen-Emma rage, looming inside. Arrick and his girlfriend are practically high tailing it out of the room and Sylvana is glaring at everyone with a sheer angry momma bear look. This is not how I envisioned this would go. I had no idea we’d even be telling Marissa about the baby just yet, so, I guess in a way Giovanni has done us a favor.

“So, this is why you keep fucking stalling and pissing me about?!” Marissa spits with venom across the table as Sylvana moves toward her. I’m not sure what her intentions are but gone is the kind maternal expression, now she’s angry mamma ready to tackle a crazy pregnant woman down if she dares get up.

“Shut up, Marissa, and calm the fuck down.” Jake glares at her. I catch the simmering of something between them; fury on his part and possibly the same from her. I wonder if this was how the meetings in LA went in the past.

“Mamma. I think the three of us need to do this without you here.” Jake turns to Sylvana and the flash of stubborn flick across her attractive face. She lifts her chin for a moment as she narrows her gaze on him and then sighs in defeat.

“Behave like adults. I’ll be dealing with your father.” She turns, walks around the table, and leaves, picking up Arrick and Gloria’s plates in passing, ushering the last of her house staff with her, including the poor girl who was caught like a deer in headlamps in the corner and pulling the door closed behind them.

We’re left, just the three of us, fused together with heightened emotion emanating across the dining room, air filled with the stifling atmosphere and a moment of deafening silence. I look to Jake for any sign of how to act or what to say and notice he’s looking down at the table pushing around his wine glass, steadying his anger with slow even breaths. He’s thinking about what he wants to say before he erupts too. I know this version of him, I’ve seen it in boardroom meetings, when someone is pushing his buttons and he’s about to go all ‘Alpha Boss’ mode and take them down. I shiver in anticipation and suddenly I don’t want to be in here and doing this. I want to be upstairs or anywhere else but here between these two.

“Well?” Marissa snaps impatiently.