The Carrero Effect - Falling for the Boss (Billionaire CEO) novel Chapter 42

“I know, Emma … But I can’t just leave her like that. Helpless and injured.” She tries for a smile, but I just stare at her impassively.

“Is that the issue?” Jake’s voice breaks in, he’s at the door with his cell in his hand, as though he’s just used it. Walking back in at the opportune time.

“She has no one else.” Sophie answers him, glancing at me warily. I experience a pang of guilt but push it down. She has no clue how complicated my relationship with my mother is. I watch as Jake frowns, his eyes losing focus for a second as he thinks something through. Even standing like that, the heat of attraction surges through me still and I push it away.

“If I arrange for someone to care for her, until she’s well, Sophie. Will you come with us? … Today?” he’s in negotiation mode. Mr. Business. and watching him lifts my heart. I knew from the second he met Sophie that he had taken an instant like to her, I knew he would help her. Jake is that kind of person.

“Maybe,” she says quietly, mulling it over in her mind.

“If I can go see her and tell her myself,” she adds softly. My heart lifts, hopeful and satisfied that he just gave me an answer to this problem. The sooner I detach this girl from this situation the better. I could kiss him right now; he is just beyond amazing sometimes.

“It’s a deal then, Sophs.” He beams at her, dazzling and charming.

“I’ll call an agency this morning and hire a live-in nurse until she’s fully recovered … On me.” He flits to me as though asking for my permission, but I just shrug, a smile creeping over my face. At this moment, I could not love him any more, he is just everything to me.

***

Sophie spends a half hour in the room with my mother as we wait in the hall. Jake has asked me a dozen times if I’m sure about not going in and I glare at him coldly. He clamps his mouth shut and looks away. His jaw tenses in agitation, but he leaves it alone.

He just doesn’t get it at all; he has no way to understand my relationship with her when his own mother is everything you could want in a parent. Kind, caring, protective, and loyal. She would move mountains for her sons and is an advocate for abused children across all states. He wouldn’t understand.

My mother is the polar opposite. I spent my childhood being her carer, protector, and mother. Fighting off aggressive men she brought home. I bought my baseball bat with money from a news delivery job at eleven and I used it more than once to shield her from overly violent arguments with her current beau. Even at such an early age; my fire and rage uncontrollable. It saved me from advances so many times. Men pushing the line into perversion, but I fought back, said no, and erupted. I have been hit so many times, but for each strike, I would lash back. It was never worth their while to pursue it. A crazy little fireball of spitting rage, wielding fists at them. Ray on the other hand, was truly a monster and the fighting back only turned him on. He pushed the boundaries and showed me that at the end of the day, I was still a weak little girl.

Sophie finally emerges, her eyes wet and her nose running. I’m hit with the bite of anger. My mother always knows how to break you down and make you feel guilty. It is just one of the many reasons I can’t walk into that room today, or ever again.

“She’s asking to see you,” Sophie says softly to me, touching my hand gently. I say nothing, only shake my head and turn on my heel indicating they should both follow. Jake doesn’t however, he stands his ground, regards me with narrowed eyes before he turns and walks into my mother’s room with a frown. I freeze, my breath catching in my throat and gawp after him.

I snap around and run after him at speed, ready to haul him back out as anxiety peeks. He knows nothing about why she’s in here, one look will tell him everything and he has that stubborn air on; the one which means he isn’t going to take no for an answer. I’m too late, his long strides have him past the curtain and around her bed as I enter the room. My mother has the good grace to at least sit up and fix her hair at his sudden presence.