The Carrero Effect - Falling for the Boss (Billionaire CEO) novel Chapter 69

When did this happen? When did my feelings spill beyond friendship this badly?

I’ve seen him with other women …

He’s always been this way, when did I start reacting like this? Breaking my heart over him being his Casanova self.

“Tell the others, after I’m gone, I had to go away for a couple of days.” He’s picking up his suitcase, his body stiff with tension and the hatred oozing between us is unbearable.

“What reason shall I give?” I sound alien. This fake politeness between us, thick in the stifling air. We’re both exceptionally good at cold and polite.

“I don’t give a shit, Emma … The truth for all I care.” He flexes his eyebrows sardonically.

That was a blow … it hurt; it knocked the wind out of my sails. I move back as he stalks out with suitcase in hand, he slides his shades on, despite it being duller in here and he doesn’t even look at me; he seems beyond pissed.

Should I follow him? Should I stay here?

Stop hovering, Emma, it’s pathetic.

I don’t know what to do, this isn’t me, not anymore. He’s up the hall and out the door in the blink of an eye, obviously determined to leave. I hesitate and follow, I’m not sure why, but I suddenly need to cling to his presence, the last moments of him. I just want him to stop this, he’s making me feel so alone. So, broken.

I lose him at the top of the stairs, the sun hurting my eyes. I blink and shield them from view and suddenly I want him to slide his glasses over my eyes, the way he always does. I want him to brush my hair back and take care of me. I want the Jake I know and care about, not this cruel cold man who doesn’t give a shit about me.

I want to cry as sheer hysteria and panic consumes me. I catch sight of him near the rear of the boat, he’s following one of the crew down to the awaiting speed boat.

Oh my god. He really is going, it’s not a ruse. He really wants to kill me.

I want to scream out and run after him, but I’m rooted to the spot as I watch him descend into the waiting boat. I can’t bear to see him leave, so I turn on my heel and run back to my room at full speed. I run like my ass is on fire and don’t stop until I slam down onto my bed and sob every bottled up, deep wracking emotion, right up from the tips of my toes in a spewing out of desperate agony.

I don’t know how long I’m there, but I can’t stop; it’s like a damn has opened and the floodgates break. Everything I’ve ever held back slips out with the pain I’ve always avoided. I can’t breathe, it’s suffocating and unbearable. It’s excruciating and every cell of my body is in bleeding agony.

Jake’s breaking my heart.