The Carrero Effect Trilogy

Chapter 23B

As soon as Leila knew they were coming, she lost courage and high-tailed it to the ladies' room alone, telling us she needed a minute to breathe and fix her face. I know the men won't take long to get here. Knowing Jake, they are probably camped out on the bar's doorstep. He's probably wearing out a hole in the pavement from frantic pacing.

Sarah and I sip our drinks, watching the scenery, chatting non-descriptively in the few minutes it takes that sexy six-foot-two Adonis to come swaggering in, making my insides liquefy. He has the same effect on me every time I see him. He makes everyone else disappear, with just an appearance, like watching him course through the crowds at the Charity Ball all over again, and my heart soars.

He spots us with his eagle-eyed observation and immediately turns our way with Hunter behind him. Some little brunette appears, stopping their progress, waving her hands and hips at him, and a frown crosses Jake's face as he looks down at whatever she's saying. He gently and firmly puts a hand on her shoulder, pushing her aside without another glance, and he keeps coming toward me.

Suddenly, I get what Leila meant. She wanted some sign that Daniel was hers, not just weird, angry dating and sex. She wanted to see him show loving possession in subtle ways like Jake just did. The girl was a test in Leila's messed-up head, and he failed, whereas Jake just succeeded.

Hunter needs to start making obvious shows of his love for her, be demonstrative, and assure her that this is the real deal for him. I doubt he's had any chance of showing any form of softness while Leila's been in high-maintenance feisty mode. He needs to be the guy he was when she was sixteen, the gentle boy who made her first time beautiful if he's ever going to win her round.

Leila is the same insecure and terrified girl I was. She needs Daniel to cut through all her crap and see it too. He needs to romance her rather than handle her; under that crazy-spirited exterior, she's still a girl shielding a fragile heart.

When they approach, Jake swoops in and kisses me hard on the mouth, a hint of aggression telling me the last half hour has probably been torture for him, and now he needs to expel all his tension. I tilt my head back, straining my neck with the ferocity of his kiss, and lose my breath at the sheer passion in it.

"Steady on, Carrero." Sarah giggles, slapping him on his huge muscular shoulder. "Let the lady breathe. You might break her neck if you keep that up." Jake throws her a non-apologetic smirk, then comes back to kiss me gentler while still cupping my face and saving my neck from injury.

Daniel is holding back behind Jake, looking around sheepishly. He seems tired and stressed and, need I say, heartbroken. He looks nothing like the Daniel Hunter of old, the little lost soul inside of him in full view.

"Where is she?" He butts in, doing another eye sweep of the room. It's obvious he's on tenterhooks and can't seem to stand still. Jake stands and motions to the bar, almost ignoring his question.

"We're going to get drinks; we'll be a couple of minutes. You need top-ups?" He strokes a hand down my face, turning away when Sarah and I shake our heads.

"Bathroom." I raise my eyebrows at Hunter as Jake pulls him away, part of him so sure she wouldn't be here, and he relaxes a little.

Bless him.

"Wait," I say hurriedly. Jake halts, and both men look my way. "I know you're expecting fiery hell-cat and her usual shitty attitude, Daniel, but she needs some delicate handling. It's all an act; maybe if you try the gentle approach, it might make a difference. She needs the guy who made her first time the best time," I raise a brow subtly, seeing how his frown ripples across his face as he takes in what I'm saying. Jake throws an arm around Daniel's neck with a rather intrigued and mildly aggressive expression …

Oops,… a reaction to finding out about Hunter's removal of Leila's virginity.

"In that case, seeing as I'm the 'pussy touchy one' that you're nothing like, we should compare notes, right?" Jake jibes Daniel's own words back at him and pokes at his ribs with his free hand dragging him off to the bar. I would love to be a fly on the wall in their next few minutes of conversation.

I watch the pair saunter to the bar, heads close, as Jake obviously imparts some much-needed wisdom or maybe drags Leila's first-time truth out with hostility. They're only just getting there when I spy Leila appear across the room. She instantly spots the most attractive pair here by a long shot, and she loses every ounce of Leila confidence and spark. She fumbles with her bag and turns, retreating to the ladies' room as though her ass is on fire.

This is not going well.

I go to get up, but Sarah catches my arm, sitting me back down, her eagle eyes having seen Leila too.

"Let her regroup and try again, she's only just laid eyes on him, and I'm guessing it threw her. Give her time to do this on her own." Sarah is always wise, and I nod as we watch impatiently for any sign of her return. I can't help catching the way Daniel's head tilts in the same direction, and I know he's watching for her coming out. He didn't see her the first time. His body language emanates all kinds of fear and tension. The boy is seriously desperate to see her, it's so touching. If Leila can't see how much he loves her, she's quite frankly a fool.

It feels like a long time of Sarah and me passing silent tense facial expressions before she nods toward the distance. I turn to see Leila walking out with her head held high, a look of pure defiance on her pretty little face, and the stride of a woman in complete bitch mode. She looks at us, locking onto her focus, before marching our way on a mission. She turns as she gets to the DJ box, swinging her hips sexily as she makes her way toward him, leaning in and touching the DJ on the shoulder, whispering something in his ear.

I catch Hunter out of the corner of my eye looking her way, and he moves out. Jake's hand on his chest stops him suddenly, and Jake leans in, saying something in his ear. Close and serious and Daniel nods without tearing his eyes from his prize.

The DJ nods at Leila and seems to put on whatever request she has made as she moves back with a satisfied fake smile on her little face.

The sound of Pink "So What!" starts flowing across the room, and I know Leila is trying to convey to Daniel that she doesn't care one iota about his presence. She's in full defensive mode, and the walls are up. Her song choice is one of attitude, and I don't need you.

So definitively, Leila. She's found her spark again, and Daniel better bring his backbone.

She turns to saunter away from the DJ booth saucily, and I'm drawn to the fact that Daniel is almost upon her. Catching her arm mid-stride, she recoils and tries to haul it from him. But he keeps a strong hold tugging her back with him by the wrist to the booth. His arm stretches out as she tries to go the opposite way, but he keeps a firm hold of her while leaning into the DJ and saying something. He holds out what looks like a hundred-dollar bill then the music is cut instantly. As soon as the softer notes of a new song start, Hunter turns back to the deathly still, glaring girl in his grip.

Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud" waves across the room, and I can't help but smile. Hunter is taking my advice, doing this the softly, softly way. I could almost applaud him now; instead of bringing his wild cat back to heel, he's sweeping her off her feet. He should have done it this way long ago.

The only thing on his face right now is fear, and I watch in fascination. Her little chin lifts and bristles with defensiveness, his body sags, and he becomes completely submissive to her, almost in response, reading her.

Daniel is not his usual dominant, cocky self with his little fury girl. He's reaching inside, showing her a part of him that obviously existed when she was sixteen when he'd made her first time with him memorable. A part of Daniel I'm guessing no one ever really gets to see.

Jake slides in next to me, places two beers on the table, slides an arm around me, and joins in on watching The Hunter and Leila Show.

"I told him to stop with the games and just talk to her, like a normal person; to stop acting like this was all some "casual see where it goes bullshit" and just be honest with her," he says huskily.

Games huh? Not so long ago, I knew a certain guy who was rather partial to our little games. That guy seems to have calmed down nowadays, though.

I warmly smile at him, receiving a kiss on the forehead as a reward before my eyes snap back to the couple that I really want to sort things out.

Leila tries to tug herself away again, but Hunter won't let go. Her normal fire is absent despite her resistance, and she turns her body instead so that she can look away from him. He only steps closer, so he spoons her, his hand instantly moving to her hair, gently brushing it away as he leans in, saying something in her ear. His whole manner is soft and agonizingly sincere, and I can't help feeling like we're getting a glimpse into something deep and meaningful. The music flowing over the entire bar only adds to the heart-tugging scene before me, the song, somehow, crazily Daniel.

Whatever he's saying has some effect as Leila's lip starts to wobble, and she bites on it to stop herself from crying. The music gives a helping hand as her defenses start to crumble, lifting that chin again, tensing her body to try to resist. He lets go of her arm and runs a trail of fingers from her wrist to her shoulder, still bent low, talking directly into her ear. She physically trembles, and I smile, knowing exactly how Jake can make me feel by doing that, knowing Leila has zero chance with Hunter if she does love him. Brief tender touches have a way of going straight into your soul.

Daniel stands up straight, walking around her, so they're face-to-face. He tilts her chin up on gentle fingertips, softly. Leila stiffens and presses her lips together hard. She's trying to stop herself from crying and prevent herself from submitting, but Daniel is doing an amazing job with whatever words are flying from his mouth. He has an expression of sheer adoration on his face as he moves in, slowly lowering himself to her height. He looks nothing like the boy I met so long ago, smug and cocky, checking me out. Instead, there's the softness of a heart on show, desperation to win back the woman who makes him whole. It pulls a little tug of emotion from my chest.

It's obvious to the entire room that Daniel Hunter is well and truly deeply in love with Leila.

He delicately cups her jaw with one hand, brushing stray hairs from her face with the other. He's still saying something to her. The whole time they've been standing there, he hasn't stopped talking to her while she's been in defiant silence. Her body is slowly loosening its stiff resolve.

A tear rolls down her cheek, and he gently wipes it away with his thumb, kissing her where it was. There's a body flicker a little at the contact. He leans in lower, bringing his mouth achingly close. With bated breath, Sarah and I are locked on, watching and waiting. Captivated by every beautiful moment unfurling across the room, mentally pleading with Leila to let him in.

Jake's drinking his beer, casually stroking my shoulder, not as fascinated by this emotional scene as we women are. I nudge his thigh and point, urging him to look and take some interest in what's happening here.

Daniel and Leila are connecting.

I glare at him as he smirks and shakes his head at me. He's a typical man with no clue or care and looks moderately bored. Watching him means I'm missing them, so I flip my gaze back to the pair, feeling Jake's hand run across my head, petting me because I'm so devastatingly adorable to him. I sigh, eye-rolling at his typical guyness, and wait with bated breath.

Daniel is so close to her that their mouths are almost touching. He's still talking, still moving painfully closer. Edging in softly, keeping her eyes locked on his.

I wonder what the hell he's been saying all this time.

He's cradling her face, and slowly, the tension in her body disappears. He's breaking down the Leila defense system, and the walls are slowly lowering. Finally, agonizingly, he bridges the gap and kisses her painfully slowly, eyes fully locked. Their gaze, one of the gentlest and tender I have ever witnessed in my life, tugs right into my stomach, causing a huge pit of female emotion.

Sarah and I both clasp hands and gasp, "Aww …" at that same moment, I catch Jake's eye-rolling dramatically, which earns him a smack on his thigh.

Unfeeling bastard.

As soon as Leila relaxes into Daniel's kiss, their eyes close, and he slides his arms around her waist and lifts her to his height. Her arms slide around his neck and press into him, so they mold together perfectly. They make a gorgeous blonde couple with cute little compact curves against tall, hard, athletic muscle.

Leila's heels pick up, and she bends her knees so any passing victim could be impaled on those shoes, but neither of them seems to care. They are oblivious to everything around them as they move into a deep passionate kiss with a lot of tongue, getting as close to one another as is humanly possible.

I know how that feels.

I shy away with an uncomfortable frown as their passion turns up a gear.

Okay, so cute when it's romantic. But now it's just a little pervy to watch them hit full-blown erotica.

Jake leans into me and kisses me on the cheek. I guess that's his little 'Oh, I'm happy for my mates' gesture, and now he can get back to convincing me that I want to go home. He seems unaffected by this scene, and I wonder what he's done with my normally so-loving Adonis. I guess that side of him only comes into play when it's about us.

* * *

We've been here for hours, and everyone, except me, is moderately drunk. Leila is wrapped around Hunter on his lap, and the pair haven't stopped ogling and kissing one another since they sat down. We gave up trying to keep them in conversation ages ago. They only have eyes for each other tonight. The crazy aggressive nature of their relationship is completely missing, all gentle looks and caresses, and they seem so ridiculously in love. I guess there will be no bloody noses and bruised jaws when they finally get to a bed.

Jake has pulled me against him in a very possessive manner, arm looped casually around my neck, hand hanging loose in front of me. He's been this way since he got here, constantly close.

A few more of Jake's friends have joined us at the table, familiar faces from Arrick's birthday. Sarah's lost in conversation with two brunettes who keep ogling over Jake and Hunter, despite the men being very obviously attached to Leila and me.

Jake has spent the entire time looking at some guy to his right, and Daniel is too wrapped up in Leila to even notice. Luckily, or both of those bitches would have very sore faces. They're lucky I'm too tired to care.

I yawn, snuggling against Jake, bored with drunken chat and aching to sleep. Jake is merry and not as sober as he seems, which is why he's relaxed enough to let us stay. Jake wasn't interested in staying after his bro,' and Leila hooked up. I wanted to stay, and with some perfectly placed doe eyes and pouty lips aimed his way, I realized just how much I can wrap him around my little finger. Outright defiance bristles his domineering side, but sweet soft looks seem to melt all his resistance.

So much for marching me home before ten!

I won this little battle, not that there won't be many more in our future, knowing him. I think Jake is enjoying kicking back again. Drinking and being in a club is something he's avoided since the night with that bitch. I sigh adoringly at him, with no tug of pain from thinking about her.

Am I finally ready to accept what happened? All of it? Baby included?

Jake spots me yawning for the second time and slides his beer on the table. An instant expression change as full-on caregiver mode moves in.

"Come on, baby, let's get you home." He kisses me gently on the temple, and I'm not arguing for once. I'm exhausted and happy to go home to curl up with him. I can't imagine anything more tempting in the world.

He pulls me up with him and starts looking around for something.

"I didn't bring a coat if that's what you're looking for." I yawn again, ignoring the look of irritation passing over his brow. He picks up his leather jacket and puts it on me instead. I smile, especially when he tugs me forward to zip me up like a child. I get a tiny vision in my head of Jake doing this for his child. He's an absolute natural, and I can't help but notice the sheer envy on the two brunette's faces at the way he's tending to me.

"Danny? I'm taking Emma home." Daniel lifts his bottle in acknowledgment over Leila's head, then goes back to saying something close to her mouth that makes her smile, and she kisses him gently. Completely enamored, all signs of feisty Leila dissipated, and this tame, snugly version far more her somehow. Hunter has one hand on her ass and the other on his bottle, but his eyes are all for her.

Maybe they have a chance this time.

"Sarah, you can come now or let Jefferson come for you when you want to go? Danny has his number." Jake nods toward her, and she grins back at him, shamelessly drunk.

So much for going easy on the booze.

"This here is Delilah; she's taking me home as we're both from Queens." She beams a little too drunkenly, and Jake doesn't smile back. He takes his caretaking role very seriously.

"Then you won't mind if Jefferson takes both of you. It's non-negotiable." He's obviously in no-nonsense mode, thinking practically, looking after my friend, and dismissing her wishes.

I love him!

"Okay, okay, keep your hair on." Sarah laughs good-humoredly, and Jake relaxes. "I don't know how you put up with him being so bossy," Sarah smirks at me, but I curl myself around him and snuggle in.

"Because I like it for the most part," I mumble as his arm tightens around me appreciatively, and he lovingly kisses the top of my head.

Jake leads me out through the milling people, and we head toward the bar's main entrance. His hand is entangled with mine and his jacket, warm around me, smells of him in a very sexy manner that has my tiredness giving way to something naughtier.

Thoughts of Jake in the back of the car are sweeping through my head at a hundred miles an hour, and I'm suddenly so eager to get him alone. Drunk Jake is usually a lot of kinky fun and far less cautious of being gentle.

"Jake?" A male voice cuts into my thoughts, and the instant aggressive stiffening of Jake's entire body alerts me to him as we stop in the foyer. He turns and looks over his shoulder in the direction of the voice and scowls with a deathly glare I've only seen on him once before. I gulp and turn as I know who invokes that reaction. My stomach hits the floor, and instant apprehension prickles my skin.

Ben Huntsberger. Oh shit.

He's making his way toward us from across the room, looking anything but friendly. Jake tugs me behind him in a heartbeat and seems to grow about two feet as he rounds in front of me, putting himself between Ben and me like he's posturing for a fight, and the waves of sheer terror move in.

"What the fuck do you want?" Jake growls and snarls; it's the most unnerving sound in the world. His body bristles with sheer aggressive tension, and I start to feel afraid. The last time Ben appeared, Jake shoved me out of the way, not once but twice.

Am I in danger of being roughly handled again?

The coldness sweeps through me at the thought of what harm an innocent push could do to the child inside of me. My hand instantly comes up to cover my stomach protectively. I start to try to free my hand from his grip in panic, wriggling my fingers to be released and pulling back.

Feeling my attempts to disentangle, Jake senses my unease and looks back at me with a slight softening to the look he's throwing Ben's way. His eyes go to the hand on my belly and back to my face with an intense gaze.

"Emma, no! You know … I'd never …" He utters softly to me, a moment of tenderness in his eyes, reassurance during the cyclone rearing its ugly head.

Still, I'm scared.

"I need to talk to you." Ben finally comes level, seemingly more agitated than aggressive, despite Jake's posturing and bristling like an alpha male. He has none of the smug scowling behavior of the last time we saw him and looks directly into Jake's eyes confidently. They are matched in height, and being stuck in a corridor behind them is not exactly my idea of a good night.

"What the fuck would I have to say to you?" Jake's being charmingly Carrero. No fake politeness or friendliness, just direct and to the point.

"Look, I know we have a history, but I need you to put that aside because we have one big fucking thing in common, and I need to talk to you." Ben raises defensive palms raking his hand through overly neat hair, weirdly Jake-like. It's crazy how much more they resemble one another, especially now that Ben's hair is a little messier. I wonder how the hell that happens with two completely unrelated men.

Jake's grip on me loosens a little, and I sigh in relief when his body seems to return to its natural stance, losing that terrifying fighter's attitude.

"And what would that be?" He still sounds defiant and most definitely aggressive. No love lost and all that.

"We both fucked Marissa in the week she fell pregnant. Me more so than you." Ben states, as a matter of fact, with a raised eyebrow and a look that says, 'Yeah, exactly' …

Fuck.

Wait … What?