Page 33 of A Sinner's Truth

“I’m so happy for you. I’ve been waiting for this,” Eloise says.

“Me too. You deserve this happiness, Santo,” Daisy adds.

“Thanks,” I grunt. “El, I’m going to need a house.We’regoing to need a house,” I quickly correct myself.

“Not you too. Seriously, this house is plenty big enough, Santo. You two do not need to move out.” El frowns at me like I just told her that her cat died.

“We need our own place.”

“Why? Give me one good reason why you can’t live here?” she says.

“Because right now I want to pick my wife up, spread her over that counter, and fuck her senseless. I can’t do that with the two of you standing here, now can I?”

Aria gasps, and when I look at her, her entire face is flamed red.

“That’s disgusting. People eat off this counter.” Daisy scrunches up her nose.

“They do. I remember a time when your husband was eating his favourite meal off this very counter. You remember that, Daisy?” I didn’t see it personally, but Vin made sure we all knew that he did.

“Shut up,” Daisy hisses at me before turning to Aria with a pleasant smile on her face. “I have to get home. I’ll see you tomorrow. Welcome to the nuthouse. I’m really glad you’re here.”

“Thank you,” Aria says, her voice quiet. I stare at her. Her face is still flushed, her pulse has quickened, and her nipples are hard under her shirt. She’s turned on.

Little Miss I-Don’t-Like-Sex is turned on.Interesting.

“You need anything else, sweetheart?” I ask her with a raised brow.

“No, I’m good,” she says.

“Let’s go then.” I take hold of her hand.

“Give me some warning before you tell Gio you’re moving out, Santo,” Eloise yells after us.

“Will do,” I tell her.

“Is he really going to be that upset if you move out?” Aria asks once we’re out of earshot.

“Yes. He’s irrational and wants to keep us all together,” I reply.

“That’s kind of nice. I always envied people who had siblings,” she says.

“Well, now you have so many of them it’ll be hard for you to find a moment of peace.” I couldn’t imagine growing up alone, without my brothers. They’re my best mates. The year Gabe was locked up was fucking agony for all of us. We’ve always been there for each other. Through the good and the bad times, my brothers are the one constant I can count on in life.

“For one year,” Aria says. “They’re going to hate me after that.”

“They won’t hate you.” They’ll hate me for lying to them, but they won’t hate Aria.

I don’t let go of her hand, not when we’re walking up the stairs, not even when I lead her down the hall. There’s no one watching. I don’t need to hold her hand. But, fuck, do I want to. I open the door to my room and loosen my grip as we walk in.

“How exactly are we doing this?” Aria asks.

“Doing what?” I reply as I slam the door shut.

“Sleeping. There’s only one bed in here.” Aria gestures towards the middle of the room for emphasis.

“It’s a super king-size bed. There’s plenty of room to share it.” I don’t know why I want her here. I get we have to play the part to make this marriage believable, but I actually want her next to me. I turn around, and I’m hit with guilt when Shelli stares back at me through her pictures. “I’m sorry,” I mouth to her, and I really fucking am.

I’ve never pretended to be a good guy. I just didn’t think I’d ever betray the one person I was supposed to love until the day I died. Idolove her. I’m just not sure what else I’m feeling right now.

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