Page 69 of Heartless Sinner

I nod. “As I’ll ever be.”

I’m nervous. Now that I’m at this point in the process, I don’t know what to expect.

My hands shake slightly as I take the document and look at it.

“It’s a pretty standard contract with a few personal additions I wanted to add so we’re clear on a few things,” he says with that business-like edge to his voice.

I read over the terms about the money and the time frame which he’s already discussed with me, but then I reach the part he’s referring to.

There’s an extensive list, but the things that jump out to me are:

I’m to have a bodyguard with me at all times when I leave the house.

I’m supposed to let him know where I’ll be at all times, and I should try to be home by ten.

He needs to be aware of and do background checks on any friends I make or people I work with if I choose to work.

I’m not supposed to have any dealings with Anton or his men. And my personal favorite is I’m not supposed to get involved with any men besides him. He’s even listed all the things he means by involved—no kissing of any kind, not even onthe cheek, no secret meetings he doesn’t know about, no lunch or dinner dates unless for work purposes, and he has to meet the guy first, absolutely no fucking, no touching, no petting, no male friends he doesn’t know about.

I glance up at him, and he smiles like he’s read my mind.

“You look like you have a ton of questions.” His voice is deceptively soft.

“I do. This contract sounds a little, um… overbearing andstrict.”

“It needs to be. I have enemies and people who want to fuck with me. They’ll see my wife as my weakness. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” The assertion in his voice and reference to me as his wife grip me in a way I wasn’t ready for.

No one has ever wanted to protect me like that before. Not even Dad. I feel bad to think that, but it’s true. In this recent shit storm, Dad made the mistake of trusting Johnny. I know he regrets it and would never purposely put me in danger, but it wasn’t the first time he’d made such a mistake with my brother. Deep in my heart I feel it won’t be the last time, either.

“Thanks for being so protective.” I feel like I should say that even if his terms seem overdramatic to me. I have to remember I’m in his world now.

“Like I said, I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Especially when you seem to have a way of getting into trouble.” The light of amusement touches his eyes, making them shine brighter in the sun.

Shame scorches my cheeks as I realize I can’t even argue with him. “Believe me, I don’t set out looking for trouble. It, um… just seems to find me. But I hope things can change from here onwards.”

“Let’s hope so. Any other terms you want to discuss?” He sits back and intensifies his gaze, his bicep bulging as he curls it and rests his elbow on the arm of the chair.

I have several more questions, but the one I’m most focused on makes my nerves twist into intricate knots. It’s the term about not being with anyone but him. I want to ask him if it applies to him, too. I just have to find the words.

“Can we talk about the term where I’m not supposed to get involved with any other man but you?”

A thin tight smile spreads across his lips. “That depends. Don’t ask me to adjust it, because I won’t. I’m a very possessive man. When you’re mine, you’re mine. I won’t share you with anyone else.”

My pulse hammers and I swallow past the thickness in my throat. I didn’t expect him to say that. But before I melt into a puddle, I need my brain to work well enough to ask him the most important part of the question. “I wasn’t going to ask for any changes. Despite how we met, I’m not the kind of person to hop in bed with anyone or…cheat.” Not like my mother. That’s one thing I definitely didn’t get from her.

“Neither do I.”

Relief soothes the burning in my lungs. “Does that mean I can expect the same from you?”

His eyes lock onto me with lethal focus and I almost wish I didn’t ask the question in such a brazen way.

Silence stretches between us for a few beats, and my chest tightens. He just said he doesn’t cheat, but what if he doesn’t see this as a real relationship worthy of his loyalty? Maybe expecting something like that from himistoo much when he’s already given me more than I could ever dream of having in this lifetime or the next.

“When you’re mine, I’m yours too.” His words slide over my skin, slicing through the silence. Each syllable cutting through me then sinking into my soul.

Mine.His.The words echo in my head like a symphony of promises.

Men like Micah—dangerous men who wear violence like a second skin—don't just hand over their loyalty. They take. They demand. They conquer.

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