Page 43 of Sinful Bargains

My face hovered just inches from hers. “I’ve never wanted anything as badly as I want you,” I whispered. “And I’m going to make it all work out for us.”

JOEY

Isat in the driveway, staring at the front door, but I couldn’t bring myself to move. I didn’t want to walk inside. I didn’t want to see Renee. I didn’t want to return to this—to my reality—after being with Adriana. Holding her. Comforting her. Feeling her body pressed against mine.

My fingers drummed against the steering wheel, to the soft hum ofCan’t Help Falling in Love by Elvisfilling the car. One of Adriana’s favorites. She was always swaying to his music, humming to his tunes. I closed my eyes, just for a second, picturing her. Wishing I could pack us up and disappear. Flee the country. Leave all of this behind.

But that wasn’t a possibility. I forced my eyes to open. I killed the engine, forcing the thought of Adriana out of my head.

I barely had the front door shut before Renee’s footsteps began down the hallway. “Where the hell have you been?” she snapped, arms crossed, eyes blazing with rage. Hatred.

“You went to herfuckinghouse.” My voice was sharp, cutting over hers. “What thefuckwere you thinking, Renee?”

“I wanted to warn her who you really are! I wanted to look her in the eyes and see if she would lie!” she spat, stepping toward me. “Turns out she is a liar.”

I towered over her, nostrils flared. “Watch your fucking mouth,” I growled.

“Watchmymouth?” She bit out a bitter laugh. “The question is, where has yours been? I can only assume attached to hers! Do you think I’m just gonna sit back while you embarrass me?”

My hands curled into fists.Goddamn it. Idespisedher. “You don’t know shit.”

“Oh, really?” She stalked closer, her voice dripping with venom. “Then tell me. Tell me you weren’t just in her driveway.”

I exhaled sharply, dragging a hand over my face. “JesusfuckingChrist, Renee. You don’t give up, do you?”

She scoffed. “I don’t even care that you were there. I expected you to run to her. What I care about is you think I’m so fucking stupid that I would sit back and allow you to mock me! That you would insult my name! She’s nobody in this place! I’m somebody, and you have the nerve to think you can insult me?!”

I snapped.

“You think this is some fucking game?” I roared. We were chest to chest now. “You don’t know shit! You’re enough to drive someonefuckinginsane! Do you want to talk about what's embarrassing? What’s embarrassing is that you would still threaten to have your father put a hit on my back, even though I have made it so fucking clear I willneverlove you! I willnevermarry you!”

“You don’t have a choice. You won’t win this. You do what I say. You do what my father says. Or you’ll be six feet under and I’ll stand right next to your casket, crying like agoodlittle wife,” she said with a sickening smile spread wide across her face.

I shook my head, rage simmering just beneath my skin. “Getyour black dress on, then. Because Vincent will have to blow my fucking brains out, honey.”

“You love her,” she spat in a disgusted tone, her face twisted and sour. “Don’t you? I want to hear you say it to my face.” I didn’t say anything. I didn’t need to. My eyes gave me away. She let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. “You son of a bitch!” she screamed, slapping her hands into my chest.

I turned away, grabbing my keys. My fingers gripped the doorknob, and I yanked it open, walking out without another word, taking in a deep inhale of the cool night air. Being in that house made me feel like someone was smothering me with a pillow.Insufferable.

I had never loved anyone in my life. But I loved Adriana. I couldn’t say it out loud, but I felt it in every part of me. She was everything I’d never had—genuine, warm, resilient. A rare light in a world that had only ever been cold and ruthless to me. Unlike anyone I’d met in thirty-five years, Adriana wanted nothing from me. And that only made me want to give her everything. The whole damn world, if I could figure out a way to do it.

She didn’t care about my reputation or the power that others feared. She was different—respectable, a woman who had carved her own path in a world ruled by men. I never thought I had it in me—to protect someone so fiercely, to be tender, to let someone in. To want to be more than the man I saw in the mirror.

For the first time in my life, I could see a future beyond the violence and crime that had consumed me. Adriana never asked me to change. But for her, I wanted to. And that terrified me as much as it consumed me.

I drove down the road slowly, the windows down, letting the cool, spring night air slap against my face. It brought me back to life, kept me from suffocating. I pulled into the driveway—thehouse that I would soon call home. Not tonight. But soon, I’d turn off the engine and walk inside to Adriana’s sweet kiss.

I stepped out, grabbing the duffle bag from the backseat. I had barely shut the door when headlights cut through the darkness, pulling into the driveway.

Marco.

I squinted as he climbed out, his face set in a hard line. “What happened?” I asked, cutting straight to the point.

He exhaled. “Dominic’s been wearing a wire. Ben just got wind of it and tried to reach you, but he couldn’t get hold of you.”

My blood went ice cold. Then boiling hot.

“A fuckingrat?” I roared, the sound tearing from my chest. “That’s the last goddamn thing I want to deal with right now!”

---