Page 42 of Sinful Bargains

“I’m sorry about what Antonio said earlier. He didn’t mean to cause trouble. He’s just a kid,” she said, her hands still busy scrubbing the dish with a little more force than necessary.

I shook my head, a faint smile tugging at my lips. “It’s okay. He’s just curious. He’s just looking out for you.”

Adriana let out a quiet sigh. “Yeah, well, he doesn’t really understand what he’s asking.”

“You don’t have to apologize,” I reassured her, “Kids don’t know any better. They only see what’s right in front of them. A few recurring papers with my face slapped on it, calling me a monster, would worry any kid.”

She paused, her movements slowing, before continuing in a more serious tone, “I just don’t want him getting caught up in anything dangerous. He’s been through enough.” Her words were laced with something heavier now, something that hinted at more than just concern—like she was warning me.

With Adriana, I was just Joey. But out there, in the world beyond this cramped kitchen,I was the Shark.I couldn’t live with myself if Antonio got caught up in any of my mess. I would never put him through what I went through as a kid—growing up too fast and seeing the darker side of life far too soon. He deserved a real childhood without the skeletons hanging over his head, like they always had over mine. Adriana didn’t need to worry. I’d be damned before I let any of it reach Antonio. He was better than that.They both were.

“You don’t need to worry about Antonio when he’s with me, Adriana,” I told her.

Her eyes flickered up to meet mine, searching. “Joey, I know it’s real. I know who you are.”

“You don’t need to know the other side of me, Adriana. What matters is who I really am. The man standing right here with you. That’s the real me. You’ve got to trust me on that.”

“What will happen if they find out you’re hanging around here?” she asked.

I exhaled. “I won’t answer that. It’s not a weight you need to carry. But I can promise you, I’ve got it under control. And soon, it won’t even be something we have to worry about,” I said, trying to make her believe me, trying to ease the voice in her head.

“I don’t want anything to happen to you onmyaccount.” She sighed.

I pushed myself off the counter, taking her hand gently in mine, turning off the water as I drew her toward me. Her body was tense, but I pulled her into my chest, my hands gently cupping her face, forcing her to look me in the eyes. “Don’t worry about me. I can handle myself. What you need to focus on is taking care of you and Antonio. Everything else,I’llhandle. Do you trust me to take care of it?”

She hesitated. But then her soft voice broke through the stillness. “Idotrust you, Joey. More than I should. And that’s what terrifies me.”

A smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I stroked the side of her face with my thumb. “I’m just asking you to take a chance on me. I’m not going to let you down, sweetheart.”

As bad as I wanted to claim Adriana’s lips, the moment she stepped back, the distance between us grew. Unwanted.

“I’ll walk you out,” she said, her voice soft but final. I nodded, following her out of the house and into the carport. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to stay and keep her close, but I knew that wasn't an option for us.

“Promise me something?” I asked. Her eyes met mine, waiting for me to continue. “Promise me you aren’t scared of me.”

“I’m not scared of you, and that’s what terrifies me.” The truth hit me like a punch in the gut. I wanted to reach for her, pull her to me again. “What if someone hurts you? What will I do if I fall in love with you and they take you from me? I don’t think I can allow that pain to seep into my life.” Her eyes began to glisten under the flickering carport light.

I moved toward her, closing the distance between us until I could feel her breath on my skin. My hands found her hips, my eyes scanning her face. “If anything were to happen to me—even though it won’t—you wouldn’t be alone if it did. I’d makesure of that. You and Antonio, you’d be taken care of. Marco and Paul will make sure you’re safe. I’ve given the orders.”

Her eyes widened. “What do you mean, ‘taken care of’?”

“They’re my brothers,” I said, my gaze never leaving hers. “They’re my family, Adriana. And they’re yours, too. I’ve been in this life long enough to know that loyalty is the only thing that keeps you alive. They'll do it for me if I’m not here to protect you.”

The shock in her face deepened. She pulled back, crossing her arms over her chest. “That’s not exactly what I wanted to hear you say!”

“I know it’s not what you wanted to hear,” I admitted. “But I want you to know this—we look after family. We take care of family. And you and Antonio are family now. You don’t ever have to worry about anythingeveragain. Not while I’m here, and not if something were to happen.”

She turned away, running her hands over her dress, smoothing out creases that didn’t exist. “Joey, I don’t want anything to happen to you,” she said, her voice threatening to break. “Especiallybecause of me.”

I reached down, my hand slipping into hers, holding it. “Nothing’s going to happen. I promise you, sweetheart.” I couldn’t help but watch her, my gaze never straying. Adriana, standing just inches away, was a complication I hadn’t ever planned on.

Nobody was going to come between us. Not Vincent. Not Renee. And damn sure not her husband.

I clenched my jaw at the thought of him, thinking he had any claim over her. The way he’d hurt her, scared her even in his absence, was something I could never forgive. He was a threat I intended to chase down and destroy.

I would be her protector. I would be the one to make sure no one dared step out of line with her again. I wasn’t leaving her to fend for herself this time. Adriana didn’t realize it yet, but I’dalready made up my mind. She was under my protection, now and for the rest of our lives.

I would make sure her life was different from now on. A normal life. A safe life. A life she deserved. No more running. No more fearing what came next. No more looking over her shoulder. If anyone tried to take her from me, they’d have to go through me first. And they would never make it out alive. I’d do whatever it took to make this work for us. Whatever it took to erase the scars of her past and carve out a future where we were all that mattered.

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