Page 69 of Sinful Bargains

“Somehow, I highly doubt that,” I said, raising a skeptical brow.

Antonio smirked. “Oh, and he’s got the biggest, most sickening crush on you.”

“He told you that?”

“Not exactly,” he admitted with a shrug. “But I’m practically a man, Ma. I can tell.”

I narrowed my eyes playfully. “Oh yeah? And how’s that?”

Antonio grinned. “Do you see how he looks at you? I noticed it the day you stormed up to him at the diner.”

I laughed. “No, I think I just scared him half to death. He probably thought I was some crazy woman and took pity on me because of it.”

“Well, that too,” he quipped, flashing a mischievous grin. “Which is why I saidgo easy on him.”

I shook my head, still chuckling at the thought of Joey’s bewildered face when I’d confronted him at the diner. “I’ll keep that in mind,” I said, sipping my wine.

“I’ll probably just stay over at Enzo’s,” Antonio said. “Michael’s coming over too. I’ll ride my bike back home in the afternoon, if that’s okay.”

“Sure,” I said with a smile.

In Joey’s presence, I didn’t feel timid or small. And I had been desperate to reclaim that power back. That day when I’d brought Joey back here and kissed him, watching how Joey’s chest rose and fell as he stood across from me, let me know just how much power I held in my hands. His lips begged me to keep going, to fall into his trap and give him a part of myself I was guarding. I could tell by the look in his eyes that I had shaken something loose in him. I had reclaimed my power in the wake of that kiss and felt like I was becoming everything I wanted to become.

JOEY

Ihad been losing my mind. Not sleepy. Just fucking lovesick for Adriana. Desperate for her lips, her touch, her scent. It was like a fever that wouldn’t break, a thirst I could quench. I couldn’t rest until I had her.

Luckily for me, the day had come.

I stood in my office, arms crossed, half-listening as Sal droned on about the invoices we’d sent out. “We’re getting some complaints,” he said, shifting on his feet. “It’s raising eyebrows.”

The inflated invoices. The extra cash we skimmed off businesses under our protection. Standard shit, nothing new. But if people were starting to talk, it could mean trouble.

I exhaled through my nose, rubbing my jaw as I leaned back against my desk. “Who’s talking?”

“A couple of shop owners over in Brooklyn.”

The moment I tried to think about handling business, my mind went right back to her.Adriana. She had taken over every inch of my brain, leaving no room for anything else. I checked my watch. I had a meeting with the florist before I picked her up.

“Handle it for me,” I told Sal. He nodded, understanding what that meant. I grabbed my fedora and headed for the door.

I felt untouchable. Walking through my wholesale business in a brand-new, tailored, pinstripe suit, I adjusted my cufflinks, smoothing down the fabric as I strolled past my guys. Confidence dripped off me like cologne. I tipped my fedora onto my head, slid into my car, and pulled out slowly. The window was down, letting in the fresh spring air. Sinatra hummed through my speakers, my fingers drumming against the car door.

I pulled up toLa Rosa d’Italia, the local flower shop tucked neatly between the diner and the shoe shiner. Through the large glass window, I spotted Rosa, the sweet old woman who had owned the place for as long as I could remember. She was hard at work, arranging flowers into beautiful arrangements.

I killed the engine and stepped out, the bell above the door jingling as I walked inside. Rosa looked up, her face lighting up as I stepped inside.

“Joey!” she beamed, walking around the counter with open arms. Her hands, small and soft, cupped my face like she’d done for the past twenty years.

I bent down, hugging her gently. “How you doing, Rosa?”

“Better now that I see you,” she said, patting my cheek. “What brings you in, dear?”

“I need some flowers. For someone special.”

Rosa’s eyes twinkled. “Oh? Well, do you know what sort of flowers she likes?”

“I don’t,” I admitted, running a hand down my tie. “But she needs something perfect.”

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