Page 80 of Sinful Bargains

ADRIANA

Our home was alive with laughter, the sound of clinking glasses and jazz music drifting through the air. I stood in the center of it all, wrapped in the warmth of Joey’s arms. It still felt unreal—the ring on my finger, the weight of my new last name.Romano. It seemed like a big responsibility. I was his wife now. We were so incredibly happy, despite the road we had to take to get here.

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, taking in the way he leaned against the kitchen countertop, talking with Paul and Marco, a whiskey in one hand and a cigar in the other. His black suit was unbuttoned at the collar, his sleeves rolled up just enough to reveal the veins in his forearms. He looked handsome, but more than that—he looked at peace. Like the war inside him had finally quit. Whatever had happened in the last few days had worked out in his favor. And I could tell by how carefree he had become since the night he had returned, waking me up with his tender kiss. I thought he wouldn’t return, but he had. He had returned and made me his wife.

Adriana Romano.

It had a nice ring to it. It commanded attention. Respect.Authority. Marrying Joey was like marrying the president. Except Joey only ruled New York City.

“To the bride and groom!” Paul called out, and the room erupted in cheers.

Joey smirked, lifting his glass as he pulled me closer to his side. “To my beautiful wife,” he said in his gruff voice. “And to all of you who actually showed up to celebrate with us!” And then laughter erupted, filling every corner of our home.Ours. Everything was ours now. And I liked that. “It was about damn time I made her my wife,” Joey continued, his hand squeezing my waist. “Now drink, eat, and for the love of God, somebody put on some good music before Marco starts singing karaoke for us again.”

“Hey! In another life, I was meant to be a famous singer! Sinatra wouldn’t have known what to do had I been his competition,” Marco teased as the room burst into laughter.

Joey tugged me into his arms, his chest pressed against mine. His grin wide and his eyes pouring into me. “I haven’t got to dance with my wife tonight.”

He swayed us to the music, his arms held me so tight, like he never wanted to let go of me. His lips brushed against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. “You sure you wanna be stuck with me, Mrs. Romano?” he murmured into my ear.

I tilted my head up to meet his gaze, my heart swelling at the way he looked at me—like I was the best thing that had ever happened to him. “I’d want it no other way, Mr. Romano.”

His lips found mine, kissing me like we had all the time in the world. Because we did. The room erupted into cheers and whistles, but he just waved them off without breaking the kiss, which caused a laugh to flow out against his lips. I had finally gotten everything I’d always wanted. And more.

The second the bedroom door shut, his arms snaked around me. “You happy?” he asked, his eyes searching mine.

I smiled, running my fingertips along his tie. “Happiest I’ve ever been.”

His lips brushed against mine. “Good. Because this is just the beginning, sweetheart. Just you. Me. And Antonio.”

And as he kissed me again, I knew—with absolute certainty—that I was exactly where I was meant to be.

Joey’s lips lingered against mine. His hands moved to my waist, pulling me deeper into him as if he needed to feel every inch of me. My fingers tangled in his hair as his lips trailed from my mouth to my jaw, then lower to the curve of my neck. “But right now, it’s just about us,” he murmured, his voice rough.

“Just us, huh?” I whispered, a smirk dancing on my lips.

His hands slid down, gripping my hips as he lifted me. I wrapped my legs around his waist, gasping as my back met the cool wood of the bedroom door. His lips were everywhere—along my throat, my collarbone.

He pulled back just enough to meet my gaze. His eyes softened, a slow smirk tugging at his lips. “You married me today, Adriana. And now there's only one more thing we have to do.”

I smiled, brushing my fingers along his jaw. “And what would that be, Mr. Romano?” I teased.

His hand came up to cup my face. “I’ve been waiting all night to take you. I want to get this dress off of you.Now.” And to think I had spent so long surviving, so long being afraid of men.

I leaned in, kissing him, my fingers trailing down his chest. “So, what are you waiting for?” I whispered. “I want you just as badly.”

A low growl rumbled in his throat before he carried me across the room, laying me down on the bed. He hovered over me, brushing my hair back, his lips tracing every inch of my face before he whispered, “I can’t believe you’re mine, Adriana.”

And as his hands moved over me, as his touch sent heatswirling through my veins, I knew—no matter what happened next, no matter the world we lived in—I was safe with him.

I was home. He was home.

Joey’s lips moved over mine. Every touch, every whisper of his breath against my skin sent pure hot lava coursing through me. I wanted so badly to be claimed by Joey, over and over again, for as long as I lived. He hovered above me, one hand bracing himself beside my head, the other dipped lower. My hands slide over his broad shoulders, pulling him closer. “I just want you, Joey. No more waiting.” His fingers began their torture, pushing in and out of my slick, eager core. I was so desperate to feel him deep inside me.

A smirk tugged at his lips. “You have me, Adriana,” he murmured. “You’ve always had me.”

I gasped as his fingers pushed deeper. Every kiss, every graze of his skin against mine left me burning for more. He wasn’t just taking me—he was worshipping me. Like I was something he’d never expected to have, but would never let go of now that he did. His mouth worked down my body, so slowly, my skin sizzled. My hips thrust up, desperate for him. And when he latched onto my burning core, his beard pressed against my inner thighs, and his tongue licking and lapping like he was a starved man, I knew it was my undoing. But I wanted so desperately to be undone by him.

“Joey,” I panted, but he gripped my thighs tighter and dove deeper, his tongue working pure magic on me. My fingers threaded through his hair as I rode out my high. His lips were on mine, his cock filling me inch by inch. His body was slick against mine. His teeth dug into my neck, and his body crashed into mine.

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