Forgivable Sins (Bellandi Crime Syndicate 2)

Yavin's head jerked back, and he stared at Lino for a moment before sighing. Given that they worked together, Yavin managed Tease, the Bellandi owned strip club; I knew Yavin saw Lino at his most cutthroat. Whatever he saw in Lino's face made him back down with a sigh.

"Fineee," he drew out. "But if anything happens to her on your watch, you'll have to answer to me."

I exhaled in relief, snatching the whiskey from Lino's hands.

I still needed to get drunk.

Sixteen

Samara

"Time to get dressed," Lino said, patting my hip to signal me to sit up. I'd been comfortable with my head resting on a pillow on his lap, and I didn't want to move.

"Why do I need to get dressed?" I'd spent a week in my pajamas or leggings and loved every minute. While I enjoyed getting all dolled up for work, that didn't carry over to other facets of my life. I was the queen of comfy. He didn't answer, instead scooting his body out from under me and bending down to pick me up and carry me to his bedroom. My apprehension rose, because unlike many it was when Lino said nothing that I really had to worry. "Lino?"

"Don't fight me on this," he said harshly. "You won't win."

"I don't understand what I'm not supposed to fight you on," I pouted. I assumed, given his brooding, that pouting was probably better than snapping. My discomfort meant those were the only two options, especially when he sat me on the bed and fumbled through my clothes in the closet. His weekly housekeeper had come, taken one look at my clothes exploding out of my suitcase, and shaken her head before tucking them all away neatly. As if they belonged there. As if I belonged there.

I didn't have much cause to go in the closet, Lino's ridiculous restriction on my walking usually meant that he grabbed my clothes and set them out in the bathroom for me. Or so I'd thought, anyway.

But the mass of white fabric he pulled out of the closet was one that I knew I had never, ever seen in my life.

It was casual and sleeveless with a plunging neckline.

Beautiful, but there was an obvious problem.

It was a wedding dress.

I swallowed loudly, looking into his stone-cold face. "What is that?" I whispered. He turned with a scoff, returning to the closet and emerging with a sundress for me to wear.

"Don't play dumb. You know exactly what this is."

"Okay," I agreed with a sigh. Apparently, we were having this conversation. "What are you doing with a wedding dress?"

"We are getting married in two hours."

I think I blinked. Several times. And then I broke off into laughter that was so strong it felt like it tore my lungs in two. I bent over, wheezing between my knees. That he had kept a straight face while he delivered that line was probably the funniest part of the joke. When I finally straightened and wiped the tears from my eyes, Lino stared at me. That breathtaking face was carved in resignation, far too serious for the joke I'd assumed it was. "What are you talking about?"

He sighed, depositing the dress on the bed next to me and kneeling on the floor. One hand went to each of my knees, pressing them apart until he could insert his body between them, and his face was nearly level with mine. "The best protection I can offer you is my name," he explained.

Understanding dawned, and I realized in that moment that while I'd thought him joking, part of me had hoped. Stupidly, I hoped it would be the declaration of love I'd always dreamed of. A misguided, but genuine, grand gesture.

In reality, it was a means to an end.

It meant nothing. Even after his kiss and words that we would explore something between us. I realized he must have known this was coming when he kissed me, and of course he had. Obviously, he would expect marriage to give him certain rights to me.

All men did.

"You're protecting me," I whispered. "By marrying me."

"Being my wife means you're completely off-limits. The man Connor owes money to can't come after you to settle the debt." His thumbs traced circles on my knees through my leggings, and I stared at him blankly.

Despite knowing that he meant well, despite him just trying to keep me safe, it felt like something broke inside me.

Reality crashed back in, filling the space where I'd let hope build temporarily. In the wake of feeling so full from the time I'd spent with Lino and all the cuddling, it seemed hollow inside me with the void that loss of hope left me with.

Empty.