Forgivable Sins (Bellandi Crime Syndicate 2)

He'd messed up the perfect hair.

"Yeah, that. Or you know, what I look like." The admission looked painful, and I could imagine why. I'd known he felt at a loss with the dating pool, with trying to find a woman who wasn't after his money, status, or just a good lay.

But what the fuck?

"So what does she know about you? And how is that even possible?" I asked.

"Everything else! Just not my name or face. I met her on a dating app, but I uploaded some random guy's photo." Another wince.

"You have to tell her! If you don't tell her, and she somehow puts it together, she's gone, Jasper. If you want this woman permanently, then you've got to find a way to tell her and to fix it."

“I’ll think of something. Maybe, or maybe I’ll just continue to bury my head in the fucking sand like the coward I am,” he sighed, the drama he so rarely showed evident all over his face. He sat back in the black leather chair, dropping his head into his hands. "Hit me with the numbers. I'm listening this time."

I snorted a laugh, unable to resist the urge to break into giggles. "Well, everyone's numbers are up except for one person."

"Who is it this time?"

"You, Jasper. You fucking sucked this month. Get your shit together, yeah? Whether you have to walk away or tell her just do something. You just need to decide if she's worth fighting for. I've got to tell you, if it was me? You'd have a Hell of an uphill battle to win me back after something like that."

"Ughhh," he groaned. I stood from my seat, feeling like I'd accomplished my duty of poking my nose where it didn't belong. Except in this case, it had been needed. The man was a floundering mess and needed help.

"It's cute, you know. You meeting her that way when nobody would ever expect it. It will make a good story to tell your kids one day," I said as I strolled for the door.

"Fuck, kids? Can I get through the real introduction first maybe?"

"Sure. Keep telling yourself that you're going to accept anything other than her in your life permanently. Mark my words, Jasper. You're going to marry her one day."

Leaving him gaping after me thoroughly entertained me.

By the time I hit my desk I was grinning from ear to ear as I settled back into work.

It was going to be a good day.

I just knew it.

Forty-Eight

Samara

I officially loved weekends. It was rare that Lino left me to go to work, and sometimes he'd bring me along.

But not that day.

He was all mine, and I couldn't wait to just be with him for the day. "What do you want to do?" he asked. I hummed through my yoga, singing casually as I stretched up toward the ceiling in a standing side bend. Lino smiled at me, and I knew he appreciated my hums. My songs.

It came so easily since he’d taken me to the Bird Lounge. Like we’d finally tackled the last of my demons and moved forward into just being fucking happy and comfortable in my own skin.

"We don't have to do anything." I shrugged. "I like being with you. We could stay here, or we could go see Ivory and Luna. I never did get to see you smoosh on her the last time. Ivory says we should call you Cousin Smooshie."

He chuckled, dropping his fork to his plate and squeezing the bridge of his nose as he finished his breakfast. "Cousin Smooshie? I'd hate to know what Don and Scar are then."

"Don is Pop-Pop." I laughed, knowing it would have driven the man mad as a hatter when we'd been kids, but it seemed like he was willing to tolerate a whole new level of affection where Luna was concerned. "Scar is Captain Snuggles." I couldn't help my own roar of laughter even as I said the words. The thought of the massive man with the scar on his face and the scars in his soul as being Captain Snuggles was just too much. I didn't know him well, since he tended to be mostly a silent sentry when I spent time with Ivory and Sadie. Well, when he wasn't showing Ivory casual displays of sisterly affection that made my heart ache. The bond they had was ten times what I had with Yavin, without the blood to tie them together.

If he treated his boss's wife with such heartfelt love, I could only imagine what he would give to his wife when he one day married.

"Fuck's sake," Lino grunted, standing to take care of his plate as he finished his breakfast. I ate another bite of my omelet contentedly. "You do realize we're hardened criminals, right? Not teddy bears for your entertainment."

I shrugged. "You don't seem particularly hard to me." Stepping off my mat after my last stretch, I chuckled when his groin pressed against my ass.