Heartless Sinner (Empire of Sinners #5)

Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Scarlett

It’s just past eleven o’ clock in the morning.

Micah and I stayed in that bed all night devouring each other. Every inch of my body is still alive with the heat and possession of his touch.

Now we’re sitting in the dining room next to each other, talking and eating breakfast as if we’ve been doing this for years. It was nice to see the sunrise with him. In New York, we didn’t get to wake up together.

This is the first day in a long time that I haven’t had to work and I’ve been able to get out of bed late.

We were talking about the weather in New York, but when our conversation reaches a natural pause, I know it’s time to talk about the fine print details of our relationship. Now is perhaps the best time to get it out of the way since we’ve calmed from that overpowering sexual high.

Micah rests his elbows on the table and gazes at me. He’s shirtless, only wearing a pair of joggers. I have on yoga pants and a baggy T-shirt from college that probably makes me look like I go there.

“Do you want anything else?” He glances at my empty plate I’d filled with a second helping of food minutes ago.

“No, I think I’ll burst if I eat anything more.”

A sexy half grin slides across his face. “Okay, well, if you get hungry, just call Maria, and she’ll make you something. Or I can.”

“You?” I can’t help but smile.

“Yeah. Maybe I want to make sure you eat.”

“Thank you.”

He dips his head then slides over the document folder containing the contract. “Ready to go over the contract?”

I nod. “As I’ll ever be.”

I’m nervous. Now that I’m at this point in the process, I don’t know what to expect.

My hands shake slightly as I take the document and look at it.

“It’s a pretty standard contract with a few personal additions I wanted to add so we’re clear on a few things,” he says with that business-like edge to his voice.

I read over the terms about the money and the time frame which he’s already discussed with me, but then I reach the part he’s referring to.

There’s an extensive list, but the things that jump out to me are:

I’m to have a bodyguard with me at all times when I leave the house.

I’m supposed to let him know where I’ll be at all times, and I should try to be home by ten.

He needs to be aware of and do background checks on any friends I make or people I work with if I choose to work.

I’m not supposed to have any dealings with Anton or his men. And my personal favorite is I’m not supposed to get involved with any men besides him. He’s even listed all the things he means by involved—no kissing of any kind, not even on the cheek, no secret meetings he doesn’t know about, no lunch or dinner dates unless for work purposes, and he has to meet the guy first, absolutely no fucking, no touching, no petting, no male friends he doesn’t know about.

I glance up at him, and he smiles like he’s read my mind.

“You look like you have a ton of questions.” His voice is deceptively soft.

“I do. This contract sounds a little, um… overbearing and strict .”

“It needs to be. I have enemies and people who want to fuck with me. They’ll see my wife as my weakness. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” The assertion in his voice and reference to me as his wife grip me in a way I wasn’t ready for.

No one has ever wanted to protect me like that before. Not even Dad. I feel bad to think that, but it’s true. In this recent shit storm, Dad made the mistake of trusting Johnny. I know he regrets it and would never purposely put me in danger, but it wasn’t the first time he’d made such a mistake with my brother. Deep in my heart I feel it won’t be the last time, either.

“Thanks for being so protective.” I feel like I should say that even if his terms seem overdramatic to me. I have to remember I’m in his world now.

“Like I said, I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Especially when you seem to have a way of getting into trouble.” The light of amusement touches his eyes, making them shine brighter in the sun.

Shame scorches my cheeks as I realize I can’t even argue with him. “Believe me, I don’t set out looking for trouble. It, um… just seems to find me. But I hope things can change from here onwards.”

“Let’s hope so. Any other terms you want to discuss?” He sits back and intensifies his gaze, his bicep bulging as he curls it and rests his elbow on the arm of the chair.

I have several more questions, but the one I’m most focused on makes my nerves twist into intricate knots. It’s the term about not being with anyone but him. I want to ask him if it applies to him, too. I just have to find the words.

“Can we talk about the term where I’m not supposed to get involved with any other man but you?”

A thin tight smile spreads across his lips. “That depends. Don’t ask me to adjust it, because I won’t. I’m a very possessive man. When you’re mine, you’re mine. I won’t share you with anyone else.”

My pulse hammers and I swallow past the thickness in my throat. I didn’t expect him to say that. But before I melt into a puddle, I need my brain to work well enough to ask him the most important part of the question. “I wasn’t going to ask for any changes. Despite how we met, I’m not the kind of person to hop in bed with anyone or…cheat.” Not like my mother. That’s one thing I definitely didn’t get from her.

“Neither do I.”

Relief soothes the burning in my lungs. “Does that mean I can expect the same from you?”

His eyes lock onto me with lethal focus and I almost wish I didn’t ask the question in such a brazen way.

Silence stretches between us for a few beats, and my chest tightens. He just said he doesn’t cheat, but what if he doesn’t see this as a real relationship worthy of his loyalty? Maybe expecting something like that from him is too much when he’s already given me more than I could ever dream of having in this lifetime or the next.

“When you’re mine, I’m yours too.” His words slide over my skin, slicing through the silence. Each syllable cutting through me then sinking into my soul.

Mine. His. The words echo in my head like a symphony of promises.

Men like Micah—dangerous men who wear violence like a second skin—don't just hand over their loyalty. They take. They demand. They conquer.

But here he is, this beautiful monster, offering me something that means so much to me. Faithfulness. Anton cheated on me two times that I know of, but there were more. Lucy told me she heard things. Other people did, too. I just didn’t want to believe them.

I was foolish and believed him when he said he made mistakes when he was drunk. That was before the abuse, so I softened my heart and forgave him.

“Does that work for you?” His voice drops to that low rumble that makes my knees weak.

“Yes. It does,” I manage.

“Good. The same terms apply to me. Every word.” The certainty in his voice hits me harder than any of his earlier declarations, and I can see he means every word.

Suddenly, this thing between us feels like it’s gone past sex, possession, and a contract I haven’t signed yet. There’s a layer of trust between us that I never imagined given the little time we’ve known each other and the fact that I tried to steal from him.

“Anything else, bellezza?”

I have one more question I think I should ask. “I’d like to start going to auditions as soon as I can. Will that be okay? Lucy thinks I have a better chance of getting a job if I can attend as many auditions as possible.” It feels good to even be contemplating acting again. I just hope it won’t be a problem.

“That’s absolutely fine. I just need to know where you are.” He nods, and hope sparks inside me, fueling my mind with possibilities. “Anything else?”

I think I’ve asked enough for today. “No. I think I’m good.”

“Alright.” He produces a sleek silver pen and hands it to me.

I take it and sign the contract in all the places I’m supposed to sign. As I do, I feel like I’m entering into a new sphere of reality where I have no idea what will happen to me.

I’m giving him a year of my life for freedom from Anton and a million dollars. Everything sounds great on the surface—as these things do—but what will

happen when I actually start the journey?

What will happen at the end of the journey when we say goodbye?

I don’t think it will be easy. Not for me. I glance back at him and find him watching me with that keenness. Holding his gaze, I slide the contract back over to him.

He takes it and signs it, then places the pen on top of the document. “All done.”

“What happens now?” I search his eyes for signs of emotion, wondering if he thought the same things I did—about the end. If he feels anything, I can’t tell. He seems to be able to switch effortlessly between one emotion and the next, but he only shows me what he wants me to see.

“We plan the wedding and meet people.” He gives me a clipped smile. “The wedding planner will come by on Monday. She will take care of everything to do with the wedding. Just tell her what you want.”

“Me? You’re okay with me telling her what I want?” I raise my brows as he nods.

“Yes. Juliet is a world-renowned wedding planner, so she’ll be able to do anything. And quickly. Just give her your ideas, and she’ll make it happen.”

“That sounds good to me.”

“Good. In the meantime, Maria will look after you when I’m not around.”

“What do the staff know about me?” I wondered about that the moment I got here.

“They know you’ll be my wife, and that’s all they need to know.”

“Okay.” That’s good. It means I shouldn’t have any trouble.

"This week, we’ll have all the wedding registration and legal documents to get through, then the wedding will take place at Oheka Castle on the last Saturday of the month.”

My eyes fly open. “Really?” I can’t hide my excitement. Oheka Castle is a dream venue where most celebs have their weddings and special parties. There’s no way I thought someone like me would ever be getting married there.

“Yeah. It’s tradition. And I expect about a hundred guests from my side.”

“Wow, that’s a lot.” I exhale a sharp breath. I don’t even know a hundred people.

Micah smirks. “It’s actually small in comparison to other family weddings. Or what was expected for me. You can invite anyone you want. Of course, I’ll send for your father, so he’ll be here the night before.”

“Thank you. I’ll probably only have him and Lucy. I don’t really have anyone else. Which is fine. It’s less to worry about.” Besides, no one else I know would understand the short notice. I’d invite my uncle and his family, but I know he and Dad would clash. That would be a nightmare.

“We have dinner at my parents’ house on Tuesday night. My father will use it as a sort of engagement party, so there will be quite a few people there.”

Dinner at his parents’. What is that going to be like? Micah’s father is the current don of the family. If I was scared of Micah, how am I going to be around his father? “What do your parents think of me? I’m sure they’ll find it strange that we have this arrangement.”

“That’s the part we need to talk about.”

That doesn’t sound good. “Oh.” I bring my hands together and grip the edge of my T-shirt. “What do I need to know?”

“They don’t know about our arrangement, and I want to keep it that way. I haven’t told them much, but they think we’ve known each other for six months. Of course, they don’t know about the chip or any of that stuff.”

God, I wasn’t even thinking about that. “Won’t they ask me questions?”

“They will.” He grins. “But I figure we have more than enough to tell them to keep them occupied. Like that we met at the hotel and I followed you all the way to Denver.”

I bite back a nervous smile, but I see where he’s going. “I guess that’s a good enough story.”

“It’ll be fine. Trust me. The only person who knows about our arrangement is my cousin Brahm.”

They’re cousins. I was wondering about that too. Brahm flew back on the jet with us and didn’t seem overly fond of me. It was understandable given it was he who chained me to the wall when Dad and I were captured.

“What about him?”

“His lips are sealed.”

“Do you know who else will be at the dinner?”

“Knowing my parents, there will be quite a few people.”

“People from the mafia?” I ask the question in a tentative voice, hoping I don’t sound rude. “I just want to know who else I need to be aware of.”

“You don’t have to be aware of anyone. But to answer your question, everyone there will either be part of the Delarosa family or have some connection to us. You don’t have to be afraid.”

“I’m… not. I’m just…” My voice trails off as I think of what to say.

“Being careful?”

“Yes. Being careful.” As I gaze at him, I wonder if I can really pull this off. I think I’m miles different to the women people are used to seeing on his arm. What if his parents don’t approve of me? I don’t exactly have a glowing record.

I’m a fish out of water on the wrong side of the tracks, and Micah and I couldn’t be more opposite to each other.

"What if I can't be what you need me to be?” Our eyes meet and butterflies dance in my stomach as I take in his curious expression. “Not that I’m not grateful for all your help and the money, but I’m sure you had better choices than me.”

He rises and closes the space between us, then he picks me up and places me to sit on the table.

I gasp then smile when he sets his hands on either side of me and crushes his mouth to mine. "I wanted you, so there is no one else.”

“But you don’t know me and –”

He cuts off my words with more kisses. “I know everything I need to know about you.”

The declaration sends a chill down my spine, and I wonder if he knows about the drugs and my rehab stay. “ Everything ?” I speak against his lips, and he inches away.

“Everything.”

“Then you know I’m kind of a mess and I really do have a habit of getting myself in trouble.”

Micah cups my face and brushes his nose over mine. “And yet I still want you.” His words burn into my skin like he’s branding me, and he gives me that look of adoration again. It makes me feel like a queen and in his eyes, I see my crown.

“One more thing to do,” he adds in a low voice.

“What?”

He digs into the left pocket of his sweatpants and pulls out a silver velvet pouch, then he reaches inside it and takes out a beautiful diamond engagement ring.

The diamond is so bright and radiant it glistens in the sunlight like a million stars are splashed across the surface.

I stare at it, awestricken again with my lips parted and trembling and my skin tingling.

Micah takes my hand and presses my knuckles to his lips before slipping the ring on my finger. The moment it slides on to my skin this feels real. We feel real.

“Do you like it, bellezza?”

“I… love it.” My voice is a soft rasp filled with emotion that deepens inside me when I look over the ring on my hand. I’ve never owned anything so beautiful and expensive and precious. “Thank you.”

“No, bellezza. Thank you. Now come here. I need to fuck you again.” The kiss he gives me is tender, a juxtaposition to his crude words. “Right here on the table.”

My eyes bulge. “But the staff?—”

“Get paid enough not to see and hear things. And the door is closed.”

I glance out of the corner of my eye confirming Maria closed the door when she dropped off the cinnamon rolls.

Micah tugs on my shirt then lifts it over my head. “I want to taste you first. Everywhere . Is that okay with you?”

“That’s fine with me.” My voice is already infused with raw desire.

I can’t help myself when it comes to this man. And I don’t want to try.

I want to go wherever he wants me to go and do whatever he wants me to do.

He undoes my bra and strips me down the way he did last night.

As soon as I’m naked, he buries his face between my thighs and starts feasting on my pussy as if I taste better than any meal he’s ever had.

My breath catches when he pulls me closer, then he thrusts his tongue deep, deep, deep inside me and pushes me over the edge.

I rest my hands on either side of me, gripping the tablecloth as waves of pleasure consume me.

His mouth on me feels indescribable. No matter how many times we do this, I know I’ll never get enough of him.

I barely manage to catch my breath when he starts sucking my clit and fondling my breasts at the same time.

“Oh God,” I cry out, grabbing the tablecloth tighter. The plates near my fingers clash together in tandem with my moans of ecstasy.

Micah eats me out like I’m his first, last, and only meal, and I come.

I come hard in his mouth, rubbing my pussy over his face.

He drinks me up, lapping up my juices and making me wet all over again.

When he’s finished, he stands and pushes his pants down his hips, allowing his fully erect cock to jut free. As usual, my eyes scan over his length and thickness, pausing at the pulsing head with precum beading at the tip.

With a crude smile on his handsome face, he fists himself, forcing out more precum. “I think you know what I want you to do, wife-to-be.”

Oh my God, every time he says that word— wife —something happens to me. Something that chips away at the walls I’m trying to keep built between us to protect myself.

Like a mindless puppet running on desire, I answer by sliding off the table and lowering to my knees before him.

He slips his hand behind my head and guides me to take his cock into my mouth.

I suck, enjoying the masculine taste of him and the deep groans rumbling in his chest. It makes me feel alive knowing that I’m pleasing him and turning him on.

And once again, I forget that I’m supposed to remember all the things I told myself to stop me from wanting this man. They fizzle into the air, and hunger takes over.