Heartless Sinner (Empire of Sinners #5)

Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

Scarlett

The next few days roll by so quickly I hardly notice them passing. Time slips through my fingers like the fine grains of sand in an hourglass.

People say time flies by when you're having fun. It's true. Each moment sparkles with a vibrancy I'd forgotten could exist.

For the first time in forever, I feel alive and like I can actually live my life in a way where I have fun. My skin tingles with newfound energy, and my heart feels lighter than it has in years.

I enjoyed planning the wedding with the wedding planner and Maria; each decision felt like another step toward something magical.

Fitting my exclusively designed Vera Wang dress added to the fairytale, and I even enjoyed the paperwork Micah and I had to sign.

But most of all, I enjoyed Micah and every second we spend together.

Before I know it, it's our wedding day and I’m at Oheka Castle admiring the grounds.

The ancient stones seem to breathe with centuries of romance with the morning mist curling around the turrets like silver ribbons.

I get there early with Lucy and my entourage of assistants, and I enjoy the scenery until it's time to walk down the aisle. The gardens are alive with the scent of roses and fresh-cut grass, dew sparkling on the perfectly manicured hedges. Then it's like time speeds up.

One moment, my father is walking me down the aisle with Lucy as my maid of honor following in tow. Then the next, Micah and I are taking our vows and exchanging rings.

When the priest announces us as husband and wife and Micah kisses me, the world stills with my heart, everything narrowing to the soft press of his lips and the way his hands cup my face like I'm something precious to him. I don't even care that Eloise is still looking at me like I’m shit.

When Micah and I pull apart, I hardly have time to notice her. My body hums with electricity, every nerve ending alive and singing.

Eloise doesn't exist when Micah pulls me back in for another kiss that has our guests clapping and cheering for us. The sound washes over us like a wave, but all I can focus on is the way his fingers press into my waist, possessive and tender all at once.

Our guests’ excitement is understandable. I've never been at a wedding, either, where the groom kissed the bride twice. The air itself seems to crackle with joy and possibility.

I feel like a princess who's gotten all her wishes fulfilled. Cinderella has nothing on me now. I'm a whole other breed of princess who didn't just get the wishes and the prince.

It feels like my heart is healing, each beat stronger and more certain than the last.

My heart has been so broken and fractured, sometimes I could barely feel it, like trying to hold water in cracked glass. Micah Delarosa put the pieces back together and fixed me.

Things only get better throughout the day. When the wedding is over, Micah and I get on a jet and fly to the Bahamas, the place that's been at the top of my list of dream vacation destinations. The anticipation fizzes through my veins like champagne bubbles.

I could hardly believe it when he told me where we're going. In fact, I still can't believe it.

When I was little, I used to collect postcards and cut out magazine pictures to put it in a scrapbook I reserved just for the Bahamas. The pages were worn soft from countless hours of dreaming. I'd pretend I was there, imagining the warmth of the sun and the whisper of waves.

Even when I got older, I kept doing it. If I saw a postcard or even a TV show with sights that you could see in the Bahamas, I'd always watch it or add it to my collection, each image a promise to my younger self.

Now we're here, and we're going to stay here for the next sixteen days. And the reality is more vibrant than any picture could capture. Micah said he wanted us to have the perfect getaway where we could enjoy each other, and that's what we do.

We spend every day doing everything from sightseeing the island to sightseeing each other.

We own the sea and the sand and the breeze, spending every chance we get immersing ourselves in the scenery, landscape, and setting as if we're a part of it.

The air itself tastes like freedom and possibility.

And the food... The food is to die for. Every bite is an explosion of flavors that dance on my tongue.

We enjoy a different cuisine on the beach every night where Micah's private chef creates whatever we want, along with his own editions of delicious dishes.

When we retire to bed, we enjoy each other all over again, either under the vast canvas of stars or wrapped in the silky sheets of our bed in the beach house.

The sound of the waves becomes the soundtrack to our passion, but the time slips away from us again, and soon, we reach the last two days of our honeymoon getaway.

Since it's raining, Micah and I spend the day inside. But that doesn't mean we don't have fun.

Our day started with a beautifully cooked breakfast. Then Micah took over the cooking and made me lunch and dinner, moving around the kitchen with a grace that makes my mouth water for more than just the food.

Now he's decided I owe him, and I should be his dessert. His eyes darken with hunger when he looks at me, sending heat coursing through my body.

Before the idea can even take fruition in his mind, he's got me stripped down to nothing and laid out on the bed covered in whipped cream.

His thumbs roll over my nipples. “I’ve been dying to suck on these all day.”

He leans down and licks off the cream from the tips of my nipples, leaving my entire body on fire. I answer with a moan. I was going to say something witty and sexy, but every time he has me like this, I forget how to speak.

“While I’m sucking on your delicious tits, you’re going to imagine me eating out your pretty cunt.”

I melt into his dirty words, my body bowing with every flick of his tongue.

His mouth closes over my right nipple, and streaks of pleasure shoot down into my core.

Then I do what he told me to, and I imagine him between my legs and the pleasure he always gives my pussy.

He grazes my skin with his teeth, and I moan out loud. “Oh my God.”

Micah feasts on both my breasts then trails all the way down my body, licking off the cream until his face is buried between my thighs.

He pushes my legs wider, then his tongue glides inside me, stroking my clit and licking my outer lips.

My orgasm rises hot and unrelenting, pulsing in time with every flick of his tongue.

Bursts of pleasure cascade through my nerves exploding under my skin.

My body can’t resist the wild sensation of my orgasm severing me from reality.

Wetness rushes from me, and he drinks me, pinning me to the bed so I take in every ounce of the glorious sensation claiming my body.

“Micah…”

“Yes, wife?”

God, every time he calls me that, I don’t know what to do with myself.

The combination of those words and his tongue has me coming again.

While I shudder with pleasure, Micah takes his clothes off, and I allow myself the indulgence of admiring my gorgeous husband.

He climbs on top of me, lifts my legs so they rest on his shoulders, then he plunges deep inside me.

“You feel so good, bellezza.” His voice is rough with greed and need. My pussy spasms in response and he pushes harder until he’s buried to the hilt.

Then he fucks me like I’ve never been fucked before.

He drives deep into my body, hard and fast, like he wants to reach all the parts he couldn’t touch before.

I feel like I’ve fallen into an abyss of light where only pleasure exists and he keeps me there for as long as he can.

When we come, my body burns as if someone threw me into the sun, but Micah pulls me into his embrace and everything feels perfect. I realize that’s because everything is perfect.

Later, in the early hours of the morning, we sit together on the veranda wrapped in a silk sheet. The fabric whispers against our skin, warm from our shared heat.

It's still dark, but the sunrise is approaching, the sky gradually shifting from velvet black to deep indigo. Stars still glitter over our heads like scattered diamonds, refusing to surrender to the approaching dawn.

Our surroundings have that still silence you enjoy and harness to reflect, broken only by the distant cry of seabirds and the gentle rustling of palm fronds in the breeze.

Micah has his arm around me, his skin radiating warmth through the thin silk. And I'm pressed against his chest, my head cradled between his arms.

As I listen to his heartbeat, I think about all the ways my life has changed. The steady thump-thump beneath my ear grounds me in this moment, more real than any dream could be.

It's been almost six weeks since Micah has entered my life. Each moment is etched into my memory like carvings in stone.

Six weeks. It feels like a long time, yet at the same time, it's not long enough.

The days have blurred together like watercolors, beautiful and impossible to separate.

But maybe that's because we've taken big steps in our lives. Steps people who've known each other longer than we have haven't even considered.

We got married and became the next Mr. and Mrs. Delarosa.

The weight of my wedding ring still feels new and wonderful on my finger.

That's a big deal regardless of whatever terms and conditions put us together.

I'm Micah's wife now, and he's my husband. The words still send shivers of pleasure down my spine.

Husband and wife . The labels feel like they were made for us, fitting as perfectly as our bodies do together.

Against my better judgment, or whatever sprinkle of logic and reasoning is left in my mind, I'm going to enjoy this. Regardless of the consequences, my body and heart have made their choice.

I can hardly remember what my life was like without Micah, and I don't want to. Those days, even the good parts, feel like a distant memory. Or like they happened to someone else, a stranger whose pain I can recall but no longer feel.

By the same token, my life with Anton feels like a fever dream. The memories are hazy around the edges, losing their power to hurt me.

That's a big deal for me. My heart swells with the realization of how far I've come.

Being with Anton felt like a lifetime in itself. Or like I'd slipped and fallen into an alternate reality where everything was wrong and no matter what I did, I couldn't make it right. Even when I left him, things didn't feel right.

Leaving him was the right thing to do but I still had to wade through the seas of despair and struggle for so long that my dreams and my identity slipped away like smoke through my fingers.

Now Anton feels like a bad dream and Micah is like the universe's way of making up for Anton. Each touch from Micah erases another shadow of my past.

I can't compare my disappointments in Mom and Johnny because they were always there, but Anton ruined me. The truth of it sits heavy in my chest but lighter than it used to be.

Micah runs a hand down my cheek and cups my face, his touch feather-light yet anchoring. "What are you thinking about, wife?" His voice is rough with emotion, the word wife carrying a weight that makes my heart stutter.

I look up at him and search his eyes in the dark, finding them bright with something that makes my breath catch. The first hints of dawn paint his features in shades of silver and shadow.

"I’m thinking that everything is different now." The words feel inadequate for the expanse of feelings swirling in my chest, but they're all I have.

“Everything is different, and it will always be.” His tone holds an air of refection I feel, too.

I straighten and pull the sheet over my breasts.

Micah stares at me, his eyes searching mine in the pre-dawn light. "What do you want to do when we go back to New York?"

"Continue my search for a job. Your mom wants to come to one of my auditions." I giggle. "Maybe she can be my good luck charm." The thought sends a warm flutter through my chest.

He grins, looking proud as he rests his hands on his knees. The muscles in his forearms flex with the movement, and my heart skips a beat at the casual display of strength. "She likes you a lot. That's rare for her to like someone she’s just met."

"I feel honored. I like her, too. She's really something."

In the buildup to the wedding, Genevieve took it upon herself to be there for me. She took care of me in a way that I imagine a mother would, her presence both grounding and uplifting. The memory of her gentle guidance makes my throat tighten with emotion. I know she didn't have to help me, but I was so grateful she did.

"My mother is one of those unique characters that make life more interesting.” Micah’s voice carries a note of pride that makes me smile. “You saw how she was at our engagement dinner. Not even my father wanted to cross her."

We both laugh. I laugh a little harder when I remember how she casually asked everyone if we wanted more ice cream after she roasted Eloise. The memory tastes sweet, like victory.

"I want to be like her. Confident and strong." The words come out softer than I intend, carrying the remains of my old insecurities that still cling to me like shadows.

"You are like that. You'd have to be confident and strong to be an actress and do all the things you've done." His conviction makes my skin prickle with goose bumps.

"You're too nice to me, Mr. Delarosa."

He smirks, and the look sends heat coursing through my veins. "You know I'm not nice, Mrs. Delarosa."

I blush at the sound of my new name. "Yet all you've been is nice to me."

"Because that's what you needed from me. I would never be nice by lying to you. So, believe me when I say you are confident and strong. You've just been through shit."

"I guess that’s true. It was nice having your mom around. I don't even know where my mom is. She wouldn't care to hear that I got married. Maybe the money would bring her out from wherever she is. Maybe not." I shake my head at myself, feeling the familiar hollowness in my chest whenever I think of my mother. "I... never talk about my mother, but I presume you must know she left me." The admission tastes bitter on my tongue, disappointment rising like bile in my throat.

Sadness drifts into Micah’s eyes, and he nods. "I know. I figured you'd talk about her and anything else on your mind when you were ready."

"Sometimes, I feel like I never want to speak about any of those things again. At other times, I want to shout it from the rooftop so people know the hell I’ve been through." My fingers twist in the sheet.

He reaches across and takes my hand, giving it a little squeeze. His palm is warm against mine, offering comfort that seeps into my bones.

"When was the last time you saw her?" His voice is gentle, like he's afraid speaking too loudly might shatter me.

"I was nine. It was the day she left. I barely remember what she looks like. She had blonde hair and blue eyes like my brother does. That's all I remember." The memory is fuzzy around the edges, and each year, it fades just a little more. "I can't imagine leaving my children the way she did."

"I'm sorry she left you. You deserved better."

My breath hitches and a tear runs down my cheek, hot against my cooling skin. "Thank you for saying that, but apart from you, so much bad has happened to me. It started with her and ended with Anton. I've tried not to think about him, but he's always in the back of my mind." The admission ignites that old pain that's never far away.

"What did he do to you, bellezza? Tell me. I don't know those parts, and I want to." Micah’s jaw clenches and he gives me a hard stare, a muscle ticking beneath his skin.

"Anton really messed with my mind." I press my lips together and decide it's time to talk about those darker parts of my life. “He used to beat me when he'd had too much to drink and when he was stoned.” Each word feels like glass in my throat but I take a little breath then continue talking, telling him everything.

It’s strange but I feel better after. Like talking to Micah was another part of the healing process.

"Why didn't you tell me this before, Scarlett?" Micah’s voice roughens with anger but his touch remains gentle on my skin.

"It's hard to talk about. And I'm embarrassed I stayed so long. I stayed until I was too weak to leave. If not for that federal investigation, I'd either still be under Anton’s control or dead." I blow out a ragged breath thinking of those very real possibilities.

Micah brings my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles. "You don't have to worry about him anymore. You're with me now. I'm not going to let anything happen to you." His promise sounds just as dutiful as the vows we took on our wedding day.

"I don't want anything to happen to you." My fingers tighten on his, seeking solace.

He smiles back at me, but I can still read the tension in his eyes. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm Micah Delarosa."

I find myself smiling, too, warmth blooming in my chest. "Yes, you are. And there is no one like you. You're the prince."

"I like that. Can the prince give his princess another present?" The playfulness in his tone lightens the heavy atmosphere.

"No." I shake my head and laugh. "No more presents."

Just before we left New York, he bought me a car, and for the wedding, I wore a sapphire necklace that cost God knew how much. Lucy nearly fainted when she saw it.

"One more present." His expression holds a hint of mischief that makes my heart flutter.

I sigh and smile back at him. "Okay. One more, then no more. You've given me enough."

"You'll like this one, but it's a weird present." His eyes dance with barely contained excitement.

"What is it, Micah?"

He pulls me onto his lap and slips his arm around me, his skin warm against mine through the thin silk. "Have you heard of Adrian Domachenkov?"

I give him a deadpan stare as if he's asking me if I knew the sun was in the sky. "Of course. He's a media mogul. He owns a studio and..." My voice trails off when I realize something and my heart races. "Micah, why are you asking me if I know Adrian Domachenkov?"

"Because you have a meeting with him when we get back." His words send electricity dancing along my nerves.

My eyes nearly pop out of my head, my whole body going still with shock. "What are you saying to me?"

"He's a friend of Jaxon's. When I told him you were trying to get auditions, he put me in touch with Adrian. After we spoke, Adrian took a look at your resume and your previous work and loved you. He thinks you'd be perfect for the lead in a movie he's making. But he wants to meet with you and do a mini-audition."

My body feels heavy with the thrill of this news, like gravity has doubled. "No way. This can't be possible."

"But it is." He chuckles, brushing his nose against mine, his breath warm against my lips.

"Oh, Micah." I throw my arms around him, and he holds me, too, his strength enveloping me like a sanctuary. "Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me." My voice trembles with emotion.

"I think I do. I told you I'd take care of you."

Tears of happiness flow from me. "Yes, you did. You are ."

"Anything for you, Scarlett Delarosa." His words resonate through my heart, and I feel more cherished than I ever thought possible.