A Sinner’s Truth (De Bellis Crime Family Book 5)
A Sinner’s Truth: Chapter 33

When I heard the gun go off in that café, my heart stopped. Until I realised the bullet didn’t hit Aria. And then it increased to double the speed. I can’t lose her. I knew putting myself in this position was a mistake. I’m fucking vulnerable. I have a weakness that can destroy me.

Even knowing this, I will not give her up. She’s mine, and God help any motherfucker who tries to take her from me. When I get my hands on Oliver Densper, he is going to regret the day he was fucking born.

My only priority right now is keeping Aria safe, and that means I have to find this fucker and end him. I haven’t slept. It’s been three days since the shooting and we still have no idea where he’s hiding his sorry ass. I’m getting frustrated as fuck. Aria is consumed with guilt over Drew taking that bullet.

I’ve found a reason to actually like the guy. He saved my wife. That’s not something I’ll ever forget. I’ve tried to get Aria to see sense, to understand that this isn’t her fault. But she won’t listen to me. Drew has told her that he’s fine. She won’t listen to him either. Instead, she’s determined to blame herself.

She’s also scared. Which I get. She had a gun aimed at her. Someone wanted to hurt her. I’m fucking scared. The thought of losing her has me breaking out in a cold sweat. I can’t let that happen.

It’s been difficult to talk to my brothers about finding Oliver with Aria glued to my side. The only thing we have in our favour is the fact that she doesn’t understand Italian. I know that Aria isn’t stupid. She’s aware of what I do. I’m thankful it’s never really been brought up, though. She hasn’t questioned me or asked me to walk away from everything I know. I wonder if it bothers her, because if it does, I’d rather know now than wait and find out ten years down the track when she tries to leave me. I use the word try because I’m never going to let her walk away from this.

“Do you have any questions?” I ask Aria. Her head is on my lap. We’ve been holed up in the living room, watching some shitty show that she loves.

“About what?”

“Me? What I do? What our family does?”

Aria looks at me. It’s clear she’s contemplating what to ask, and I’m bracing myself for the answers I’m going to have to give her. “Do you want kids?”

That’s not the question I was expecting. “I don’t know,” I tell her honestly. “I did. I wanted the baby I thought I helped create.”

“I’m sorry she lied to you about that,” Aria says.

“Do you want kids?”

“You would make beautiful babies,” she tells me.

“We would make beautiful babies, but that’s not a reason to bring a life into the world,” I say. The more I think about it, the more I can see Aria as a mum. She’s so caring and patient. I know she’d be a great mother. “I don’t want them yet, though. I want to have you to myself for a while.”

“Same.” She smiles.

“Is that your only question?”

“Are you expecting me to ask if you’re actually in the mafia or not?” She glares at me, her expression so very serious. “I don’t need to know the ins and out of what you do, Santo. I know you. I know that you’re a good person, and I know that you will never hurt me. All I want is for you to be safe, not to take unnecessary risks. I want you to always come home to me.”

“I can do that.” I lean down and press my lips against hers.

“I need to go to Drew’s apartment and make sure everything is in order for when he goes home tomorrow,” she says.

“He’s getting out?”

“Mhmm. His mum and dad tried to get him to stay at their place, but he won’t have it,” Aria says, shaking her head. “He’s so stubborn sometimes. It’s infuriating.”

I laugh. “Is that the quality you bonded over? Your shared stubbornness?”

“I am not stubborn!” she gasps.

“Sure you’re not. You’re just strong-minded, right?”

“Pot, kettle,” Aria says, gesturing between us.

“Oh, darling, I fully acknowledge that I’m stubborn. I will always get my way, no matter what lengths I have to go to get it,” I tell her, then add, “You’re not going to Drew’s apartment, by the way.” There is no chance in hell I’m letting her near that building while Oliver is still MIA.

“I am,” she says.

“No, you’re not,” I say more firmly.

“Yes, I am.” She sits up and glares in my direction. “You are not the boss of me, Santo. If I want to go somewhere, I will.”

“You’re right. I’m not your boss. I’m your husband. And right now, it’s not safe for you to be out. I don’t care if you end up hating me for keeping you in. At least you’ll hate me while you still have a heartbeat.”

“I need to help my friend. The only reason he’s in the hospital right now is because of me,” she says.

“It’s not your fault. You are not responsible for other people’s actions. And if it means you’ll fight me less on this, Drew can come and stay here while he recovers. We have plenty of spare rooms.”

“You’d really let him stay here? You don’t even like him,” she says.

“I like him plenty enough. Besides, you like him and this is your home too,” I remind her.

“We should ask Eloise to show us some more places. I mean, if you still want to get a house with me. Just the two of us,” Aria suggests.

“I couldn’t think of anything better. But we’re not leaving here until the threat has been eliminated.” I need to go and see Gio, find out if there’s been any progress in hunting that fucker down. The only thing is, whenever I’ve walked away from Aria, she either follows me or creates a reason to come and find me within five minutes.

She won’t say it, but I know she’s using me as a way to feel safe. I don’t blame her, and honestly, I don’t hate that she needs me like that. I love that I make her feel safe.

“Okay,” she says.

When Gabe walks into the room, I take the opportunity to go talk to Gio. “I’ll be back in a sec. Tell Gabe how you were just saying I was the only good-looking De Bellis brother.” I grin at Aria.

“Well, either that’s a lie, or you’re blind as a bat, because I’m clearly the best-looking brother,” Gabe says as I walk out.

I know he’ll keep her occupied for a few minutes. He knows exactly what I just did by leaving when he walked in. I think out of all of my brothers, Aria seems to like to talk to Gabe the most. He’s easygoing, always fucking happy, and he’s the fixer. When something is wrong, he’s the one everyone turns to.

When I find Gio in his office alone, I thank whatever god is watching over me right now. I close the door behind me, and my brother looks up from his desk. “Anything?” I ask him.

“We think we have something. I’ve sent Marcel and Vin to confirm.”

“What is it?”

“There’re rumours Oliver has taken refuge in a biker clubhouse,” Gio says.

“A biker clubhouse? That doesn’t seem like something a trust-fund brat would do.” I sit down in one of the chairs opposite my brother’s desk.

“It’s not. Which is why I’ve sent Marcel and Vin to check it out,” Gio says in such a matter-of-fact tone.

“Thanks. Let me know as soon as you know. I need to get my hands on this fucker.” I push up from the chair, ready to walk out.

The sound of Gio’s voice stops me in my tracks. “You’re going to have to figure out how to get her to let you leave for longer than two minutes to do that.”

“I have. Her friend is coming to stay here tomorrow.” I’m hoping that with Drew here, Aria will be preoccupied, and I can do my fucking job and get rid of the threat.

“You’re having another man move into the house with your wife? You’re either stupid or you have way too much trust in that fucker,” Gio says.

“I don’t trust him. He jumped in front of a gun for her, though. That’s gotta mean something. Besides, I’ll assign someone to watch his room. I’m not going to let myself be made a fool of twice,” I grunt.

“Shelli didn’t make a fool of you, Santo. She made a fool of herself.”

I nod in response, even though I don’t agree with his perception on the matter. As I’m walking down the hall, I spot Aria making her way towards me. Gabe is behind her, giving me that I tried look.