A Sinner’s Truth: Chapter 12

It’s odd that Santo drives to my father’s house without me having to tell him the address. If I weren’t already filled with nerves, then I’d probably think to question him. But I can’t focus on that right now. I need to find the strength to face my father.

This whole plan was a lot bloody easier in my head. Not so much now that I’m in the midst of it. I’m sitting in Santo’s car, staring up at my childhood home. It wasn’t always bad here. I have some of the best memories in this house.

“You okay?” Santo asks.

“What if this was a mistake? This might stop me from having to marry Oliver, but my father could still take away my trust. I know it seems stupid to do all this for a piece of jewellery. But I need that necklace.” I turn to him. I wish I could syphon a little bit of his calmness.

“That’s not going to happen. I promise. Besides, if he tries to take away your trust, you’re married to a professional criminal, darling. I’m sure I can find a way to get you into that safe deposit box.” Santo smirks.

I should bring up the fact that he’s just all but admitted what his family does. Instead, I say, “I don’t want you breaking laws for me, Santo.” Something about having him sit in a jail cell because of me doesn’t sit right with my conscience.

“Let’s do this. It’s going to be okay.” Santo nods in my direction. “I’ve got you,” he adds as he slides out of the car.

I take a huge breath, unbuckle my seat belt, and push the car door open. Before I can step out, Santo is there holding his hand out for me. “Mrs De Bellis.” He smirks.

Damn, that mouth of his could get me into trouble.

“Okay, that’s a bit much. I’m keeping my name,” I tell him.

“Actually, you can’t. No one in my world would believe that I’d be okay with my wife refusing to take my name,” he says.

“Seriously?” I ask him.

“Sorry. You want it to be believable, right?”

“We really should have thought this through a bit better,” I groan.

As soon as we approach the front door, it opens and my father’s maid is standing on the other side with a worried expression on her face.

“What’s wrong, Heather?” I ask her.

“Miss Aria, it’s not a good time. He’s not in the best mood,” she says.

“It’s okay, Heather. It’s because of me,” I tell her. “This is Santo, my… ah…”

“Husband,” Santo finishes for me.

Heather’s eyes widen before she steps aside to allow us room to enter. “Oh, I see.”

I lead Santo through the house to the back deck, because I know that’s where my father will be. He’s a creature of habit, and when he’s mad, he likes to be outside. Sure enough, he turns and glares at me as soon as I step through the door.

“How dare you! Do you know what you’ve done?” he yells and starts storming towards me.

Santo shoves me behind his body. “You might want to reconsider your next move.”

“Get out of my fucking house! This is not happening!” my father hisses, peering past Santo to look at me. “Aria, whatever game you’re up to, it’s over now!”

“It’s not a game, Dad. I’m married. We’re married,” I tell him.

“You’re marrying Oliver!” he yells.

“Mr Swan, it’s not wise to yell at my wife. Maybe you didn’t catch my name. So let me repeat it for you.” Santo extends his free hand, the one I am not desperately clinging to. “Santo De Bellis.”

“I know who you are,” Dad says, disgust evident in his mannerisms if not his tone.

“Good, then you also know what I’ll do to anyone who thinks they can treat my wife like a piece of shit. Don’t for a second think I’ll spare you because you happen to be her father.”

“Stop!” I step in front of Santo. His arm wraps around my waist and he pulls me against his body, my back hitting his chest.

“Aria, I’m not letting anyone treat you like you’re less than,” Santo whispers before his lips press against the side of my forehead. I melt, literally melt into a puddle in his arms. Shit. This is not good.

“She’s my daughter, and this isn’t happening. Aria, put an end to this now or you can kiss everything goodbye. I warned you what would happen if you went against me,” Dad says, and my knees buckle.

“Dad, no! Don’t do that. I just want Mum’s necklace. You can keep everything else. Just let me have that one thing,” I beg him.

“Aria, darling, can you get me a glass of water?” Santo says to me, his eyes glued to my father. “Please,” he adds when I don’t immediately move.

I nod once, glancing over my shoulder before I step inside. I know this is just Santo’s way of removing me from the equation. I also know what’s going to happen now that they’re alone. I feel sick to my stomach. What kind of daughter am I that I’m allowing someone to threaten my father? I know he doesn’t deserve my kindness. But he’s the only parent I have. I might hate him, but he’s still family.

I take my time grabbing the bottle of water from the kitchen. When I step outside again, my father is pale faced and sitting down in one of the deck chairs. Santo, however, is still in the same spot I left him, as if he hasn’t moved an inch. “Everything okay?”

“Yes, your father has had a change of heart. He’s happy for us, sweetheart.” Santo wraps an arm around my shoulder and draws me against his side.

I feel extreme guilt when my eyes connect with my dad’s. “You are?”

“Y… yes,” he says.

“I think we should go, darling. We have lunch with my family,” Santo tells me.

“Okay. I’m sorry,” I say to my dad before I turn around and walk out with my new husband close behind me. As soon as we’re back in the car and pulling away from my father’s estate, I turn to Santo. “What did you say to him?”

“I just made him see things our way,” he answers without actually answering anything at all. “When we get to my house, there’s going to be a lot of questions. And if anyone says anything to you… about me, don’t believe them.” He sounds a little stressed.

“What would they say about you?” I ask.

“God only knows. I have four brothers and four sisters-in-law. They’re great, but a little intense,” he says. “And then there’s Gio, the oldest of us. He’s the… ah… head of the family. If he says jump, you jump.”

I cross my arms over my chest in outward defiance. “I’m not a clown.”

“Gio is married to Eloise. They have a son, Aurelio. There’s Gabe and Daisy and their son Luciano. Plus Marcel and Zoe. And then Vin and Cammi, who just got married a few weeks ago,” Santo says.

“Okay. I’m probably not going to remember them all.”

“It’s okay. Marcel and Gabe have moved out anyway. Vin and I are still there—Gio hates that we’re not all under one roof.”

“You live with your brothers?” I gasp.

“Yes. It’s safer,” he says.

“You want me to move in with you and your brothers?” I don’t know how to deal with this. It’s a lot.

“We won’t be there long. Just until I find us a place of our own.”

“How are we going to fake being in a relationship if we have to be around people all the time?” This is not going to work.

“It’ll be fine. We like each other plenty enough to fake it. Besides, the only time we really are all together is breakfast.”

“Breakfast?” I parrot.

“It’s the most important meal of the day.” Santo smiles at me as those damn butterflies flutter in my stomach again. I’m going to have to Google how to exterminate them. There has to be a drink or potion or something that will snuff them out.

I look out the window and sit on my hands to stop them from shaking. I’m about to walk into a mob house. I mean, an alleged mob house. It’s not confirmed, but I am well aware of who I married.

“What if they don’t like me?” I ask Santo, breaking the silence that fell over us.

“They will. And if they don’t, they’ll pretend for me,” he says.

“They’ll pretend to like me? How will I know if they really like me, then?”

“Aria, relax. This is going to work.” Santo pulls into a driveway and the two large gates open for him. “Oh, and try to ignore all the security.”

“How much danger am I really in?” I ask when I look around and see a few dozen armed men walking the grounds.