A Sinner's Promise (De Bellis Crime Family, #1)

by Kylie Kent

“Tell me, Ellie. Would you live here?” he asks.

“It’s a beautiful home,” I tell him. “That’s not what I asked. I said would you live here?”

“No.” “Why not?”

“It’s not homey enough for me. It’s cold. I don’t know… If I have a family one day, I’d want to raise them in a home that was warm and inviting. Not something cold that resembles a museum.”

“If it’s not this house that has you excited, then what is it, Ellie?”

“Tell me… what has you this excited?” he asks again. “You,” I whisper. “Good girl,” he says and then slams his lips onto mine.

“You coming on my fingers is the best thing I’ve seen in forever. Trust me, Ellie, it should have and will be happening again.”

If I want something, I’m going to have it, and the thing I want more than my next breath right now is her.

“Now that, that’s out of the way. This whole being professional bullshit? Yeah, I don’t agree with it. I want you.”

Fuck, how am I so worked up just from kissing this woman?

“Ellie?” “Yeah?” “Get up and lock your door,”

“I’m not not happy. I’m just… unsettled.” I shake my head. “I shouldn’t be telling you this.” “Why not?” “Because you’re a client and I’m selling you a house.” “We’re friends first.” “We’re not…” Gio holds up a hand. “I swear to God, Ellie, finish that thought and I’m going to come over there and show you along with everyone else in this bar just how fucking friendly we are,” he grunts. “Fine,”

We’re eating dinner together. That’s a date.” “No, a date is when you ask me out to dinner and I accept the invitation. You show up at my apartment to pick me up with a bunch of pink roses, because they’re my favourite flower, and then you take me out. Somewhere fun, not overly fancy, and quiet,” she says. “Well, shit, Ellie, guess I need to step up my game.” I laugh. “You do.” “So, how about Friday?” “What about Friday?” I thought the question was obvious but I explain anyway. “For this date.” “Sorry, can’t. I’m busy.” “Doing what?” “Laundry,” she tells me.

What about girlfriends?” “What about them?” “Do you have one?” “That depends.” I chuckle. “On what?” she asks, and I feel her head shift towards me. I don’t turn around. “On you. Wanna be my girlfriend, Ellie?”

“You’ve never been in a relationship?” “Never wanted to be… before now,” I admit. “What’s changed?” “I like you, and when I think about you being with anyone else, I want to rip heads off. I don’t want to share you, which means you and I are exclusive.” It’s simple as that.

I’ve been spending just about every night at Ellie’s place. When I’m with her, it’s like we’re in our own little bubble. Just the two of us. I really fucking like our bubble. But I also think it’s time to break it, to introduce her to the rest of my family.

the curtain is ripped open, and I do mean ripped. My heart stops when I see Gio standing on the other side. “Ellie, what the fuck? What’s wrong? What happened? Why isn’t there a fucking doctor in here?” He fires off question after question while stepping up to the bed. “Gio, relax. I’m fine.” I cup his face in my palms. “Fine? You’re in the fucking hospital, Ellie. That is not fine. What happened?” he asks as his hands run down my arms. “Nothing. It’s my sister. She’s in surgery.”

How long have you two been dating?” Mum asks. “A couple of months,” Gio answers for me. “It’s my fault. When we first met, I wanted to keep us to just us. You know, so we could get to know each other without anyone else intervening. And then, I guess, we got a little comfortable in our bubble.”

“I’m going to take my time with this body tonight. I’m going to make you scream my name, over and over and over again,” I tell her as I run my fingers up and down her calf. “I want every single person in this house to hear you scream for me. To hear that you’re mine.” “That’s a lot of bloody people, Gio.” “Ellie, I want the whole fucking world to know that you are mine.”

“These aren’t groceries. Well, technically, they are but they also aren’t,” I say. “I Googled what things could help you with your period, and a list of food items and teas came up. I got you cookies and cream, chocolate, and vanilla ice cream cartons—I wasn’t sure what you’d prefer. And then some peppermint and camomile teas, biscuits, and a bunch of other shit.” Ellie immediately starts crying. I’m in front of her within seconds, holding her in my arms.

“You. You’re just too perfect,” she sobs. “It’s going to break my heart when this all blows up in my face, because I think I’m in love with you, Giovanni De Bellis. No, I don’t think. I know I am.” “Okay, first, this isn’t ever going to blow up in your face. I love you, Ellie, and I look after things I love. People I love. I will not allow anything to come between us. Ever,” I admit before leaning down to kiss the middle of her forehead.

“I’m far from perfect, and I’ll never be good enough to deserve you, but I will always try to be,” I say as Ellie’s arms cling tight around my waist.

“Because I’m fucking petrified of losing you, Ellie. I’m scared and I’ve never been scared of anything in my fucking life. But you… you scare the shit out of me.”

“Move in with me,” he says, and I blink at him. “Huh?” “I need you to move in with me. I need to wake up next to you here, in this bed, in this house. I need to know that, when I come home, I’m coming home to you.” “Sounds a hell of a lot like a want and not a need, Giovanni.” “It’s a want, but it’s also a need. I need you here with me, Ellie. Why wait? I bought this house because you loved it. You were always meant to be living here with me.”

When I get to the kitchen, I see a little path made up of candles, a dozen or more on each side, and beautiful delicate blue flowers spread out down the middle.

Welcome home Ellie, Follow the path of Myosotis. These blue flowers represent love and remembrance. Forget-me-nots. I will never let you forget how much I love you, how it’s eternal. ∞ G

“You are it for me, Ellie. I know it. You know it. Why deny it and pussyfoot around? You and I are going all the way. Marriage, kids, the lot.”

“I don’t know how to make a lot of things, but pasta is in my blood. I practised until it was perfect. Try it. Let me know if it’s okay.” “You made this?” I ask, lifting my fork to my lips. “There is nothing I won’t do or learn to do for you, Ellie.”

I’m never going to leave, Ellie. If you want to become a stay-at-home mum, then you can. If not, then don’t. I want you to be happy. But whatever you choose, know that you won’t ever be forced to rely on me. Whatever I have is yours.”

“That man would have you holed up in a tower like Rapunzel if you even thought about breaking up with him.” “No, he wouldn’t.” I shake my head. “Live a pretty life in denial, El.

“I bought it, for you. The paperwork has been drawn up. You are officially the owner of a registered real estate agency.” Ellie is silent. Her face doesn’t reveal any hint of emotion as her eyes continue to scan the room. “You what? Why? How?” “Why? Because I can tell you’re not happy at your current job. How? Well, it wasn’t hard. Starting and managing businesses is what I do for a living. And I did this for you. I want you to have something that’s yours. It’s all in your name, Ellie. The building, the business. It’s all yours. Nobody can take it from you.” “You bought me a business? That’s… extreme,” she says. “Have you ever known me to be anything less?”

“Eloise, I wake up every morning counting my blessings that you’re next to me. I’ve been in love with you since the moment I first saw you. I promise to always love you, to protect you, and to spend the rest of my life making sure you have everything you ever need or want. I promise to always listen to whatever it is you have to say, even when you’re rambling and don’t make much sense. You’re my other half, the part that completes me. It will always be you,”

“You have love hearts in your eyes, sis,” Gabe says. “That’s because I’m in love. One day, you’ll have them too.” “Nope. That’s not me. I plan to be the eternal bachelor. The fun uncle after you birth me some nephews.” “Or nieces.” “Huh?” “They could be girls,” I remind him. “We don’t have enough guns for that, El,”

“I’m sorry.” “For what?” “For being so needy, clingy,” I tell him. “I don’t know what it is, but the thought of being in a different room from you… I don’t like it.” “Ellie, if you want to spend the rest of our lives in the same room together, you will not hear me complain about it. I like having you close.” “It’s no way to live…” I shake my head. “It could be.”

Gio pulls me into his chest. His arms encircle me. This is my safe place. Right here, in my husband’s arms. And given the choice, I’d never leave.

“I want to take your pain away. I want to carry it for you,” I tell her.