Page 64 of Forbidden Sins

The question catches me off guard. I glance at Estella, then back at her father. "I'd protect her," I answer honestly. "With my life."

Antony nods, as if I've confirmed something for him. "And if I were to give you my blessing to be with my daughter, what then?"

Estella gasps, but Antony doesn’t look at her. He looks at me, and I try to answer as truthfully as I possibly can. I straighten, meeting Antony's gaze directly. "I'd still protect her. I'd love her. I'd spend every day making sure she never regrets choosing me."

“Hm.” Antony regards me for another moment. “Even after what I did to you? You’d marry my daughter, become a part of this family, share a table and a bloodline with me? I could live, not thinking I’d have to watch my back every moment?”

“Estella’s happiness is more important to me than any vengeance,” I tell him truthfully. “And a life with her is more important to me than revenge. You hurt me, and it’s not something I can forgive. But I can forget it, for the sake of our future. If that’s an option… sir.”

Antony chuckles. “Sir. I like that you still have some respect in you, boy.” He turns back to look at Estella. “And you? He’s truly what you want? You would come home, learn to run the family, and accept all the responsibility that comes with it, if he were the one at your side?”

Estella nods. “Yes. I—” She swallows hard.

“I would always have stepped into Luis’ shoes.

He was my brother, and I love him. I would always have tried to make him proud.

But I need to be the one to inherit, not some man who wants to shackle me and make me his possession.

With Sebastian—yes. Yes to all of it. If I can have the man I love. ”

Antony lets out a long, slow breath. “It seems, daughter, that you can turn fantasy into reality after all.” He looks at me, his expression contemplative.

“You came to her rescue with no promise of gaining anything for yourself. I told you that I would still kill you, after, and you came to save her anyway. You kept your word, Sinclair.”

“There’s nothing more important to me than her. Not my life—nothing.” I swallow hard. “I needed to see her safe. That’s all that matters.”

Antony gives a slow nod. “Men, let him be,” he says finally, taking a step back. “He can stay with her. He’ll come back with us.”

The men retreat from around me, so quickly that I’m momentarily stunned. It lasts for only a second, and then I’m moving to Estella, almost running in my haste to get to her. I grab her, pulling her into my arms as I press a kiss to her hair, feeling her tremble against me.

“Are you okay?” I whisper, and she nods, her hands curling into the front of my shirt.

“I am now.” She rests her head against my chest. “I am now.”

I look at Antony, who is watching us both, narrow-eyed. “You’ve put me in a difficult position,” he says finally, looking at me. “My daughter says that she’ll die without you, and I’m inclined to believe her. But I’m not in the habit of allowing men who steal from me to live.”

I take a slow breath. “As Estella’s husband, I will spend my life giving back to the Gallo family,” I say calmly. “I will support her, and love her, and give the family name my service for as long as I live. I will repay this debt, sir. So long as I can stay by her side.”

Antony raises an eyebrow. “You’ll take her last name?”

“I’ll do whatever I have to,” I assure him. “A name is nothing, compared to what I would do for your daughter.”

Antony looks at Estella, and he lets out a long breath.

“You should have told me Vito tried to hurt you,” he says slowly.

“And I should have seen what kind of man he was.” He looks toward his men, still standing ready for their orders.

“Clean up the mess. All of you. Brick, make sure there’s nothing here that ties us back to this. ”

Brick nods. “On it, sir.”

Antony looks at the two of us. “Let’s go,” he says calmly. “There should be a car downstairs waiting. We need to get back to the mansion and get medical attention for Estella. We have plenty to discuss, and this isn’t the place for it.”

Estella looks at her father, and then back at me. “Are you willing to go back?” she whispers. “I’d go anywhere with you, Sebastian. I’d rather be free of it all, honestly. But I think this is the price.”

“And I’ll pay it.” I touch her cheek gently. “I’ll go anywhere with you, princess.”

“I can honor Luis’ memory this way, too.” She swallows hard. “Maybe there’s a place in our lives for both duty and love.”

I nod, my arm around her as we follow Antony out to the elevator, and down to where a car is waiting. I keep Estella close, still not entirely convinced this isn't some elaborate trap. He might have agreed to let me live, but that doesn’t mean I’m not still wary.

A driver opens the door for us as soon as we step out to the curb, and Antony gestures for us to get in. I hesitate, my instincts screaming caution.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Sinclair," Antony says, a hint of impatience in his voice. "If I wanted you dead, you'd be lying back there with Vito."

All I can do is trust that he’s telling the truth.

I help Estella into the SUV, then slide in beside her.

Antony joins us, sitting across from us, as the driver starts the engine.

For several minutes, no one speaks. The tension in the vehicle is thick enough to cut with a knife. Finally, Antony breaks the silence.

“I meant what I said back there, Sinclair. I won’t spend my life watching my back. If you put a foot wrong, I won’t hesitate to end you. Even if you are my son-in-law.”

“Dad!” Estella gasps, but I shake my head.

“I understand,” I say calmly. “I can put the past behind me if you can, Antony.” I keep my gaze level with his, the deference sir of before gone. “We can move forward.”

A small smirk touches the corner of Antony’s lips. “As a family.”

I nod. “Indeed.”

The rest of the drive passes in relative silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts.

Estella leans against me, her head on my shoulder, her hand still clasped in mine.

My heartbeat steadies and slows, and I can feel her breathing doing the same.

I don't know what the future holds for us. The path ahead is fraught with dangers and difficulties I can clearly imagine. The life I’m stepping into is familiar and not, all at the same time, but none of that matters to me right now.

I look down at Estella, at the woman who stepped out in front of Vito to defend me in that forest, who stood tall before her father and demanded her right to choose her own path, whether it meant her life or her death. I look at the woman I love, and I know one thing with absolute certainty.

Whatever comes, we'll face it together.

And God help anyone who tries to stand in our way.