Kai stood by the exit to the dining room, it made me feel like he was guarding the only way out. For the first time I felt a real shiver of fear. Real fear.

“Now that we have finished eating it is time to talk.” Despite Mack’s voice being friendly, I knew better.

I didn’t want to hear what he was going to say. This had been a mistake, we should never have come but it was too late now. There was no going back, we would have to face him and whatever he had uncovered.

Under the table I touched my stomach, hoping that I would be able to keep my baby from harm.

This whole situation had been so stressful. Stress that wasn’t good for my pregnancy. 

My heart was beating fast in my chest as I tried to remain calm. 

Sin gave no indication anything was amiss as Mack 

“How long have we known each other Sin?” 

“Long enough,” Sin answered.

“You know how important honesty and trust is to me,” Mack said. His gaze directed at me and then it shifted to Sin.

Was this about the night at the club where I told Kai I was going through a bad breakup while Sin had told Mack that I left because I have been unwell? Or had Mack discovered we had been taken to the police station to be questioned?

I studied Mack. There was no anger, no malice. He almost seemed to be enjoying this.

“You have not been honest with me Sin,” he admonished.

My heart hammered in my chest. Sin was calm. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Mack smiled as he studied his friend.

“The night Taylor left the club you said it was because she wasn’t feeling well.”

And there it was.

“But Kai spoke to her that night, didn’t you Kai?”

Kai nodded dutifully. 

This could not be happening. It was my rash actions that night that was coming back to haunt me. 

“Taylor told him that you had broken up. I believe the term she used was ‘bad breakup’.”

Mack stood, Sin studied him.

I was scared to death and Sin looked like he was totally at home in the dangerous situation we were in. It was a reminder of how he had grown up. If you grew up surrounded crime, you learned to deal with criminals. 

But Mack was way beyond just a criminal. He was unstable and I could not read him at all.

“Girls can be dramatic sometimes.” Sin shrugged, dismissively. “We had a fight, nothing more.”

Mack’s gaze went to me. “But I know you Sin. Would you like to hear my thoughts?”

He was not going to let this go. 

Sin took a sip of his drink and set it down. He was steady and cool, the opposite of me. I was trembling inside, fearful of what was going to happen. It felt like everything was unravelling and there was no way to stop it.

“You know me Sin, maybe too well.” He began. “I believe you care for Taylor but love.” He scoffed. “Let’s be real. You love women. Blondes, brunettes. You enjoy them. But you’re not the settling down type. I don’t know why you expected me to believe that you could commit to one woman.”

I frowned. He didn’t know the man who had fallen in love with me. Sin wasn’t that person anymore.

“Taylor is beautiful. There is no doubt about that but we all know that a leopard doesn’t change its spots.”

That was wrong. I had changed the bad boy. Why was it so hard for this guy to believe that? 

“You’re a good guy Sin. While you did some bad things, fundamentally you were a good that’s why I believe you are doing this to protect Taylor.”

Well that part was true. 

“So what are you getting at Mack?” Sin retorted, impatiently. “Why would I make this all up?”

“You know what I’m like with women, especially beautiful ones. And Taylor falls right into that category. I saw her briefly at the club and let’s say it was lust at first sight.”

Oh my god!

Mack to press the point home, allowed his gaze to settle on me. “And there is no doubt that the woman beside you is stunning.”

“You think I lied to keep you away from Taylor?”

“When I picked her up that day, I was curious about the girl I had seen you with briefly. But you know me. I don’t like to share.” He sat back on his seat, pausing for a moment. “I wanted to ensure there was nothing going on before I made my intentions clear. But I suspect as soon as you pretended to be with her so I would back off.”

“If I’m not in love with her, why would I care if you want led her?” Sun questioned rebelliously.

“You don’t approve of my lifestyle or the risks it entails to the people who get close to me. Is it a stretch to believe you did this to make sure she didn’t get entangled into a life you could get away from fast enough?”

Sin frowned. 

I was just blown away by what Mack had concluded. It was a total lie. I was shellshocked.

“When Sienna said you had reached out, I knew that you would be useful.”

I blinked, unsure I had heard him right. Useful? 

In Mack’s mind, he had discarded me like an object from Sin’s life.

“I trust you like I trust Sienna, like family.”

For the first time I looked to Sienna. She looked as confused as I did.

“And that’s why you are perfect. You are the only man I can entrust my sister to.”

My mind was reeling. Entrust? What did that mean? Whatever it meant, if it was coming from Mack it would not be good.

“Entrust?” Sin questioned, giving Sienna a side glance like he was actually considering it.

He hadn’t said anything to correct Mack’s distorted point of view. Why? I wanted to say something, to stop where this was going but fear kept me from uttering a word.

“I need to know that my sister is protected. I’ve had some issues recently. Some information has been leaked from my organization. And you know how dangerous it is to have a leak. There is too much going on for me to keep my sister safe. So I need you to protect her for me.”

There was silence.

“You are going to marry her.”

I shook my head slightly. Had I heard right? My mouth dropped open. I couldn’t not pretend I was okay with that.

What blew my mind was that Sin hadn’t told him off or said anything. Why?

“Mack,” Sienna said but he waved his hand at her to silence her.

“I know, I know. You think you can protect yourself but you can’t. I’ve spent my life taking care of you. You don’t know how dangerous the world is but I do.” He brushed off her interruption.  

I looked to Sin, expecting him to stop Mack from going any further.

“And what do I get out of this?” Sin asked.

My eyes widened in shock. Why wasn’t he telling Mack that he wouldn’t go along with this?

Mack’s eyes settled on me again. 

“Taylor walks out of here no questions asked. You have my word, I will keep away from her. You give my sister your name, and with that some distance from my organization. It will be a new start for her. You’ll be saving another person from this life.”

In that moment, I knew I had lost Sin. 

I will protect you both. His words came back to haunt me. I could do nothing but watch it all unfold. If I said anything I could put Sin at risk and that wasn’t something I could do. 

It was crazy. The whole thing. 

“You want me to marry Sienna to protect her?” Sin questioned.

Mack nodded. “I’ve spent my whole life protecting her but right now it’s more dangerous for her to be here. She will be far safer with you.”

I felt like I was in an alternate universe. This could not be happening. 

I looked to Sienna. She looked glassy eyed. As stunned as I was.

This guy was moving us all around like chess pieces, he got to decide where each piece went and what their role was.

There was still the part of me that expected Sin to tell Mack off before leaving with me firmly by his side.

But that did not happen.

Instead, Sin stood. He extended his hand to Mack. “You keep up your end of the deal and I’ll marry Sienna.”