Page 13 of Sin

What the hell does she mean that Mason may have done something to Lily? Is she implying he hurt Lily?

I’ll fucking kill him if he did.

“Don’t beat around the bush,” I say sharply. “You’re not going to hurt my feelings talking shit about Mason.”

“No.” Kinsley takes a few steps back. “I really shouldn’t be talking to you about this. I think Lily would be hurt, and I’m probably being paranoid. I’m sorry if I worried you. It’s all probably fine.”

With that, she turns around and starts jogging away.

I stand there for who knows how long, my head spinning. What was Kinsley getting at?

The back of my neck prickles, and an otherworldly aura settles over me. My gaze roams up over the palm tree next to me, and something about it looks hazy and dreamlike.

Holy fuck. I think this might be a sign from God.

My first ever.

Maybe he wants me to help Lily because her struggles in school have something to do with Mason. That asshole hurt her in some way, just like Noah suspected he might.

If it was physical, I really will kill him.

No, that’s crazy. Kinsley probably just meant he messed with Lily emotionally, though…that seems strange. Mason isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. I think Lily could run circles around him with her sass.

Still, if she really liked him, it would have made her vulnerable to getting hurt. Hell, maybe she even loved him. An unpleasant feeling twists in my gut, but I try to ignore it. It’s not jealousy. My brain is just mixed up after that kiss.

How can I possibly help her? She can’t stand me. She certainly wouldn’t want to tell me her troubles if she’s not even willing to share them with Kinsley.

Still, I can’t reason away this strange sensation. It’s like an invisible hand guiding me, urging me forward despite my doubts.

I asked for God to speak to me, and he has.

Maybe I can help Lily by just being there, showing her that I’m steady and loyal. I can help her work on her studies with the utmost patience. I won’t be the uptight version of myself who she thinks is a prick. I’ll open my heart and try to be a real friend.

If I can earn her trust, maybe she will open up to me about why she’s been so troubled and unable to focus lately.

Exhilaration pumps through my veins. My recent obsession with her might not be sinful at all. Maybe it was God’s way of showing me that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. Maybe I’m being called by him to help her.

If that’s the case, I can never, ever touch her again.

Chapter Six

Lily

My stomach flutters as I knock on the door of the frat house. The prospect of teasing Ethan for a full hour fills me with a strange sense of purpose, something I haven’t felt in months. I ought to be embarrassed that such childish behavior can make me feel like my old self, but I’ll take these small wins as they come.

Ethan is all business in his approach to everything. He’ll be aggravated out of his mind if he feels like I’m not taking this whole “accountability partner” thing seriously.

It will be his own fault. He overstepped by agreeing to this. Even he admitted that.

The door opens, revealing Ethan’s tall form. The warmth in his eyes makes my smile fade. Why does he look so excited to see me?

His demeanor toward me has changed since that night. I wasn’t imagining it during the meeting with Noah. He’s somehow…softer, more inviting.

I brush off the thought as I walk inside and follow him down the hallway. I won’t let his new warmth stop me from teasing him. I’ll make it my mission to bring out that grumpy, exasperated Ethan who never fails to amuse me.

He leads me inside a room that looks like a library.

“What is this?” I ask, my gaze drifting over the wall-to-ceiling bookshelves.

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