Page 171 of Dare To Break

“No, no, no.” His cheeks turn red. “But he’s local.”

“Are you friends?”

“God, no. He drives me crazy.”

I cross my arms, casting a nervous glance back at the building. “Does he know you’re fake-dating me?”

He nods, dragging a hand through his hair. “He knows we’re dating.”

“This is what’s been keeping you distracted?”

“Yes.” Miles takes a shaky breath. “He’s … different.”

The knowledge eases some of the tension in my muscles, and his obvious excitement makes me smile. “And you like him?”

“I really do.”

“Are you going to tell him about our arrangement?”

He shrugs. “I can’t.”

“We aren’t really together though, are we?”

“And if he tells someone, everyone will know we’ve been lying. I’m not sure I can trust him with that information. I just wanted you to know I wasn’t ignoring you on purpose.”

Guilt slithers up inside me.

Miles is willing to keep our secret, and yet I’ve been with someone else.

Sin won’t betray me, though. He won’t tell anyone what we’ve been doing.

***

Excitement at being in Sin’s presence erases the guilt from earlier. The second he takes my hand and leads me into the tomb, electricity zips through me. He lifts me to sit on the coffin. Legs dangling over the edge of the stone, I wait eagerly for his instructions. The tension between us is tangible and I savor the thrill.

“You are not the sad, empty girl you were when you arrived. Don’t let them steal your confidence.” There’s a hint of anger in his words. “You are stronger than that, Kitten.”

“I’m trying,” I whisper, hating the uncertainty in my tone.

“Tina is a bitch, and you need to stay away from her.”

I shiver at the cold edge in his voice. “Where did you get the video of her from?”

“I have connections.”

Even though I can’t see him, I tilt my head in his direction. “Do you know everyone’s secrets?”

“I know enough to make people uncomfortable.”

I can hear the smile in his raspy whisper. “Do you know mine?”

He answers my question with another one. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes.” My reply comes without hesitation.

A hand lands on my knee. “You’re not like those airheads you hang out with, and your boyfriend doesn’t deserve you.”

My heart does a weird flip-flop in my chest, sending hot little shocks down my spine. “Are you jealous?”

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